Matt V

We used Safeway (grocery store pharmacy) . Rapid NAAT for $99 for unvaccinated child. 

We do prepaid and accept it as a cost of cruising. But, do the staff actually get the full amount? Or is RC taking a cut for themselves? And is it just to supplement their wages that RC doesn't want to cover? Like restaurants in the US?

1 hour ago, Mom of 2 said:

I received the same email for my 11 year old son. He is fully vaccinated so I don’t know what I should do. 

It ended up being nothing in the end for us. Just an automated email.

We had one that needed a test. Got in, took the test. Took like 45 minutes to get the results while waiting in a crowded area with other families. Then we had to give that negative test paper at the check in counter. They had to take pictures of it for their system or something. Got to the final check point right before the ship and they couldn't find the test they just put in the system. Had to take out all of her paperwork again, they couldn't get the photo to save on their tablet. Sat there for almost an hour while they troubleshooted it until they just gave up and just let us on the ship. 

We are there now and thankfully we have an excursion through RC later. We got off the ship earlier and it was complete chaos. Two other RC ships, Disney, Carnival seemed to dumped everyone out at once on a pier under construction. So fought our way through the crowds, bought some expensive trinkets and got our butts back on board. 

We only have 7 hours to hang out. If we didn't have the excursion through RC, we'd just stay on board. Not worth risking it doing a private one and getting back in time.

Currently in Bermuda on the Enchantment of the Seas. I was all paranoid about the paperwork (travel authorizations, negative covid tests, vaccine records). Haven't been asked once to see any of it by any Bermuda official when either getting on or off the ship. I say have it on hand but definitely not the scrutiny I anticipated.

Thank you. I'll ignore it. 

I'm confused. I got two emails today to register my children for embarkation day antigen tests. The one is 4, so that makes sense as she is unvaccinated. But the other child is 7 and vaccinated. RC knows this as we provided his vaccination records at online Check in that they approved. 

Do I just ignore it and don't schedule it for him, or do I have to call RC? I'd like to avoid unnecessary testing. 

On 6/14/2022 at 8:43 AM, JasonOasis said:

A couple years ago (again) was before COVID it has only been a little over a year since cruising resumed in the US.  Royal did say the ship would be amplified in 2020, they said the same thing about Allure of the Seas. 

Stop trying to make it appear as though Royal Caribbean engaged is some kind of deceptive practice when both these ships were scheduled to be Amplified in the Spring of 2020  and then the world shut down in the last week of March in 2020 and weeks later Royal announced later they were temporarily pausing the Amplification project to conserve cash.  During early days (most of 2020) of the shut down Royal Caribbean was burning over $1.2 Billion dollars every quarter, with a cash burn rate that high you still expected them to amplify ships?   Really???

I took screen shots of the ads where it  showed the ship with all these features that didn't exist, just in case I wanted to dispute it and get my deposit back. Based on the pics and verbiage, it looked as if it was a revamped ship. No where did it say soon to be amplified, or in progress. I don't care really. Cruise was canceled like all the others I booked. Not going to argue with you. 

In this person's defense, I booked that ship a couple years ago, maybe less, stopped counting at this point. It wasn't until I came here that I found out it was not amplified and wasn't going to be. However, RC's website made it appear the upgrades were a done deal. I didn't care because I booked for the itinerary, not the ship. But the website was really misleading. I hope at this point they are not advertising features that the ship doesn't have and won't get anytime soon. 

All this testing stuff, forms, fees, red tape has me so stressed out that it's impossible to enjoy the trip. 

So when it says kids 2-11 will get a test within 24 hours of embarkation, is that in addition to the one they get at the port? 

Thanks! 

Does anyone know if cruises have started up at the Port of Baltimore? 

Royal FAQs says of anyone in your party test positive for Covid up to 14 days before departure, they'll issue a 100% cruise fare refund. 

I don't want to go on my cruise anymore and I want my money back. Worst comes to worse, won't be too hard to catch it. 

Are you able to get a cash refund? The way they word it is unclear. 

Got my invoice. Said I now owe $235 which didn't seem right if the only things that can go up are fees and taxes. Called RC and now I'm getting refunded $140. God me give strength lol. I just want to get on this cruise and never do this again. 

We had our July 2021 cruise canceled on us. Paid in full for $4700.  Called Royal last week to L&S to same cruise in July 2022.  Never received itemized invoice but I checked online and shows I have a balance of almost $1000.  Which oddly enough is how much extra the new cruise costs. I understand the fees and taxes go up but by that much? Are they refunding me the old cruises fees and taxes of $722 total and expect me to make the $1000 payment? The wait time is over an hour to call.  So any info beforehand is appreciated.  Did Royal screw this up? 

I'm on that cruise too. Bermuda disappeared too.

Yes. We have 9 night cruise for 7/1 to 7/10. On main page it now shows 7/1 to 7/7 and Bermuda is gone. Only Nassau and Perfect Day remain. But when I got to plan my cruise, it's the original dates/itinerary.

We are not going on our July 1 trip even in the small likelihood it sails. As parents, we are vaccinated. But my children are not yet due to age. Even if they could go, I'd feel uncomfortable what people might do or say knowing they are the apart of the unvaccinated 5% If some one gets sick and the cruise ends, they'll probably blame kids. These are very tense times for those on both sides of the vaccine spectrum.

Then on top of that, I feel bad going to foreign islands with thousands of other American tourists possibly spreading illnesses.  

Doubtful. I booked a Cancun vacation in July that coincides with our sail date a day before the restart announcement. At first I was like, it figures, but now feel the cruise will be canceled again. Not sure how I would feel being the first back in a boat with so much uncertainty.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/04/28/cdc-cruises-could-restart-july/4883450001/?csp=chromepush

I get not allowing kids on cruises. I would hope RC just refunds us if that happens instead of continuing with the endless FCC madness. We'll never be able to sail as our kids are very young and the vaccine won't be available to them anytime soon. So what can I do with FCC that I can't use on them? While I would love to, going on a cruise without them is not an option. 

Between the multiple cruises canceled, iffy FCC amounts, numerous invoices that never match, I am not sure what is correct anymore.  I am at the mercy of RC and whoever answers my call to figure it out. 

I went to make final payment and was first told it was paid in full. Then put on hold and told I owe $250, but my last invoice says I owe $90.  None of my itemizations match from invoice to invoice.

I'm normally good with tracking spending and payments on my life but I'm so turned around with this whole experience.  And when they cancel this cruise soon, they couldn't tell me what FCC or cash refunds I would get back. 

Anyone else in the same boat?