UNCFanatik

I am still surprised that anyone thought the lawsuit would be resolved in a timely manner. 

So, what next? Its kicked back to the Judge since mediation wasnt successful, as if anyone thought it would be, and then we wait another week for his ruling?

By the time this is finally settled, the result will be irrelevant. Unless, of course the CSO is completed lifted, which is not going to happen at this point

AND, this lawsuit just gave another excuse for Royal to delay announcements on their July sailings

17 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

The biggest unanswered question right now. What happens if you aren't at 95% come the day of the cruise on a ship that hasn't done a test cruise?

Draw straws to see who has to walk the plank until needed % is met.

but in all seriousness, that’s a great question 

51 minutes ago, OutToSea said:

June 10th is my day

Wait a minute, I am so very confused. You said twice in this thread 2 weeks and now it’s 3 weeks? 

14 minutes ago, OutToSea said:

they are not being amped so that number really does not mater generally the drydock they are doing is usually around 2 weeks. 

So the article is wrong but you are right? Gotcha.

And IF you are right they should be leaving dry dock tomorrow which is 2 weeks from May 20th. You want to stick with that?

8 minutes ago, Jill said:

@UNCFanatikfound this too. Harmony was in back in April for “nearly” a month for maintenance and classification inspection. When oasis was Amp’d that was a 50 day stay. 
 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25060-royal-caribbean-s-symphony-of-the-seas-enters-drydock.html

Thanks again!

Even at "nearly" a month from May 20th, it still cast huge doubt that the Symphony will sail on July 3rd on revenue cruises.

Royal knows this but I guess they feel no obligation to inform its Symphony July customers that have fully paid of their intent or plan for July. Especially those with July 3rd sailing. Unacceptable

9 minutes ago, Jill said:

I just found this on cruisemapper when I was looking for dry dock schedule. This sounds like she’s in dry dock through June  

The ship's first drydock was a month-long project (May 20 thru June 2021) at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz Spain. The drydocking was for routine maintenance works (done to cruise ships usually every 5 years) to keep them properly maintained. Symphony OTS's 2021 drydock included mainly technical works (propellers, fin stabilizers, bottom valves, hull painting) and classification inspection.

https://www.cruisemapper.com/deckplans/Symphony-Of-The-Seas-1730

Thanks for finding this. 

SO, if we take this source at face value and nothing has changed, we can conclude that Symphony entered dry dock on May 20 for month long dry dock which would put it out of dry dock on June 20th of course assuming that the schedule of maintenance isnt expedited. 

Lets say, its completed in dry dock on June 20th with a sail to Miami of 10 days, that puts us at June 30th. 

How does it sail on July 3rd on a revenue cruise? 

What say ye, @OutToSea ?

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Yes.

Royal Caribbean International will not do the 95% rule, thus, they must conduct test cruises.

But didnt Royal state that staring on 8/1 that anyone 12 and older will be required to be vaccinated? 

I understand that still may not meet the 95% rule depending the number of those under 12 on a given sailing

35 minutes ago, OutToSea said:

What indication do you have that the ship will be leaving by June 10th?

this type of service generally takes 2 weeks

What indication do you have that Royal has applied for test sailing for the Symphony? Maybe they will try the vaccinated option which currently runs afoul of FL law

they can apply anytime its a 5 day approval return 

What indication do you have that if Royal has applied for test sailing for the Symphony that the test sailing would take place in June?

they can do it later in the month 

 

What indication do you have that the ship has been fully crewed and when vaccinations will start? Will they use J&J one shot vaccine or Moderna/Pfizer which require 2-3 weeks between shots and 2 weeks for maximum effectiveness? 

if they started now that would make it beginning of July. they seem to be stock piling employes on ships not in service yet. If they where smart you would get the first shot before you go into quarantine. but they are not required to have vacinations if they do a test cruise

Do you have inside info other than some cruise director? 

yes and no. I am just laying out a time line of how it can happen. I have a good contact inside but I am not using them in this case.

Not to be harsh here, but there are too many unknowns out there right now regarding July cruises. 

If you are uncomfortable with delay just cancel your cruise simple as that. We are taking the tact that lets wait and have them give there best shot to get it going.

as for bad faith it would only be that if they do not cruise. if they do cruise they are meeting there obligations.

 

BUT, and let me drag out my dead horse to beat on, Royal could clear all this up by announcing their plans for July. Some fully paid customers are now within 30 days of their sail date and have ZERO idea if they will still be cruising or their sailings cancelled. THIRTY DAYS away. Its unacceptable at this point. Royal needs to announce their plans for July by Friday at the latest this week. They are now operating in bad faith with their paid customers and are risking future business. Carnival and NCL have already announced July plans. Its time for Royal to announce

 

I am looking at this from a positive side. if they cancel they do and I can arrange other plans. Been waiting 3 years for this cruise hope to see you at port terminal in a few weeks

Symphony has been in dry dock since May 20th. They are 6 hours ahead of us which means 2 weeks would be tomorrow. You really think Symphony is leaving Cadiz tomorrow? 

