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Whats the latest with removing the vax mandate? Thank you for the response!!!


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20 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

His post it about testing.   While he mentions unvax in one sentence, the post is about testing in general.

He stated the ships will continue to operate with highly vaccinated.  

No where does he state all restrictions are being removed for unvax and that unvax can sail everywhere.  

Some of the other screenshots are not from MB.  They are random or partial screenshots or communication to social media agents or this blog.   

It seems you are focused on one sentence while ignoring the context of the rest of the post.  

He never said everyone can sail after August 8.  Some will be allowed while they maintain highly vaccinated percentages.  

You are extracting a couple of words from a post that was all about changing testing requirements and inferring what you want to read into those few words while ignoring the context of the post.  

 

Your interpretation is different than mine. He states "effective August 8th" in his original post about testing and then continues on to say they will also welcome unvaxxed under the same thought. When people asked him to clarify, he confirmed that after August 8th unvaxxed could sail. He even confirmed it for this blog as you can see in the screenshot above (and yes, all screenshots are directly from Michael Bayley's Facebook page on this exact post I referenced above or are from this blog directly).

I am not here to debate you, I am sharing my interpretation which also happens to be an interpretation many others had as well.

 

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10 minutes ago, RogerC1 said:

Your interpretation is different than mine. He states "effective August 8th" in his original post about testing and then continues on to say they will also welcome unvaxxed under the same thought. When people asked him to clarify, he confirmed that after August 8th unvaxxed could sail. He even confirmed it for this blog as you can see in the screenshot above (and yes, all screenshots are directly from Michael Bayley's Facebook page on this exact post I referenced above or are from this blog directly).

I am not here to debate you, I am sharing my interpretation which also happens to be an interpretation many others had as well.

 

I agree that our interpretation is different.

It appears to me that your interpretation is that any unvax guest is free to board any Royal cruise anywhere they sail and there are no limitations or restrictions for unvax anymore.

My interpretation is that there are still restrictions that will apply to unvax guests and the full policy of those restrictions can not be inferred from this post about testing.

I want unvax to be able to book and sail.  I look forward to sailing with unvax friends and raising a glass with them at a bar.  However MB did not say that all restrictions are now gone for unvax.  

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9 hours ago, Reigert2008 said:

I think this is all going to lead to confusion for the passengers and maybe the crew.  No vaccination needed from Galveston, but then you can’t get off the ship in Grand Cayman.  It seems like it would have been better to wait until they worked out the details with each stop and then drop it.  While those of us on the board are well versed in the policies, the general public may miss some of the fine details and then be upset when. Of course, it is the passengers responsibility to know the policy, but we know someone will miss it or their “not as good” travel agent will misinform them of the policy.

I agree with what you are saying but here is what we know Grand Cayman was one of the last islands in the Caribbean to welcome cruise ships back to their port.  I know from working in the airline industry Grand Cayman since the beginning of Covid has had some of the strictest entry requirements for all arriving passengers.  The Cayman Islands just dropped their mandatory mask mandate this past June 30th, who knows when they will drop their vaccine mandate.  I understand why Royal isn't willing to wait for Grand Cayman to drop the mandate.  However that is the only port of call on sailings out of Galveston and New Orleans where unvaccinated guest will have issues and have to remain onboard.  All other ports of call on sailings out of Galveston and New Orleans are open to everyone regardless of vaccine status. 

This is also why Royal hasn't yet dropped the vaccine mandate for the Eastern Caribbean because with all the different entry restrictions for unvaccinated travelers that is a disaster waiting to happen, and in the age of social media it is going to be a public relations nightmare for cruise lines like NCL and Virgin. 

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16 minutes ago, twangster said:

I agree that our interpretation is different.

It appears to me that your interpretation is that any unvax guest is free to board any Royal cruise anywhere they sail and there are no limitations or restrictions for unvax anymore.

My interpretation is that there are still restrictions that will apply to unvax guests and the full policy of those restrictions can not be inferred from this post about testing.

I want unvax to be able to book and sail.  I look forward to sailing with unvax friends and raising a glass with them at a bar.  However MB did not say that all restrictions are now gone for unvax.  

You are incorrect in what you think is my interpretation. I fully expected there to be additional rules and policy to go along with this. As you can see in this screenshot MB just blanketly said after August 8 you are good. If you go back to my original post here, all I said was I did not understand why the miscommunication had not been addressed. 

When things are not communicated properly, it leaves room for much interpretation, which in turn leaves room for disappointment. I am fully vaccinated and will be sailing soon, so it is not that I am trying to get on board and can't. I just expect clear communication from such a large corporation, and this was not clear in the slightest. MB should not have been responding, but that is my opinion and I don't expect others to share it.

 

image.png.88f56ec28365a20a082a97165de4bb27.png

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8 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

People are reporting that the health questionnaire at check-in is now just 3 basic questions. No more laundry list of "do you have..." questions

This is true. Mine now says:

Are you fully vaccinated for COVID-19? Y/N

Have you received a COVID-19 booster? Y/N

Will you be more than 23 weeks pregnant at any time during your cruise? Y/N

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7 hours ago, Kenneth said:

I'm shocked no port in Florida is listed. 

 

The reason behind the Florida cruises not being listed has to do with the places those ships sail to and the countries there requiring cruise ship passengers be vaccinated (at least for now). Bahamas, Virgin Islands, et al.

However, surprising a cruise that only goes to Western Caribbean isn't included. I wonder if this is just for simplicity, rather than start saying "this itinerary, but not that".

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This is clearly gotten very confusing for Royal employees as well. I spoke to 2 different employees on 8/4 and both told me for cruises after 8/8 there would be no vaccine requirement. I added a guest that is unvaccinated to a booking that had previously been for a solo cruiser and they purchased airline tickets based on that info. Shame on me for not having something in writing first.

