ChrisK2793

@ChrisK2793 I second this. Based in Florida and living our lives. My daughter has attended high school in person and (gasp) no masks. Totally a choice for families, while we are not arrogant about the situation and do our best to respect others while going about living. We are on this ship right now (Odyssey) and our days are pretty packed. We wait in long lines but participated in the bumper cars multiple sessions, I fly, the jumpy thing and the shows that aren't canceled. Morning walks on running track. No isolation, no sir, no way.

Here is the letter we just received in our cabin. My refunds for excursions as well as the two days refund already hit my on board account. While I struggle with Royal and the reason we got here I feel they have handled this with transparency and the unexpected compensation is MORE then generous in my humble opinion. 
 

We just got off Allure on 12/19 and started hearing rumors on the last night of the cruise that a more stringent mask policy would be enforced on the next sailing.  During this 8 day cruise nearly everyone grudgingly complied with the existing marks policy, however capacity limits on the elevators, in public bathrooms, etc were somewhat ignored by most passengers.  It was great being back at sea but the reductions in activities and shows was disappointing.  Like you I am not a “medically qualified” professional but the assessment that the new variant is little more than a common cold is right on.  It’s to bad that the media and certain bureaucratic dynasties continue to fan the flames of Covid hysteria at the expense of our country, the cruising industry being a microcosm of the deleterious results we must endure in order to enjoy our lives.  There never has been nor will there ever be a virus free event among groups of people living their normal daily lives.  Sail on!!
 
 
 

I am not blaming RC.  I do think they upped the capacity too fast, that is just my personal opinion.  But the only reason we did RC is it was the only one that my son could go on.  Next year when he is vaccinated we will have lots of options so we may or may not stick with RC.
My biggest reason for cancelling is being stuck on a ship with no shows or ports and 3 kids.  That sounds like zero fun and my husband would throw a fit because he is not into cruises and wanted the ports.  So it seemed not worth the risk for the insane amount of money we were paying.
I agree it can happen, it just seems with Omicron spreading like it is, the chances of 50 people testing positive and that shutting stuff down is a higher chance.  I could be wrong and all goes well next week, but I didn't want to take the risk with an already hesitant husband.  I booked for the lower capacity and it seems all I hear about is how crowded the ships are and long lines on here.  That already had me hesitant mixed with not being able to AO because of the lower capacity in AO but higher capacity on ship.  Now ports closing?  Just didn't seem worth it anymore.  We are all bummed but we are looking at maybe a short beach vacation instead.  Advantages of living in Florida.

Sailing away from Cococay …… it was too windy for us to dock this morning 

Sailing away from Cococay …… it was too windy for us to dock this morning 

Sailing away from Cococay …… it was too windy for us to dock this morning 

That’s a bummer. We were there Sunday on Odyssey and alongside Freedom. It was perfect weather. So sorry for you 😳🧑‍🎄😢

Actually it blows

I had to darken in the word that what was before then. 😂

Sailing away from Cococay …… it was too windy for us to dock this morning 

Sailing away from Cococay …… it was too windy for us to dock this morning 

Sailing away from Cococay …… it was too windy for us to dock this morning 

I disagree with a case is a case is a case that isn't true at all, but it is what the news media and many at the CDC, NIH and in government want us all to believe. On Thursday or Friday I was watching NBC Nightly News and one of the doctors on the broadcast went off script (I love when they do) and suggest we need to stop reporting and stop focusing on the total number of cases and start focusing on the total number of serious hospitalization requiring ICU's and incubators.  He suggested this because the total number of cases also includes people who are fully vaccinated and boosted but we know 99% of people who are fully vaccinated and/or boosted avoid serious  disease requiring hospitalization.  His suggestion at why the CDC, NIH and news organizations continue to focus on total case numbers is they wish to continue to use fear to convince people to get vaccinated.  A cases isn't a case, although I'm fully vaccinated I had a break through COVID case back in early July my symptoms where not even mild I never needed to set foot in a hospital.  Cases are spiking across the country, here in Illinois we are setting daily case records but our hospitalization rate and death rate have remained steady.  Even look at South Africa where if we are to believe the reports Omicron has swept across the entire country replacing Delta, yet South Africa just two days ago reported their hospitalization rate has drop an astounding 91% with Omicron verses Delta.  Google it, it is all there but it is something the media in the US and the CDC wishes to hide by continually focusing on the total number of positive cases instead of hospitalization or serious disease.  
I'm not saying we shouldn't take COVID seriously, we should and I'm sure Royal is concerned about the rise in cases around the country.  But a rise in cases does not necessarily mean there is a rise in severe disease resulting in increased hospitalizations, ICU beds and death.  If there were 50 cases on Symphony of the Seas out of those 50 how many of those cases were severe disease and how many simply tested positive with mild to no symptoms at all.  We have vaccines, we have COVID pills, and we have many other tools in the tool shed to fight COVID this isn't 2020 it is the end of 2021 and today a cases isn't a cases isn't a case thanks to many of those tools which are not designed to prevent a individual from contracting COVID the tools are designed to reduce or prevent serious disease.