Admittedly, you have zero idea of a. If Royal has applied for test sailings. b. if they had, has it been approved. There are 6 test sailings currently waiting for CDC approval and 4 approved. 

Vaccines. If they have unvaccinated crew and got vaccines even tomorrow, which wont happen, 2nd does if needed depending on vaccine wouldnt be until June 17 or 24. Symphonys fist listed sailing is July 3rd out of Miami. 

I want you to tell me how logistically it will be possible for Symphony to sail out of Miami on July 3rd on a revenue sailing within 31 days? I like my positivity/optimism sprinkled with a little reallity

Dont get me wrong, I would love to be sailing on July 17th. As to why I do not cancel, I have already planned by summer around this cruise. My step daughter has a shortened summer this year because of Covid. Out on June 11 and return August 15 and my other step daughter is a college student. My wife and I have requested vacations from our jobs that have been approved. My youngest step daughter also spends two weeks with her Father in the summer. If there is a way, we would like to cruise on July 17th as planned. We picked that date in Nov 2020 for the reasons stated above. 

And yes, you can still book the July 3rd sailing out of Miami on Symphony so they are operating in bad faith when Royal knows full well they are not sailing on that date.

27 minutes ago, CGTLH said:

One tidbit from it: 4 requests approved for simulated voyages with 6 under review. 22 vessels and 5 ports with approved agreements. 2 CSO certificates issued under highly vaccinated terms.

We know that Royal is doing the test cruise with Freedom. 

What about the other 3 approved requests? Disney? Carnival? 

15 minutes ago, OutToSea said:

from what I read here they will be starting the quarantine this week on another ship which also means they can get vaccinated this week also. the ship should be finished by the 10th. days to get back gives you the 20th and 3 day test cruise and you are ready to go July 3rd. 

What indication do you have that the ship will be leaving by June 10th?

What indication do you have that Royal has applied for test sailing for the Symphony? Maybe they will try the vaccinated option which currently runs afoul of FL law

What indication do you have that if Royal has applied for test sailing for the Symphony that the test sailing would take place in June?

What indication do you have that the ship has been fully crewed and when vaccinations will start? Will they use J&J one shot vaccine or Moderna/Pfizer which require 2-3 weeks between shots and 2 weeks for maximum effectiveness? 

Do you have inside info other than some cruise director? 

Not to be harsh here, but there are too many unknowns out there right now regarding July cruises. 

BUT, and let me drag out my dead horse to beat on, Royal could clear all this up by announcing their plans for July. Some fully paid customers are now within 30 days of their sail date and have ZERO idea if they will still be cruising or their sailings cancelled. THIRTY DAYS away. Its unacceptable at this point. Royal needs to announce their plans for July by Friday at the latest this week. They are now operating in bad faith with their paid customers and are risking future business. Carnival and NCL have already announced July plans. Its time for Royal to announce

11 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

On the flip side, DeSantis is saying that the CDC has a de facto vaccine mandate that the cruise lines have to follow

Very true. I hope this will all get sorted out soon. Seems like an unforced error by DeSantis and I like the man. 

I will have to give the administration credit from a political standpoint on this one. 

Desantis made the Executive Order that was made a law and then the CDC said, cruises can happen if Vaccine thresholds meet a certain level. 

So the CDC can now say that they said cruises can happen with vaccinated passengers and crew BUT Desantis is the roadblock now not the CDC. Painted Desantis into a corner of his own making. 

Also, the CDC knows that summer is family season with many cruise lines and the family centric cruise lines would not ne able to meet the vaccine thresholds they set. 

18 minutes ago, Jill said:

She’ll be out soon. Just an early technical dry dock. As long as she’s out, test sailed, passes and ready by October 23, I’m good! 

I am still trying to hold on to a glimmer of hope for my July 17th sailing. But each day she remains in dry dock plus 10 day journey to Miami, test cruise, crew vaccinated, ship fully staffed, etc it’s harder and harder to see it happening.

but I am very happy for you and share your confidence in your October sailing!

20 minutes ago, CrznTxn said:

Hope to see the WOW bands on all Royal ships. Used the Medallion on the Princess cruises we have been on and they are definitely worth it. Our door would unlock as we got close and that in its self was a huge plus. The only drawback was the lack of a ship card to keep the room lights on. Our steward gave each of us a business card he had made just for that purpose. Got him a good tip at the end of the cruise.

So if you get WOW band you will not get sea pass card?

Symphony is currently in dry dock in Cadiz, Spain 

31 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

That's how good these vaccines are. It allows a ship to sail from two different locations at once.

It’s the RCG multiverse! 

57 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

Although they have updated the dates on the app which were overlapping before, I still do not trust the info on it.  The first sailing on the list is definitely not happening

I'm waiting for the website to publish the new sailings.   

 

I dont trust it either, just pointing it out.

