JasonOasis

There seems to be a lot of confusion here several articles are stating if individual EU countries decided to adopt the EU's recommendations it would apply to all Americans regardless of vaccination status. Then you have other articles claiming the ban would only impact the unvaccinated. If individual countries enact these recommendations they need to clarify who is in and whose out.

The problem with the email isn't the fact they are having B2B cruisers disembark that is normal procedure or the fact they are having you pack your bags. If B2B cruiser tests positive then at least you already have your bags packed. The problem is according to the email you will only be welcome back onboard at your designated check-in time. That make no sense to have your B2B cruisers wait in the terminal area (at least we hope in the terminal area) until their check-in time. Pre-COVID royal took care of all of this before having customers disembark and once you were disembarked they had all your things ready for you for your second cruise, you cleared security and re-board before anyone else there was no waiting involved. Come on Royal there is a better way to handle your B2B cruisers during a pandemic. Also like someone else already pointed out why can't they conduct the COVID test onboard the ship especially since they already have the test available?

Oh that sounds like heaven.... Very few children and teens and capacity limited I can only hope this is still true for my Symphony cruise in late October.

I've already received an email for both my cruises one at the end of October and another in November advising me of the changes regarding testing and vaccine requirements. I don't know if it is all automated and the system hasn't gotten around to sending everyone who has a cruise in October and November the appropriate emails but Royal has already sent me several advising me of the changes I need to prepare for.

It is fairly simple if Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines with itineraries that include stops in the Bahamas wish to continue to sail to the Bahamas then they must comply with Bahamian law and require all passengers over the age of 12 be fully vaccinated in defiance of Florida law which so far we have not heard of any cruise line being fined by Florida. However if a cruise lines decides they are going to comply with the Florida law and not require all passengers over the age of 12 be fully vaccinated then that cruise line or cruise ship can not stop in the Bahamas at all including the cruise lines private islands. Basically cruise lines and their passengers are now stuck in the middle of this mess and they never should have been in the middle of this vaccine passport bill to begin with.

I knew something like this would happen the minute Ron DeSantis signed that bill on vaccine passports which didn't exempt cruiselines. I've said this from the very beginning cruiselines should be in the same category as airlines because except for the 2021 Alaska season there are no domestic cruises out of the U.S.. These Caribbean Island nations can not afford to be overrun with COVID and they have to do what they deem necessary to protect themselves until they have enough vaccine in circulation to where everyone of their citizens has a choice just like we here in the U.S. have a choice. I am not surprised at all to see the Bahamas take this approach even with the cruise lines private islands, we have keep in mind although it is a private island locals still work on those islands, not every person we come across on these private island work on the cruise ship some of them actually live in the Bahamas. Ron DeSantis has no power to tell another country who they can allow into their country even the USVI now require cruise passengers over a certain age be vaccinated.

In the past I've done multiple GTY rooms for both balconies and even suites and from my experience there is no set time for when Royal assigns GTY rooms. I've had GTY rooms assigned in the past as early as 2 months out or as late as 2 weeks before a cruise. I think once they process the RoyalUP request then they will process the GTY rooms. With ships sailing at reduced capacity I think your chances of scoring a great GTY room are good and if you don't like the room or the floor they assign you just pick up the phone and call Royal they will change it to another room within the same category.

Oasis is still a beauty, one of the best if not the best looking class of cruise ship ever constructed, in my humble opinion.

No I'm not changing any of my cruises scheduled COVID isn't going anywhere and neither am I. At this point the way I see it we both are going to have to learn to coexist and I don't see cruise lines shutting down again over COVID concerns. I'm fully vaccinated, I still exercise caution and mask up when I think it is necessary and as my October cruise get closer I'll take even more precautions to make sure I protect myself from Delta and don't pop positive days before my cruise I refuse to live in fear of this virus. I respect the virus but I will not live in fear of it I'm not changing anything.

With the Delta variant here requiring all passengers regardless of vaccination status to test negative before boarding a cruise isn't overkill it just smart business at this time. I'm not one to defend the CDC I think they have over step their authority but the CDC isn't requiring negative test for all passengers prior to boarding the cruise lines like Carnival and Royal are requiring this of their own accord. If people don't want to get vaccinated I'm 100% okay with it, its your body your choice. Requiring a negative COVID test to board a cruise ship isn't an imposition it is a step cruise line have to take to try and keep the more contagious Delta variant off the ship.

