Bowen

I just got off the phone with the access department, 100% I no longer need the religious exemption request. She said she thinks the PCR still applies, but she isn't sure so she's transferring me to CS.

Since I'm dying to cruise again I went ahead and booked a cruise for January in the hopes that all the mandates will be gone (but since it's out of Galveston I am willing to take a test). I think my dozen FCCs will be ready to use again by September and I can apply those to the cruise. I did specifically ask her about my September cruise (which is currently pending an exemption request). She said that I will no longer need the exemption request in September, but that I would have to take a test (either PCR or antigen) before the cruise. She said kids under 12 would need to take a PCR, but since we are all 12+ then we can pick. I'm not hanging my hat on this, but she sounded like she'd been given this information, so hopefully we'll be cruising next month. I'll let you know!

I was reading through it today (as much as I could without actually having a FB account), are they also saying only 80% of the ship has to be vaccinated now? If so, great news!

Optimism is great!

When I was on the phone with CS the other day to cancel after my exemption was denied she specifically said that the protocols were in place through September, but that they might change after that, but they hadn't been notified of any changes yet. That said, I'm going to hope it's true.

Bring back skeet shooting.

Oh we did the guacamole making class on Harmony! So many fun, non fitness classes.

We've done the sushi making class, the cupcake making class, learned to fold napkins, draw cartoon characters, etc. No fitness classes though, lol.

Yes, they do. If you leave your luggage outside your door for the cruise line to take care of at the end you can have a porter come help you with it in the large offloading space off the ship. I don't think there are many if you carry your luggage off though.

I’d be fine testing if I were sailing out of Galveston, my home port, because I wouldn’t incur any cost of having to reschedule flights, etc. If I tested positive. So if RC does open up to testing at the port and letting us know at the start if there is room on board for unvaccinated then I’d book. Basically if they do what Virgin is doing now. I just don’t want to fly my family somewhere and then get a positive asymptomatic test at the port.

Yeah, might be better to just wait until RC implements something like Virgin does where you call in advance and see if the booking has room for unvaxxed. While Virgin does require unvaxxed to test at the port (free of charge), you do have the ability to at least know that you are guaranteed a spot on the ship. The tough part about the lines offering exemptions right now is that you have to book, apply, and then just wait and see.

With my exemption being denied for August I have 12-15 FCCs that will be reissued since they were not used for the cruise. I have another dozen or so for a cruise in September (I think again the exemption will be denied) and I'm hoping to lump all of these together to book a cruise the moment the mandates are dropped. What's the general wait time for an FCC to get reissued? Also, does it reissue under the same number, or is it a new certificate number? Thanks!

My next scheduled is in September, and I do have a religious exemption pending for that one as well. I had wondered if the August sailing was due to school still being out for a good part of the country. I'll keep you guys posted on the September one, but I think it'll be the same as August.

The cruise ships do not have to make him provide proof, they are choosing to, he will have to show proof. Maybe in October that will change (at least based on my conversation with an RC rep the other day when my exemption was denied), but right now the protocol is vaccine and testing. It might change to just testing the unvaxxed after September, but I would think even then there would be a limit on the number of unvaxxed allowed on the ships.

I sail with two kids almost exactly your kid's ages, both boys. I second what Sea Squirrel said. One loves it, goes immediately and makes sure he knows the schedule, will hang with the other kids the entire cruise, I'll hardly see him. The youngest will go only if his brother goes, but even then won't stick around if he gets even remotely disinterested in doing what they're doing. He'll come hang out with me and my mom and we'll do our own thing. I count myself lucky that I still have one who likes to hang out with his momma, lol. Whatever your kids are comfortable with, there's no pressure in The Living Room. Have fun!

This is me just waving bye to this thread as it gets locked. Bye thread, it was nice while it lasted!

Yes, I agree. I do secretly hope they give the medical exemptions priority, but I don't know if they do.

That is a REALLY good idea! For me it's usually a cell phone charger or some type of cord that I shove in last minute.

Yeah, we don't do international anymore either, I don't want to risk getting stuck somewhere. We have Universal in November and I think I might take the kids to Great Wolf for a few days in a couple of weeks. Good times!

@WAAAYTOOOI just got off the phone with them. Unvaccinated are required to test at the port. All good, at least now I can go ahead and plan a land vacation somewhere. Maybe I’ll be back to cruising next year.

Yeah I think that’s all it is, they are getting way more requests than they can handle. It would be nice if you could call to book the cruise and find out right then if there is room for unvaccinated. It doesn’t feel great to tie up money on a booked cruise without knowing if you can actually go. Hopefully Virgin does let you know before hand. I’m calling today so I’ll report back.

Great article, thanks! It almost sounds like Vegas on a cruise ship. You can go watch the risqué shows if you want, or you can be like me at stick to to food, gambling, and cirque. Something for everyone.

Yes, the RC rep said that the protocols would be in place through September. I couldn't get ahold of Virgin, they are closed until morning. I thought about pushing for my FCCs to get refunded, but we're so close to a port that I'll use them the moment the mandates are dropped, like that next week, lol.

She said they will not refund the FCCs but will reissue them. I'm okay with that, they don't expire so I'll use them again. I did get her to list every single one I used on the cruise, along with the dollar amounts and names, so at least I'll have those handy when the time comes to rebook. And congratulations, please, lol! I've been dealing with this for so long that I'm just glad to be done with it. I was seriously stressing about having to shell out another $500 for COVID tests and then taking an additional test on top of that at the port, so much money potentially wasted. And my mom just messaged and asked about taking my grown niece on Virgin with us as a HS graduation gift, so that trip just got way more fun! I'm going to call them now.

The lady on the phone also told me that the requirements for vaccine and testing are going to be at least through Sept, and that it might change after that.