UNCFanatik

Good luck with that business strategy. We will see how this rollout with children's vaccines go and how many parents have their children vaccinated. If it is a low percentage, dont expect the cruise lines to require vaccinations for those under 12. To do so, would eliminate family market and MANY cancellations will follow. I expect Fain to look at the bottom line. What would benefit Royal more is accepting natural acquired immunity in place of vaccinations

Cafe Promenade?

How about if you get delayed and arrive later than your check in time? Will they let you in or will you have to wait for next group that boards?

I’m debating between magens bay and sapphire beach at the moment. My ship won’t get into st Thomas until 12pm and there are 3 other ships in port that arrive early morning. Worried about crowds at magens beach

If you choose to sail during a pandemic, you have to be able to assume some level of risk because the cruise lines cannot guarantee that you will not get Covid while on the ship just like they could never guarantee that you wouldnt get sick in the past from any number of illnesses. Even when Covid becomes endemic, it will join a list of respiratory viruses that one can catch anywhere including a cruise ship. I agree that cruise lines should be as transparent as possible but the ultimate responsibility falls on the consumer and its up to the customer how much risk they are willing to assume

When participating in onboard activities, flow rider....zip line....ice skating. Does one have to sign waiver each time participating or is it a one time waiver they keep record of?

Just realize that the CEO of the cruise lines know that sick people on cruise ships do not equal good PR or increase revenue. The cruise lines have a vested interest in protecting their passengers and that is what informs their health protocols. Notice that the CDC did not regulate the airline industry. Nor did they regulate Casinos in Las Vegas that operate very much the same way cruise ships with large amounts of people staying in hotels for a week, dining together, in the casino together, entertainment together. The cruise lines know they have to appease the CDC right now to avoid shut downs moving forward. But most of the protocols we see now on cruise lines would have happened with or without CDC guidance and CDC ultimate overreach just like the CDC overreached on Evictions Edited to Add: and do you need the CDC in your daily life to tell you what activities and habits or activities are bad for your health or would you have come to that conclusion on your own with your personal freedom and responsibility

Thank you everyone that offered an answer. I was also trying to be cheap....lol But as mentioned, its not worth betting a cruise over. I wish Royal would provide a clearer answer on their website as i copied that straight from them

very true And to clarify, my intent was that I hope going on a cruise would be the deciding factor for a parent of a 5-11 year old to get them vaccinated.

I just hope parents of 5-11 year olds wont solely use a cruise as the deciding factor to get vaccinated. It will definitely be a can of worms for Royal if they require vaccination for 5 and older. I can forecast more cancellations on the horizon if they do so

I dont disagree with much that you are pointing out. My major sticking point with Vaccine requirements(I am vaccinated) is that they ignore natural immunity of those that have previously had Covid. I will not get into the argument over how long natural immunity vs vaccines and how long either is effective but there is enough research out there that would make a valid case for naturally acquired immunity should be included in any vaccine mandates. Just yesterday there was a major protest in NYC over vaccine mandates so it will be interesting to see how all this plays out with vaccine requirements for other sectors of travel industry when it comes to domestic travel. It seems the airline lobbyists would object to vaccine requirements to fly domestically but that matter is certainly up for debate and will play out in due time. And how willing passengers will submit to covid tests and have to pay for out of pocket. I have flown at least 20 times domestically since pandemic and that would be a hard sell to shell out covid testing costs each time vs a cruise. and you are right, Royal has to follow the protocols of the countries they visit and that creates the dilemma. It will be interesting to watch to see if FL follows through with fines for cruise lines and the certain court battles that will follow. Strange times indeed and will be fascinating to watch to see how all this plays out

My wife works at a Nursing home which employs Registered Nurses. They have the same brand rapid tests that Royal is currently selling on the royal website its states below the requirements. SO my question are: 1. If we have an RN at the Nursing Home perform the tests on my family, does that meet requirements below. 2. I have heard varying stories about what is an acceptable results document and that are DOB needs to be included but thats not stated below. 3. If points 1 & 2 are valid, then all the RN would need to do is just type up a results document as outlined below? Would it raise a red flag because tests were administered at Nursing Home? The test must be supervised by a health professional, such as a doctor, pharmacy technician, public health worker, or telehealth professional. Telehealth testing at home is only accepted for vaccinated guests, and only when it is conducted under live video supervision. Learn more about acceptable telehealth tests including our home test kit. You must receive a valid results document from your test provider that includes provider name, your name, the date the test was taken, type of test, and your negative result. This can be a printed document, email, or telehealth app notification. Handwritten doctor’s notes will not be accepted.

Yes, I dont blame you. We live in a weird time where we can pack stadiums full of people crammed together unmasked and uncertain of vaccination status but somehow masking on a cruise ship is a thing regardless of vaccination status BUT somehow its ok to have a dining room full of unmasked people for 2 hours while dining. But that causes less Covid risk than say if you walked unmasked in the spacious promenade????? Walked down the hallway on your floor to your room? I know Royal feels compelled to follow the CDC when sailing from Florida but I wish they would ignore the CDC from Florida as they are not bound to follow them. BUT Royal will ignore Florida's vaccination laws and are willing to see how the penalties play out down the line. Strange times indeed....