This was my thoughts exactly the last time I went to Las Vegas. Very few people were wearing mask indoors, very few people were wearing masks in the elevators bar and clubs. Without a doubt COVID is spreading unchecked throughout all the Las Vegas resorts but no one knows because no one is testing. While places like Las Vegas and other around this country and even the airlines are allowed to bury their head in the sand and pretend COVID doesn't exist cruise lines can't operate like that because of the microscope they are under from the CDC but also the media.

Jill I fill like you have taken me to Church today with all of your post.... I love it. I agree with what you are saying, cruise lines like the airline indutry should have been exempt from the law in Florida and I do think people should be allowed to make their own decision about the vaccines. What has taken place in places like NYC and other cities is shameful. Even here in Chicago although there is no vaccine passport requirement we are now starting to see business require proof of vaccination to enter their establishment and people are using the No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service as their basis for requiring a vaccines. Trying to force people to take something they are not yet comfortable with will only push them further away. I've said this before if the US allowed domestic cruises where the ship doesn't have to visit an international port then I would 100% be in agreement with Ron DeSantis but since cruises (execpt for Alaska) have to visit an international port that is where my issue with Ron DeSantis comes in because we can't force a international country to allow unvaccinated cruise passengers into their country. I do think Florida will have to exempt cruise lines or Royal Caribbean will have to temporarily go with 95% vaccination rate in defiance of the law.

Breaking news that might impact Canadians and other international travelers coming into the US in the near future even for a cruise. Reuters is now reporting a White House official stated the Biden Administration is currently developing plans that if implemented would require all foreign visitors to the U.S. be fully vaccinated. According to the article the White House began moving in this direction last month and has already met with the nations airlines and other businesses over this proposed policy. The White House is seeking input on implementation should this proposal become a reality and what would be accepted as proof of vaccination, and which vaccines would be acceptable as fully vaccinated whether they are FDA approved or not (meaning vaccines like AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Sinovac, Sinopharm and other vaccines which are not approved for use in this country). https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-us-developing-plan-require-foreign-visitors-be-vaccinated-official-2021-08-04/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social The article doesn't specify if the White House included the cruise industry in their talks last month, hopefully they did because the number of international visitors who come to the US to take a cruise is huge, any policy such as this would without a doubt have an impact on the cruise industry.

Unfortunately I think there is a real possibility mask will temporarily be required while indoors on Royal as well. Hopefully by end of October thing will have calmed down but if they haven't I'm still getting on the Symphony of the Seas. Wearing a mask indoors on a cruise beats not being able to take a cruise any day of the week.

I always answer yes I've been in close contact and yes I'm symptomatic so then based on how I'm answering the questions I know they are looking for COVID with my test and Walgreens in Chicago (at least the one I go to)only does the PCR test, no rapid antigen test and every single test I've done comes negative. The reason I use Walgreens is because the government has already contracted with Walgreens and all major pharmacies across this country and the government (aka the tax payers) have already and continue to pay Walgreens for COVID test. My sister works for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois and at least here in Illinois Blue Cross Blue Shield is fighting Walgreens and CVS (the two major pharmacies the government partner with here in Illinois) over this issue of Walgreens and CVS charging people (or their insurance) for COVID tests based on how they answer the questionnaire that Walgreens has already been paid for by the federal government. If an individual answers yes this is for travel purposes Walgreens will charge them or their insurance for a test the federal government has already paid for but Walgreens does not reimburse the federal government for the cost of test that they just charged your insurance for so Walgreens gets paid twice based on how a person answers the questions.

I've had multiple COVID test all of them done at Walgreens here in Chicago. Every time all I do is make the appointment and fill out the questionnaire. Do I tell 100% of the truth on the questionnaire NO I don't. When they ask is this for travel purposes I say no, when they ask have I been in close contact I say yes, when they ask am I symptomatic I say yes, they always say bring insurance card and an ID but I've never once been charged for a COVID test at Walgreens. I'm I wrong for lying on the questionnaire well that depends on your point of view. The way I see it is like this the federal government is paying Walgreens and other pharmacies around the US to conduct COVID testing so as a middle class tax payer I've already paid for more COVID test than I'll ever take. My thinking is this why should I pay Walgreens again when I've already paid the federal government taxes which they have already used to pay Walgreens. Walgreens does not get to cash in and double dip off COVID so I've never told Walgreens it is for travel purposes and I've never paid a cents for a COVID test.

