WAAAYTOOO

Yep. Us too….plus 10-3-21

Yikes ! Those protocols for Barbados are ridiculous. I agree with @Ampurp85….looks like Barbados will be the new Bermuda. I have a Feb 2022 cruise on Grandeur out of Barbados but even if I were vaccinated (which I am not), I wouldn’t go through with all of that nonsense. Looks like another refund for me…

Ugh. That is a tough one.

I think (only a guess) that they will ease up on the vaccinated masks. This is where Royal is getting the most push-back. If it is possible, I think Royal will say that the vaccinated do not need to wear masks. Period.

Good question. I have a Vision sailing out of SJ in late October

Same thing happened to me. I called in the evening on Wednesday. They said it would be over an hour's wait but I stuck it out. Then someone came on the line and took my name, reservation number and phone number and said someone would call me back within 2 hours. Nobody ever called that night...but early on Thursday morning someone did finally call. I was able to save $217 on our MIA-BGI flight so happy in the end. ...but very frustrating.

Yeah, no kiddin' ! I read another thread (of one of the cruises I am on) and they said that our cruise was open for check-in, otherwise I wouldn't even know.

Locate the nearest set of connecting cabins (designated with a double-sided arrow). "Standing" in the hallway, the room on the right will have the bed near the slider. The orientation alternates so just go down until you come to the cabin you are interested in and you will know if your bed will be near the sliders or near the bathroom.

Theoretically it's possible but highly improbable that you would get the same room for both halves of the B2B. If you don't want to have to change rooms, I would recommend that you book them up front.

Glad to help !

Sorry but you got some very BAD information....which isn't particularly surprising. As you suggest, one of the advantages of the UDP is the fact that you can eat whenever you want - as long as you can get a reservation. So forget what the rep told you. You do NOT have to eat at ANY particular time with the UDP. I recommend that as soon as you board the ship, you head to any one of the specialty restaurants that is open or to the dining reservation kiosk (usually located somewhere in the Promenade) to (1) make your dining reservations for whatever time/restaurant YOU want to dine and (2) let them know that you will NOT be going to the MDR so that they can release your seating to someone else who may be WAITING to get into the early dining. Enjoy your cruise and your UDP.

Looks like Royal's protocols out of Texas will be the same as those out of FL. Dear valued Travel Partners, This is memory maxing from the Gulf Coast. Your clients can take thrills to the next level from Galveston, Texas onboard Independence of the Seas® and embark on island hopping journeys. And there are plenty of Texas-style adventures to be had even before they board — from Galveston’s amusement park thrills to spicy seafood sensations. Before we welcome booked guests back onboard with open arms this August, we would like to share some important details with you. Please ensure you carefully review the enclosed message to assist your booked clients. The information below applies only to sailings departing from Galveston, Texas on Independence of the Seas this August. We will continue to update these protocols as public health situations evolve. Your booked clients will be provided full details specific to their port of departure prior to sailing. Pre-Cruise Requirements Vaccination Requirement All guests 12 years and older are required to bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days before sailing. Testing At the terminal: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in. Registration details for this test will be sent via email in advance. Prior to disembarking: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take an antigen test onboard within 24 hours of the end of voyage. Vaccinated guests who require an antigen or PCR test for entry into their destination country may receive one onboard at no charge. Registration details will be provided during the cruise. Both of these tests are complimentary. No testing is required for guests under age 2 years. Going Ashore At ports of call, fully vaccinated parties have the choice of booking a shore excursion or visiting freely. Parties that wish to go ashore and include any unvaccinated guests, including parents traveling with unvaccinated children, must book a shore excursion through Royal Caribbean that is provided by an independent local tour operator that has agreed to comply with recommended health protocols. Vaccinated parents wishing to go ashore freely can visit our youth facilities once onboard to learn about drop off program hours and availability, and reserve time for their child on the day they wish to go in port. Shore excursions may be purchased in advance on the Cruise Planner website. Once onboard, they can be purchased at the shore excursions desk or by using the Royal Caribbean app. All guests are also subject to restrictions and requirements as defined by local authorities in the ports we visit. What to Expect Onboard If guests have cruised with us before, they will notice some changes. Royal Caribbean, like all cruise companies sailing from U.S. ports, is guided by CDC regulations which currently govern many aspects of our operations. On the sailing, guests 12 years and older and all our crew will be vaccinated. While we are ready to give all our guests an amazing vacation, we do want to share some details about the experience, so your clients know what to expect.Please note, a guest’s SeaPass card will be required to access lounges, shows, and dining venues, so it’s best to keep it handy at all times during the cruise. Face Masks and Physical Distancing When indoors, CDC guidelines require all guests 2 years and older to wear masks unless they are actively eating or drinking. The CDC makes allowances for guests to remove their masks in venues and events dedicated to fully vaccinated parties. Since so many of our guests are vaccinated, they’ll find plenty of these opportunities. Masks are not required while in a guest’s own stateroom when with their traveling party or outside on the open decks, unless in a crowded setting. Updates will be shared as changes to the CDC mask guidelines occur. Guests will find the boarding process and entire ship set up to allow for physical distancing, which is encouraged whenever interacting with those outside of a guest’s traveling party. Dining For Main Dining, we will designate areas for everyone, including parents and unvaccinated children, and areas for vaccinated parties only. My Time Dining will not be available to parties that include unvaccinated guests. Some specialty restaurants will be open to everyone, while others will be for vaccinated parties only. If a buffet is preferred, Windjammer will be open to everyone for breakfast and lunch, and the food will be served by our crew. We recommend that guests make dining reservations via Cruise Planner before the cruise or the Royal Caribbean app once onboard. Grab-and-go cafes will also be available for everyone. Other Venues Theaters and activity venues will offer spaced seating with options for everyone and for vaccinated guests only. Show reservations can be made once onboard using the Royal Caribbean app. Youth spaces will be open to all children and teens. Spa services, except those offered in treatment rooms, are available to everyone. The Fitness Center will have dedicated operating hours for everyone, as well as hours reserved for vaccinated guests only. The Casino will be open to vaccinated guests only. What To Bring Travel Documentation Checklist A Passport Book or Passport Card, valid for at least six months after the cruise, is strongly recommended. If guests do not have a Passport, they may present a state-certified U.S. Birth Certificate (not a “baby feet” hospital certificate or baptismal paper). Guests age 16 years and older that choose to present a Birth Certificate will also need to provide a valid Driver’s License or picture ID card issued by the government. A COVID-19 vaccination record card for each vaccinated guest with the final dose at least 14 days before sailing. For additional protocol information, please click the link below to read the detailed FAQs. Please note that health protocols are expected to change over time. Guidance for other ports and sailings is still in development with federal, state, and local authorities. We will update you and your booked clients as protocols change.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Cats lives !!