The girl I’ve been taking to at Royal CLAIMS she cancelled it for a full cash refund ……. But says she can’t sent me an email verifying that ……. The reservation still shows active ……. I’m supposed to just take her word they won’t just say we didn’t show up …… I’m waiting for a supervisor now …….. I want actual PROOF in an email saying they cancelled it and I’m getting a refund!

ANYWAY, we’re on Mariner now ……. At least on this ship, that email they sent Friday was greatly exaggerated ……. Maybe to appease the CDC ……… nobody has masks on once sitting in bars, restaurants, or clubs and haven’t seen anybody asking them to put them back on.  Have also seen quite a few people have walking around the promenade with no masks on as well and haven’t seen anybody say anything to them.
We were told there are 2,700 passengers on the ship of which right at 700 are kids.
 

ANYWAY, we’re on Mariner now ……. At least on this ship, that email they sent Friday was greatly exaggerated ……. Maybe to appease the CDC ……… nobody has masks on once sitting in bars, restaurants, or clubs and haven’t seen anybody asking them to put them back on.  Have also seen quite a few people have walking around the promenade with no masks on as well and haven’t seen anybody say anything to them.
We were told there are 2,700 passengers on the ship of which right at 700 are kids.
 

did they include in your upgrade  a concierge to lower and raise your mask between bites?😄

ANYWAY, we’re on Mariner now ……. At least on this ship, that email they sent Friday was greatly exaggerated ……. Maybe to appease the CDC ……… nobody has masks on once sitting in bars, restaurants, or clubs and haven’t seen anybody asking them to put them back on.  Have also seen quite a few people have walking around the promenade with no masks on as well and haven’t seen anybody say anything to them.
We were told there are 2,700 passengers on the ship of which right at 700 are kids.
 

ANYWAY, we’re on Mariner now ……. At least on this ship, that email they sent Friday was greatly exaggerated ……. Maybe to appease the CDC ……… nobody has masks on once sitting in bars, restaurants, or clubs and haven’t seen anybody asking them to put them back on.  Have also seen quite a few people have walking around the promenade with no masks on as well and haven’t seen anybody say anything to them.
We were told there are 2,700 passengers on the ship of which right at 700 are kids.
 

ANYWAY, we’re on Mariner now ……. At least on this ship, that email they sent Friday was greatly exaggerated ……. Maybe to appease the CDC ……… nobody has masks on once sitting in bars, restaurants, or clubs and haven’t seen anybody asking them to put them back on.  Have also seen quite a few people have walking around the promenade with no masks on as well and haven’t seen anybody say anything to them.
We were told there are 2,700 passengers on the ship of which right at 700 are kids.
 

Carrying a drink doesn’t work ……… on our October and November cruises if you walked inside around with a drink you weren’t drinking at the time and weren’t in a vaccinated only area they’d yell at you to put your mask on ……… now you even have to wear a mask in the vaccinated only areas unless ACTIVELY eating or drinking 

ANYWAY, we’re on Mariner now ……. At least on this ship, that email they sent Friday was greatly exaggerated ……. Maybe to appease the CDC ……… nobody has masks on once sitting in bars, restaurants, or clubs and haven’t seen anybody asking them to put them back on.  Have also seen quite a few people have walking around the promenade with no masks on as well and haven’t seen anybody say anything to them.
We were told there are 2,700 passengers on the ship of which right at 700 are kids.
 

LMAO ….. seriously?  You think an owners suite costs $10k MORE than a junior suite on a 5 day Mariner cruise?  I’ve stayed in an OS for a week on an Oasis class 7 day cruise for under $7k for 3 people.  If they had the EMPTY OS to switch us to 15 hours before boarding, what were they making on it before they put us in it?  $0.00.
On our October cruise we Royal Up’d from a GS to a Crown Loft Suite for a grant total of $470.  By your standards that should have been $10k more also.  But again, $470 Royal wasn’t making before they Royal Up’d us in the room.
 

They credited us an upgrade us from a JS to an OS …… What did that cost them????  NOTHING ……. I’ve spent at least 140k on Royal since early 2019 so I don’t need their money ……. like I said, it was MAINLY realizing what it would cost me to earn the 20 points I’d be giving up by not going and them offering the free upgrade just sweetened the pot.  And as I said in another post, the BIGGEST problem I had was they pissed me off throwing that at us LESS THAN  24 hours before the cruise!