Freedom of the Seas first Test Cruise in July

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

So it could be more than 10%? 

It could be, but I don't know why any cruise lines would do more.

 

So if Freedom plans to sail at 2500 for its second revenue cruise, it'd need at least 250 test cruise passengers.

[cruisinghawg]

8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

It could be, but I don't know why any cruise lines would do more.

 

So if Freedom plans to sail at 2500 for its first revenue cruise, it'd need at least 250 test cruise passengers.

I am not exactly sure of the wording in the test cruise requirements but that makes sense. However I interrupted the order as TOTAL number of available spaces. So If Freedom's total is 4000 (it may be more just using and example) the 400 could go on a test cruise.  

[UNCFanatik]

When is Royal going to announce the rest of the plans for test cruising? 

Have they applied for test cruises on all ships they say will sail in July/August?

Will some of these sailings forgo test cruises and go vaccinated route?

It is 5 days away from June. I know everything is fluid now and rules may change but just communicate that. 

I shouldnt be 52 days away from a proposed July sailing with ZERO idea with what will happen with a ship that is in Cadiz that may or may not have to have a test cruise before revenue sailing. I keep hearing July but no firm, definite plan in place. This is getting to be unacceptable

[smokeybandit]

11 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

I am not exactly sure of the wording in the test cruise requirements but that makes sense. However I interrupted the order as TOTAL number of available spaces. So If Freedom's total is 4000 (it may be more just using and example) the 400 could go on a test cruise.  

• The minimum number of required volunteer passengers for each simulated voyage must be at least 10% of the maximum number of passengers permitted onboard for the first two restricted voyages as per the terms of the cruise ship operator’s Phase 2A agreement with U.S. port and local health authorities.

[Phoenix]

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

• The minimum number of required volunteer passengers for each simulated voyage must be at least 10% of the maximum number of passengers permitted onboard for the first two restricted voyages as per the terms of the cruise ship operator’s Phase 2A agreement with U.S. port and local health authorities.

The Freedom can accommodate 4,375 passengers. That means they are looking at 437 people which is 10%. I wonder how is RCG going to choose who will be the guinea pigs lucky passengers on this voyage. 

[smokeybandit]

8 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

The Freedom can accommodate 4,375 passengers. That means they are looking at 437 people which is 10%. I wonder how is RCG going to choose who will be the guinea pigs lucky passengers on this voyage. 

No it's 10% of the sailing capacity for the "restricted" voyages which likely won't be anywhere near full capacity.  So if Freedom went with 50% for its first two cruises, about 2200, then it's 220 test cruise passengers.

[PG Cruiser]

9 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

I wonder how is RCG going to choose who will be the guinea pigs lucky passengers on this voyage. 

I'm willing to be a guinea pig, guinea cow, guinea chicken, guinea whatever lucky passenger just to be on a cruise ship

[Matt]

15 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

Well I guess @Matt won't be able to participate in testing on Freedom even if he got invited to!

First thing I thought of when I saw the news 

[PG Cruiser]

38 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I don't see any sailings from Bermuda still listed

They're not sailings from Bermuda.  Just itineraries that include Bermuda

 

[cruisinghawg]

17 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

The Freedom can accommodate 4,375 passengers. That means they are looking at 437 people which is 10%. I wonder how is RCG going to choose who will be the guinea pigs lucky passengers on this voyage. 

I will go and I am a seasoned citizen with some small underlying conditions. But I am vaccinated and refuse to live my life in fear. I go to Walmart , Lowes, Home Depot and the local race track that has at least 200-300 people there when I am there and have had no problems.

[cruisinghawg]

Does anyone here know how long the wait will be after the test cruise before a revenue sailing?

[cruisinghawg]

14 days maybe?

[smokeybandit]

21 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

Does anyone here know how long the wait will be after the test cruise before a revenue sailing?

Whenever the CDC feels like it.

[cruisinghawg]

16 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Whenever the CDC feels like it.

I was afraid you were going to say that!!

[LovetoCruise87]

24 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Whenever the CDC feels like it.

Sounds about right

[RyanS]

My thought is about 2 weeks, right inline with a July restart.  

[PG Cruiser]

32 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Whenever the CDC feels like it.

If we were to wait on the CDC, they'd delay cruising until we get to zero infections, zero positive tests, zero colds, zero sneezes, zero coughing, etc etc etc

[UNCFanatik]

10 minutes ago, RyanS said:

My thought is about 2 weeks, right inline with a July restart.  

July restart for Freedom. remains to be seen on other ships

[PG Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

July restart for Freedom. remains to be seen on other ships

They'll package it as "Free to Cruise on the Freedom on Freedom Day!"

[Phoenix]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

No it's 10% of the sailing capacity for the "restricted" voyages which likely won't be anywhere near full capacity.  So if Freedom went with 50% for its first two cruises, about 2200, then it's 220 test cruise passengers.

Are you sure? The Order states a max of 10% of ships capacity. Am I missing something?

[Phoenix]

1 hour ago, cruisinghawg said:

seasoned citizen

What is a "seasoned citizen"?

[cruisinghawg]

9 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

What is a "seasoned citizen"?

Older, retired, lots of life experiences, you know the types, but not know it all's

[Matt]

1 hour ago, cruisinghawg said:

Does anyone here know how long the wait will be after the test cruise before a revenue sailing?

The Conditional Sailing Order says 60 days, but I know it also says 30 days for approval of a test cruise, and they amended that to be up to 5 days recently.  So I'm wondering if that 60 figure has/will be changed.