I hope everything is okay. I've got my fingers crossed and saying a prayer

The type of vaccine they were vaccinated with doesn't matter because none of the vaccines offer 100% protection but all of the vaccines will in 99.99999999% of people prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and/or death from COVID.

There are a lot of people not happy with this news myself included but with so many people across this country choosing not to get vaccinated COVID cases are once again on the rise as this Delta variant continues spread unchecked throughout large portions of this country where vaccinations are low.

My first couple cruise with Royal I had the same problem I thought I was packing my suit, dress shirt correctly and by the time I unpacked them they were a wrinkled mess. Afterwards for about 5 years straight my husband and I dressed up for formal night, we had the nice suite, the shirt, tie, shoes, even cufflinks. We purchased a garment bag to pack our formal attire in and hand carried it on the flight and also onto the ship to keep everything wrinkle free. After about 5 years of doing this on at least 3 cruises every year we both just got tired of it and now we don't dress up for formal night at all. However if you are serious and still would like to be a light packer (one suitcase) my suggestion would roll up your suit pants don't fold them, do the same with the shirt but you have to button every single button fold the arms at the seam the roll up the shirt as well. Now the suit coat I can't help you with that because I could never figure out how to roll a 2 button suit while maintaining the shape I wanted which is why my suite coat (the one thing people see other than the pants) were always wrinkled and why I switched over to a garment bag.

I don't know if I could ever stay in a Central park or Boardwalk balcony room because I feel like with the curtains open everyone can partially see into your room. I've seen some stuff while walking that I was like people need to close their curtains if they are going to partake in certain activities or walk around in the nude.

Even though you haven't gotten an invite yet look at the bright side these test cruises will benefit all of us because they will allow us all to get back out there on the open ocean enjoying a vacation we all disparately need. I'm happy for everyone who has or will get an invite for a test cruise because I'm looking forward to getting onboard Symphony of the Seas on October 30, 2021. I'm not sure if they will allow B2B at this time but once final payment date has passed I will be looking for a 7 night November cruise out of Florida as well. In years past I've seen some good deals and great room open up after final payment day due to the fact some people made the reservation but didn't pay. Hoping to cash in this year I have a few more FCC's I can use.

It is doable as long as you are off the ship by 10am-10:30am. That may sound unreasonable but cruise turnaround day as you know is hectic on Dodge Island there have been times where I had to wait 20-30 minutes for a taxi because taxi's have to sit in all that traffic just to reach Royal especially if you are at the new terminal at end of Dodge Island. The way I look at it is like this if you are off the ship by 10 am you should be able to collect your luggage and clear customs and immigration by 10:30am. At the absolute latest you will be in a taxi by 11am (probably sooner but 11am is worst case scenario), and arrive at the airport shortly thereafter. Depending on your airline you should be checked-in and have checked your bags by 12pm which gives you more than enough time to clear security. If you have TSA-Pre your wait time at MIA will be a bit shorter than those who don't have TSA-Pre, but either way you will make your 2:25 pm flight with time to spare.

The US has decided not to reciprocate. Meaning although fully vaccinated American's will be able to travel to Canada for nonessential travel starting August 9th, the US just announced an extension of the border closure until August 21 this covers all nonessential travel for Canadians. https://thepointsguy.com/guide/is-canada-open-for-travel/ Here we have another country opening its borders to fully vaccinate Americans but the US government refusing to reciprocate. This was an issue German Chancellor Angela Merkel brought up to President Biden in her most recent visit to the White House. Most of Europe has opened its borders to fully vaccinated Americans but the White House and the CDC refuse to reciprocate and open our borders to fully vaccinated Europeans and now Canadians. When does this madness end, there is no reason fully vaccinated Europeans and Canadians should continue to be barred from traveling to the United States. I don't understand what the US government is trying to prove by prevent fully vaccinated people from entering this country.

Exactly what I was I was thinking, they are not giving people a lot of lead in time and with air fares being as expensive as they are even for a domestic flight, it does make you wonder how many volunteers can drop everything on short notice and make their way up to Seattle or any other port where Royal is conducting a test cruise? I thought about signing up because I could work remotely for those few days but I never actually did sign up.