0 sense but at least the CDC director gave her blessing for parents to take their kids trick or treating this year.. how gracious of her. What a benevolent technocratic overlord we have! Florida has one of the lowest case records in the US now, I wish Florida sailings would just ignore the CDC and CSO. Just wonder how this will affect cancellations as I’m sure many thought the CSO would truly expire on Oct 31 and will now not sail

It does say: "As of July 23, 2021, the CSO and accompanying measures, such as technical instructions, are nonbinding recommendations for cruise ships arriving in, located within, or departing from a port in Florida. CDC is continuing to operate the CSO as a voluntary program for such ships that choose to follow the CSO measures voluntarily." So the cruise lines out of Florida could ignore though going against CDC unfortunately may not be the best business move since at least they are sailing again

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-cruiseships.html October 25, 2021 Update CDC extended the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) with minor modifications. The CDC Director signed the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO on October 25, 2021; it is effective upon expiration of the current CSO on November 1, 2021. The Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO shall remain in effect until the earliest of The expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency; The CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations; or January 15, 2022 at 12:01 am EDT. After the expiration of the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO, CDC intends to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships. As of July 23, 2021, the CSO and accompanying measures, such as technical instructions, are nonbinding recommendations for cruise ships arriving in, located within, or departing from a port in Florida. CDC is continuing to operate the CSO as a voluntary program for such ships that choose to follow the CSO measures voluntarily. https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/pdf/CDC-CSO-Extension-10-25-21-p.pdf

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2021/10/25/cdc-extends-conditional-sailing-order-cruises-through-january-15/8467745002/

Point taken However, you still haven't addressed the question of the dining room attendants and crew that work in unvaccinated indoor areas of the ship where passengers are not masked currently and how that would differ moving forward. I wont get in trouble again but then there is the whole question of the efficacy of cloth masks and if they would truly protect the crew. One would think that masks will not be a requirement forever on cruise ships as the pandemic wanes. I will not mention theater in front of the crew but I do recognize that some protocols in place do not stop the spread of covid (EX: Crew filling your soda cup at Freestyle machine). However, I am choosing to sail during a pandemic and agree to the protocols. Just as crew have chosen to work on a cruise ship and assume the inherent risks of doing so I think the best protection for the crew is to get vaccinated and as other people have mentioned, the crew skews younger where their risks from serious outcome should be minimized especially being vaccinated. There is no way to keep Covid cases from happening on cruise ships. All they can do is effective protocols that have proven to slow the spread. As cruise ship customers, we do have a choice to spend our money on sailings during the pandemic with the listed protocols. It is a reasonable expectation that Royal will provide protection for their crews as Royal does not want to lose revenue. Also, it is up to the personal responsibility of the crew to protect themselves as well by being vaccinated and not work a cruise ship if they have medical conditions that would make them more susceptible to Covid. My cruise dollars during this pandemic help support the crew as well as me choosing to sail during a pandemic. I sail in November and I will follow all safety protocols that Royal has set.

What should be done about areas of the ship that are designated as fully vaccinated areas? 1. Do you think crews in those areas feel apprehensive? 2. Do you think Royal should go with 100% masking on the ship regardless of vaccination status of guests? How about dining room staff where guests regardless of vaccination status are all unmasked while dining 1. Do you think the dining room staff feel apprehensive? And cabin attendants. Masks are not required in cabins. We know Covid is spread through aerosols. 1. Do cabin attendants feel apprehensive when they enter a cabin right after a guest leaves that was unmasked where aerosols are still lingering in the air?

On a related note of child documentation. My step daughter is 13 and naturally has different last name than her mother does now. My sailing in Nov stops at St Thomas, ST Martin and Cococay. Is it necessary for us to carry a signed consent to travel form from her Father that has been notarized Does anyone have any experience with this and if that would be an issue at the ports listed above?

I have watched some recent youtube vloggers that were in Coco Cay recently and he was wearing rash guard and they let him keep it on while on the slide BUT mentioned in a previous visit before the shutdown that he had to remove it. Others can comment on their experience but it looks like you MAY be able to wear rash guard on slides

SIngapore rise in Covid Cases. SO excuse me if I dont think what Singapore is doing is effective in stopping covid cases

The BS I spew? Interesting. Again you have proven my case 1. Closing playgrounds did not prevent spread of covid. There is no data that you can present that suggest it did 2. Closing beaches, even the ones that did not attract spring, did not prevent covid spread. Look up the transmission rate of chance of outdoor spread. Experts were wrong on this one 3. Plexiglass... https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/19/well/live/coronavirus-restaurants-classrooms-salons.html 4. See point #2. Outdoor spread not primary driver of covid spread and chances are very low to spread outdoors. Riding a bike or joking outdoors while wearing masks does not prevent spread of covid. Japan peaked with Covid cases at the END of August. Olympics ended on august 8 AND no spectators were not allowed also look at the rise of covid cases in singapore...another Asian country with high mask compliance and the rise of covid cases in October. Florida and Louisiana and Florida had same rise in covid cases late summer with LA with mask mandates and FL not having mask mandates. Results were the same. Maybe, NPIs do not work against raspatory virus as they will run their course. The best we can do is vaccination and stop the Covid theater Singapore rise in Covid:

You are the one urging us all the follow the same public health experts that rolled out these policies from the start that did nothing to stop the spread but you refuse to see why people question "experts". Just this past week the experts who told people with heart issues to take aspirin all these years now have said that they should stop in some cases. So excuse me to believe there is such a thing as "settled science"

Its ok...I understand. There was a time in my life where I believed in magic as well....