[Phoenix]

9 minutes ago, cruisinghawg said:

Older, retired, lots of life experiences, you know the types, but not know it all's

Gotcha!  Thanks. 

[smokeybandit]

9 minutes ago, Matt said:

The Conditional Sailing Order says 60 days, but I know it also says 30 days for approval of a test cruise, and they amended that to be up to 5 days recently.  So I'm wondering if that 60 figure has/will be changed.

Though that section mentions nothing explicitly about completed test cruises as an artifact that must be included in the application for the conditional sailing certificate.

Theoretically they could have applied already.

[PG Cruiser]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

The Conditional Sailing Order says 60 days, but I know it also says 30 days for approval of a test cruise, and they amended that to be up to 5 days recently.  So I'm wondering if that 60 figure has/will be changed.

Having imprisoned the cruise industry for more than a year, they'll count that as "time served"... 

[CrznTxn]

CDC's next move would make me feel better if they had required every commercial airliner that flies from a US airport to follow the guidelines that the cruise ships have to and there was a track record on how long it took them to react to that. If there is no announcement on a reduction on the 60 wait from accepted test and issuance of a Conditional Sail Certificate then the best we can hope for is an early/mid September sailing out of the US. Sure am glad I booked the Adventure of the Seas out of the Bahamas in August. At least I will be able to take at least ONE cruise before the end of the CSO, unless I am picked to do the "Sail to Nowhere" test cruise which I am already packed for. Pretty sure unless the CDC accepts the Freedom as a "one for all" there will be no July or August cruises from US ports. The only other saving grace for the cruise industry would be the judge striking down the CSO this coming Monday but with RCI and Carnival now seeming to accept the conditions and move forward to start the test sailings that probably will not happen.

[Annie kaley]

I was feeling optimistic about 4th July Allure. Now not so much.

[RyanS]

7 minutes ago, Annie kaley said:

I was feeling optimistic about 4th July Allure. Now not so much.

My personal opinion is any cruise between July-September will be cancelled and they will be deploying the ships for different days, ports, and itineraries. It will be a slow rollout...

[UNCFanatik]

Carnival and NCL have announced their plans now. Its time for Royal to follow suit and announce their plan to resume sailing with a detailed plan, namely for July and August. Not sure why Royal is always the last to announce

[PG Cruiser]

14 minutes ago, UNCFanatik said:

Not sure why Royal is always the last to announce

Isn't that what "royalty" does?

[Phoenix]

18 minutes ago, Annie kaley said:

I was feeling optimistic about 4th July Allure. Now not so much.

It's literally dead in the water. 

[smokeybandit]

Could a ship do a test cruise, then immediately after do a revenue 95% cruise?

[Matt]

20 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Could a ship do a test cruise, then immediately after do a revenue 95% cruise?

Not immediately. If a ship wants to do the 95/98 rule, they still have to apply for permission to operate a cruise.

[stevendom57]

8 hours ago, cruisinghawg said:

What is a "seasoned citizen"?

Someone with salt and pepper hair. Maybe a little garlic powder thrown in.

[CruiseGus]

my magic 8 ball says all of this will be mute soon, as the CDC is constantly now revising their orders.

the 8 ball says after a small number of cruise ships have test cruises and the 98/95 vaccination rate Alaska cruises go off without incident, the CDC will rescind the NSO for that particular cruise line.  There may be some new documentation of continuation to collect data, but sailing will start in mass.

My magic 8 ball has be correct before.

[griffinjam22]

1 hour ago, CruiseGus said:

my magic 8 ball says all of this will be mute soon, as the CDC is constantly now revising their orders.

the 8 ball says after a small number of cruise ships have test cruises and the 98/95 vaccination rate Alaska cruises go off without incident, the CDC will rescind the NSO for that particular cruise line.  There may be some new documentation of continuation to collect data, but sailing will start in mass.

My magic 8 ball has be correct before.

I like your magic 8 ball

[Cruising With JT]

15 hours ago, Matt said:

First thing I thought of when I saw the news 

They should just start the test cruise on Freedom June 27th, make it a b2b2b @Matt!

[JLMoran]

Question about this -- if Freedom is doing her test cruises out of Florida, does that mean she'll stay in Florida for the rest of the season once cleared for revenue sailings? Or will she move up to NJ to resume her already-scheduled 5-night Bermuda sailings (and possibly the 9-night Bahamas)?

I purely want to go back to Bermuda and sail out of NJ / NYC at this point. Freedom is my only option from Royal, along with the late-October offering just released from NCL. (why so late in the year, Mr. DelRio?) So if Royal is going to move Freedom and replace her with something else, please announce that. And if she's staying in NJ and there is only a partial cancellation of Bermuda sailings (maybe August?), announce that. But give us something!

[Phoenix]

16 minutes ago, JLMoran said:

Question about this -- if Freedom is doing her test cruises out of Florida, does that mean she'll stay in Florida for the rest of the season once cleared for revenue sailings? Or will she move up to NJ to resume her already-scheduled 5-night Bermuda sailings (and possibly the 9-night Bahamas)?

I purely want to go back to Bermuda and sail out of NJ / NYC at this point. Freedom is my only option from Royal, along with the late-October offering just released from NCL. (why so late in the year, Mr. DelRio?) So if Royal is going to move Freedom and replace her with something else, please announce that. And if she's staying in NJ and there is only a partial cancellation of Bermuda sailings (maybe August?), announce that. But give us something!

Ditto !!