23 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

Happy New Month!!!  Hoping for good cruising news this June.  

So far, there are still no updates on Odyssey's new sailings.  They're still promoting November sailings

In the App, they have July sailings listed from Fort Lauderdale

The difference is that no one actually believed that there would be sailings in November or December when we see the shortest lead times to cancel.

Royal wasn’t pretending that all cruises would start back up especially given the no sail order in 2020. 
 

BUT because Royal is communicating that They will resume sailings in July, then there are a large portion of people booked on those sailings that really think they will be sailing in July because they are not as informed as people who frequent message boards like this. 
 

there is only one Test sailing announced in June and we know every ship that wants to sail in July has to have a test cruise or have to meet the CDC threshold for vaccinated passengers and in some sailings that might not even be possible with the makeup of passengers sailing with children under 12 

Royal is still selling July cruises.

Symphony is currently in dry dock in Cadiz Spain and you can buy a spot in their “supposed”  July 3rd sailing 

tomorrow is June 1st. NCL and carnival has put out their schedules with July cruising but royal has not. One could argue if carnival will meet their early July dates since they have not announced test sailings. 
 

I get that Royal has a sincere desire to start cruising in July and is waiting to see if things change even more in a very fluid situation with Florida, the CDC, PHE and the lawsuit 

if I were running the business I wouldn’t want to cancel any more cruises either but at some point you have to stop being so short sighted and think about future business when you take these July customers that have fully paid for granted. 
 

I hope by the end of the week, we have a full picture of Royals plans for July. Stop the silence. It’s terrible PR

If only Royal had a department in charge of sending out communications regarding their July plans for sailings….

oh… wait…

45 minutes ago, blaue said:

RCCL will not be operating under the 95% CSO guidelines, only Celebrity will.  RCCL mgt. want families with kids under 12 y/o that can't be vaxxed to sail.  All adults will be mandated to be vaxxed.  This is extremely dumb on Fain and Co. to go this route instead of telling people that kids under 12 need to wait or limit kids to 5% of passengers. So because of this,  all vaxxed adults will have to suffer with masks, limited capacity at onboard venues, social distancing and no self serve buffets. I was told by RCCL to go with Celebrity if you want no masks or social distancing.  Bad move on their part. 

I don’t know. Seems pretty smart business wise to me when you looked and see who have booked July/August sailings and can see the number of children and adults scheduled and when you do the math, there is no way they can get 95% of passengers to get vaccinated by the sail dates. You think Royal is going through the expense of test sailings if they haven’t already looked at the math and the feasibility of reaching the vaccine threshold of the CDC? 
 

they are bleeding cash. They do not want to limit their customer base unless they absolutely are required to do so. Seems like smart business to me. 

42 minutes ago, FManke said:

I'll start.

Pool chair hogs.

People who want to get on the elevator before you get off.

Line cutters in the WJ

This might needs its own thread! 

 

Happy Cruising! (It's getting closer!)

 

I will have to say I really opened myself up on that one

well played!!! I’m impressed 

You lost me at using the CDC as an authority on immunity after Covid infection. They are no longer driven  by science and/or data. 
 

Reasonable people can disagree. I will leave it at that. Though I do agree with 99% of the informed info you bring to the table especially when it comes to businesses and government regulation

i do thank you for your viewpoint and I respect what you have to say and always look forward to your posts

thank you 

1 hour ago, JeffB said:

TBH, there is no credible argument for not getting vaccinated. However, it should clearly be a personal choice. I have no issues with a person telling me they aren't getting the vaccine. I don't care about the reasons 

To say there is no credible argument for not getting vaccinated is ignoring the science and data in natural immunity and immunity after having Covid. It also ignores pregnant women and people with credible medical reasons where it puts them at more risk from vaccine vs contracting Covid. But I do agree with you that it should be a personal choice. And people shouldn’t look upon those unvaccinated as the unwashed or the ignorant ones among us. If you are vaccinated then believe in the vaccine and realize that those unvaccinated pose no risk to you 

And I totally agree. I have been very consistent about my position that businesses should be able to se their own terms of service and then let the customer decide who they want to do business with. The only caveat I have thought about is if businesses that provided basic goods and services that people need to survive collided that they would not offer their goods to people that were unvaccinated. In that case ONLY do I support government stepping in to stop that. Otherwise I am VERY pro business and I think DeSantis is wrong when it comes to cruise lines and could easily distinguish between the two scenarios. 
 

DeSantis is making an unforced error politically if he digs his heels on this matter and his law is the sole reason why cruises will not sail from FL and the economic impact of those with cruise adjacent jobs whose livelihood depends on the cruise industry in FL. The CDC now can rightfully claim that they are in support of cruises restarted with the vaccinated threshold of crew and passengers but DeSantis won’t allow it. 
 

Hopefully those surrounding DeSantis and his upcoming re-election bid will talk some sense into DeSantis that this is not a hill to die on and nothing good will come from him refusing to compromise with the cruise lines