Reigert2008

we were the same way with our first cruise, we booked a 4 night one as a test and within a few hours had known we should have done a longer cruise The standard line is that it will take 30 days to refund your cruise planner and 30 days to get the FCC,but of course timing could be different in reality. I’d you haven’t cancelled your cruise already, then you can go into the cruise planner and cancel them to get the refunds faster than Royal’s process. I would also recommend using a travel agent, even if you only use them for cruises. I’m the planner of the family and plan all our trips, but with cruises I utilize a travel agent. They can help navigate the cruise waters during smooth seas (normal times) and especially in rough seas (Covid). We use an agent with MEI travel (a sponsor of the blog), but the most important thing is that you have a good agent that you can work with. link to @Matt’s post about travel agents — https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2020/06/15/top-things-you-didnt-know-travel-agents-can-do-your-cruise-vacation Good Luck!

I would double check the testing requirements, I think everyone needs to be tested regardless of cruise length. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

Here’s the part for the November protocols. I only see 3 ports that are affected. We are on a November cruise and had to book some excursions. We normally just wander around so this was our only option to get off the ship in the ports we’ve never been to. My advice is to just roll with it and enjoy the trip, even if you stay on the ship. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

I see this validation step as a positive thing. I assume you would find out if there is a problem before you arrive. For example, my in-laws had a small issue where thier CDC cards did not have the date visible on the card. They have a sticket with some details and it apparently covered the date. We had a few moments of panic while we pulled up thier vaccine records on our phones for proof but were able to board after that with no issues. Had we been able to to upload our cards for that cruise, Royal could have let us know we need to see the dates and we could have figured it out at home and not in Miami. (Note: the dates are on the cards and had we removed the cards from the protective cover we would have easily seen the date and breezed through. We now know that for the next in early 2022!)

of course, it all depends on when you cruise, where you cruise, and your own comfirt levels. If he is on the fence, it never hurts to pack a long pair of pants and a sweatshirt. For Caribbean cruises, i've always worn shorts and a t-shirt in the evenings even when outside, but my wife will be there next to me in near artic wear

Cafe promenade is my go to location. Get to know the baristas and your dink will hit the counter before you finish the order! Flavor selections are kinda limited, especially on the sugar free side, but they will make anything you want. This even includes the blended coffee drinks.

That's funny. I was just thinking I needed 2 x $20's, 2 x $10's, and 2 x $5's ($35 each way) to account for an added fuel fee of $1.50 and $1 per bag that I read about on some other page, that I cannot find now. Thanks!

Do the taxis accept credit cards? We don't normally carry too much cash, so may need to adjust our plans on that side. Found this on the airport site. Looks like it is $21 to Zone 4 (where the port / Sheraton is located) https://www.san-juan-airport.com/taxi.php Thanks!

Decided to look in my Lyft app to see an approximate cost for transportation to the hotel and learned that Lyft (or any rideshare) is not available in San Juan. I see on the SJU website that you can schedule a transfer, but it is far more expensive than a taxi. I also see that there are multiple taxi companies available and wondered if anyone has one that they would recommend. We're staying at the Sheraton in Old San Juan and will be calling them for a recommendation as well. Thanks!

I would never pay off my cruise until the last possible moment (maybe a day early . Price drops could still occur and then you would get OBC instead of the lower price.

We recently had this happen to ours. It was all fine when we checked in, then the options disappeared. They are back this morning and they finally moved our room from when they sent that email a while back. Now just waiting for the cruise documents to update.

We are also flying in the day before and staying at a hotel, so we filled out a form that lists the hotel as our lodging for the one night. I assume that we would at least find out something on the cruise if we need it post-cruise, but the only options on the form are Flight or Ferry.

