Vaccine requirement

[Rachel]

Hi all. Sorry if this has been answered already (I did search). Have royal or any other line said what will happen if my scheduled cruise goes ahead but I haven’t had the vaccine. I have a June cruise booked from Barcelona and as unlikely as it is to go ahead I won’t have had the vaccine yet due to slow progress here in Ireland. Any ideas on if I will be offered future credit or what will happen? 
 

[twangster]

At the moment nothing has been announced.

The Cruise with Confidence program should apply.  Assuming it does you can cancel from today through to ~ 48 hours before sailing for 100% FCC.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence

If you don't cancel and Royal later cancels the cruise more options become available.  Typically that has been a full refund or 125% FCC.  If you cancel first though those option won't apply even if Royal cancels later.

UK may have other rules in play so you might call them or your travel agent.

[FionaMG]

I'm in a similar situation and have been watching like a hawk for an answer but as @twangster says nothing has yet been announced. My personal belief is that you will be entitled to a full refund if you are denied boarding on the grounds of a requirement that did not exist at the time of booking, especially if you booked under EU rules with their extensive consumer protection. 

However, since there has not yet been an occasion for this scenario to actually happen, we will just have to wait and see. Keep watching the boards as information is very often posted here within seconds of official announcements being made.

For what it's worth, I also think you're right to assume your scheduled cruise is unlikely to go ahead. Not even convinced mine will and it's not till the end of September.

[twangster]

45 minutes ago, FionaMG said:

I'm in a similar situation and have been watching like a hawk for an answer but as @twangster says nothing has yet been announced. My personal belief is that you will be entitled to a full refund if you are denied boarding on the grounds of a requirement that did not exist at the time of booking, especially if you booked under EU rules with their extensive consumer protection. 

What if it isn't Royal denying you boarding, but a new policy of the government?

[FionaMG]

14 minutes ago, twangster said:

What if it isn't Royal denying you boarding, but a new policy of the UK government?

Good point. I guess it would be the Spanish government since the cruise is supposed to depart from Barcelona so it would be interesting to see how that would work out with the EU's consumer protection rules. 

[STB7481]

Booked out Barcelona in June as well. No word yet on the cruise. My wife and I have been vaccinated, but I don’t even think we are currently allowed to enter Spain right now.  We are US residents.
 

I did notice that Harmony is currently en route to Barcelona.   

[FionaMG]

14 minutes ago, STB7481 said:

Booked out Barcelona in June as well. No word yet on the cruise. My wife and I have been vaccinated, but I don’t even think we are currently allowed to enter Spain right now.  We are US residents.
 

I did notice that Harmony is currently en route to Barcelona.   

She's going to Cadiz for her mandatory 5-year dry dock. Where she will go after that remains to be seen. There has been speculation she may be redeployed to the UK but all we can do is wait and see.