Very interesting coincidence. A little while ago, I received an email from Nataliya Bugaevskaya who presumably is with Royal's Private Journey Team. This is for our 9 Jan 2022 Oasis sailing...the first of 3 SC cruises booked for early Jan 2022. I have never gotten anything like this before. I am always a bit leery of unsolicited emails of this type, but it seems as if she is legit. I don't think there is any price difference between these prices and the price on the Cruise Planner (my CP has been unavailable since early this morning....not sure what's going on there....) so not sure why I would do this, but I did find it interesting that I was contacted in this way. What is REALLY perplexing is I have 3 SC cruises coming up BEFORE this one. Why this one ? ...and what would Private Journeys have to do with cabana rentals ? Anyway, I thought it was interesting since we had just been discussing this. From the email it seems like she is available to help with any Royal excursions...so go figure...

As a rule, the Genies do not get involved in excursions UNLESS they are something like the Private Journeys. Are you going to Labadee or PDCC ? If you are going to Labadee, then you will HAVE to wait until the Genie contacts you as the Barefoot Beach cabanas are not "For sale" on the Cruise planner. If you are going to PDCC and you want one of the floating cabanas, I definitely recommend that you go ahead and reserve one now. While the Genies have influence over the cabanas on Labadee, they do NOT have influence over the cabanas on PDCC. Could the Genie reserve a float cabana at PDCC ? Sure, but for that to happen you must wait until the Genie contacts you (30 days out ?) and by then, all of the floating cabanas COULD be gone (most likely not, but you never know !). So - Labadee - wait for the Genie. PDCC - reserve it now.

You SHOULD get your block on the cruise during which you attain 140 points, so that would be OY. You may have to go and beg for it but that’s when you should get it.

Not really. This is typical bot behavior. You’re good ??

No. Use or lose.

Grandeur out of Tampa.

Whew ! Looks like she could use some paint !

Good to see you !!

Oh....if they ONLY taught social studies anymore. Not at ANY grade level, unfortunately.

My former Indy cruise of 7-25-21 out of Miami looks like this now:

No Broadway shows that I am aware of BUT Anthem has the West End show We Will Rock You which we loved. The Asian Q class ships have musical reviews....I think they are called Sequins and Feathers or something like that. I think only the O class ships have Broadway musicals.

How is the water temp in the pool ?