Yeah, that's what I see as well. We booked some excursions for Barbados, St. Luca, and St. Kitts last night. We didn't want to have to try and explain to people that "it looked great from the ship" and we still had OBC from a canceled cruise that we needed to spend, so it wasn't a lot of new "out of pocket expense". You can fill out your travel form basically anytime. When you do, you will enter in the date as MM-DD-YYYY, but when it show up on your travel profile as DD-MM-YYYY, so don't get confused. We are still trying to figure out if we need a new travel safe form for the one night post-cruise that we will be in Puerto rRco and which option to pick since we won't be flying in.

Thanks! Now that I have read a million things and slept a little, i think my concern was "Do I need to be tested 3 days before flying from Puerto Rico to my home in the mainland" ". Since we have never traveled directly to and from Puerto Rico, our brains have been having a hard time reconciling that Puerto Rico is mostly like the US, but not always. I also saw in the Royal protocols that anyone needing a test to return to thier home country can get one on the ship, so at the worst, that would cover it. We got such a good deal on this cruise, it will be worth the extra steps.

Saw this link in another thread and now wonder if this will affect Vaccinated Americans cruising from Puerto Rico. Link -- https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-administration-unveils-vaccine-testing-requirements-travel-u-s-n1282288 Quote from article "Beginning Nov. 8, unvaccinated U.S. citizens and long-term residents will have to present a negative Covid test taken a day before re-entering the country, and unvaccinated foreign nationals will be able to enter only in limited circumstances, an administration official said Monday. Fully vaccinated Americans will have to be tested three days before travel. " Maybe one of the TA's that frequent the boards has an idea. Maybe @Sharla? (sorry I don't personally know her, but i enjoy seeing the information she provides.) My TA for this Puerto Rico cruise has not been helpful and is the last of the items i have with this agency. I'm reaching out to them for guidance, but am not hopeful for a response. I've already switched my TA needs to MEI Travel and have used them for 2 cruises and a land based trip, just have to get through this last non-MEI one...

You can also cancel anything you used your credit card for in the cruise planner and re-buy with the onboard credit (making sure the price is not higher of course). We did that with some drink packages back in August.

Puerto Rico protocols released today for November. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

You need to link the two reservations for this and for dining. You can link them in the app/website, have your TA do it, or call Royal to do it. Once the reservations are linked, one person can check everyone in. I’ve been doing it for my in-laws for a while and just checked in three different reservations a few months ago. My mother in law and father in law don’t even know how to login Last I heard, the reservations have to be linked before you embark so that the cabins can be seated together. If you link it in the app, I would still have your TA or Royal confirm they are linked for dining.

I totally get it, we had everything planned a limo service out to be at the port in Miami about 5 minutes after our window opened and then apparently there was no traffic that day we still ended up being there 20 minutes early. It’s not fun just hanging around.

I'd have your travel agent call Royal (or you call) and ask how to resolve it. Since you are on the same reservation number, they may be able to find a compromise by moving you back a little and her up a little. No sense in being stressed and having to wait outside at the port. Royal is really enforcing the arrival times and there may or may not be a space for you to wait, unless you wait in your car if you drove.

Until it’s announced by Royal it would only be speculation here. If you’re on the fence, you could always book an eligible cruise on or before October 31st. https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence

Still no information, but I’m hopeful that the protocols come in the next few days since they just announced the acceptance of mixed vaccines, kinda makes me wonder if they were waiting on that approval.

Depending on the size of your group, you may want to check out Larry’s Limo. We had a group of 7 and was able to use Larry’s and it was easier than having multiple “Uber’s”. https://www.larryslimo.com

The questions I am still trying to figure out and have emailed Puerto Rico about (email address on the site) 1. How early can you complete the travel declaration form? 2. What do you need to do if you are staying in Puerto Rico for one night post-cruise?

I think you may be disappointed in this We have an Interior Room in the AFT of the ship. We had originally booked this as an Interior GTY, but then had to Lift and Shift it to 2021 and it would not let the TA keep the GTY, she was able to pick a room and it was price protected. In the end, we basically got the GTY we were originally trying to book Once we get a new room, I'll update. Thanks.