I called in again this morning and was first told again that as long as the sailings didn't go to Canada or Bermuda a vaccine would not be required. When I asked them where I could find this information online I was put on hold for about 20 minutes then they came back and said that it didn't apply to cruises out of Florida, which mine is. 

I guess I will just have to keep my fingers crossed that Royal Caribbean includes Florida in the changes that were announced last night before we sail on 9/25.

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27 minutes ago, Matt said:

The reason behind the Florida cruises not being listed has to do with the places those ships sail to and the countries there requiring cruise ship passengers be vaccinated (at least for now). Bahamas, Virgin Islands, et al.

However, surprising a cruise that only goes to Western Caribbean isn't included. I wonder if this is just for simplicity, rather than start saying "this itinerary, but not that".

I think you are correct I think letting customers know Los Angeles, Galveston and New Orleans greatly simplifies things for unvaccinated guest because they don't have to navigate through a plethora of cruises trying to figure out which one they can take and what the restrictions are.  Royal has simplified it by saying you can cruise out of these homeports unvaccinated the only restriction is you can't get off the ship at one port Grand Cayman, which doesn't effect cruises out of Los Angeles at all.

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Just came out today!! 

 

Starting with September 5th departures, all travelers regardless of vaccination status can cruise on the following itineraries, as long as they meet any testing requirements to board.

  • Cruises from Los Angeles, California. Browse itineraries.
  • Cruises from Galveston, Texas. Browse itineraries.
    (Note: Currently, only guests that show a valid vaccination record can get off the ship in Grand Cayman)
  • Cruises from New Orleans, Louisiana. Browse itineraries.
    (Note: Currently, only guests that show a valid vaccination record can get off the ship in Grand Cayman)
  • Cruises from a European homeport. Browse itineraries.
    (Note: Guests that are not “up to date” on their vaccination per EMA standards will need to take a test onboard in order to get off the ship in Greece and Spain)
Vaccination requirements remain in place until further notice for any homeport not mentioned above. Visit our Getting Ready to Cruise page to view current protocols by homeport.
 

Other Homeports & Destinations

 

We are working with local governments in the Eastern Caribbean to align on vaccination requirements for more itineraries. We want to ensure a great experience going ashore at these ports, for guests of any vaccination status, while meeting local health regulations. We’ll have more info in the coming days.
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What the heck, I’ll add my interpretation of that MB FB post.  He says vaccinated passengers no longer have to test on sailings 5 nights or less.  He continues that unvaccinated passengers have to test regardless of cruise length.  There have been a very small percentage of unvaccinated passengers on board for some time now.  No ship has sailed 100% vaxxed.   That small percentage will continue to have to test.  I see nowhere that implies any and all unvaccinated are free to cruise.  Just IMO on what he posted. 🤷‍♀️

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3 hours ago, RogerC1 said:

MB should not have been responding, but that is my opinion and I don't expect others to share it.

I share the opinion. I also know better than to believe what the CEO posts on social media trumps the written corporate policies.  He has said a lot of stuff that hasn't come to fruition. I do believe at the time he is making these statements he honestly believes what he is saying. Definitely doesn't mean that he can't be wrong or that he is promising anything.

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21 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

I share the opinion. I also know better than to believe what the CEO posts on social media trumps the written corporate policies.  He has said a lot of stuff that hasn't come to fruition. I do believe at the time he is making these statements he honestly believes what he is saying. Definitely doesn't mean that he can't be wrong or that he is promising anything.

Maybe "promising" was not the proper word to use when I first brought it up. He's not making a promise, he is making a statement. A statement that should have some weight considering he is the CEO, and a statement that was unfortunately worded to give more hope than it should have to some cruisers.

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14 hours ago, Reigert2008 said:

No vaccination needed from Galveston, but then you can’t get off the ship in Grand Cayman.  It seems like it would have been better to wait until they worked out the details with each stop and then drop it.

It'll be a moot point in November with Allure since there won't be any Grand Cayman itineraries after that for the foreseeable future.  I suspect they thought the hassle of the few cruises left with that itinerary was much less than the hassle of delaying allowing unvaccinated for a few more months out of Galveston.

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1 hour ago, Pooch said:

What the heck, I’ll add my interpretation of that MB FB post.  

The problem with his post is not the contents its how its written! 

The lack of paragraphs means you go from 1 topic to the next without a break therfore resulting in confusion unless you imagine it with paragraphs.

Which takes me nicely to next topic.....Given how it is written with no paragraphs just 1 long blog could MB be the 1 and done hit and run poster 🧐 lol 😆 

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53 minutes ago, Ray said:

The problem with his post is not the contents its how its written! 

The lack of paragraphs means you go from 1 topic to the next without a break therfore resulting in confusion unless you imagine it with paragraphs.

Which takes me nicely to next topic.....Given how it is written with no paragraphs just 1 long blog could MB be the 1 and done hit and run poster 🧐 lol 😆 

LOL!

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1 hour ago, Ray said:

The problem with his post is not the contents its how its written! 

The lack of paragraphs means you go from 1 topic to the next without a break therfore resulting in confusion unless you imagine it with paragraphs.

Which takes me nicely to next topic.....Given how it is written with no paragraphs just 1 long blog could MB be the 1 and done hit and run poster 🧐 lol 😆 

That's why he's the chief executive officer, not chief literary officer!

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2 hours ago, RogerC1 said:

Maybe "promising" was not the proper word to use when I first brought it up. He's not making a promise, he is making a statement. A statement that should have some weight considering he is the CEO, and a statement that was unfortunately worded to give more hope than it should have to some cruisers.

"Coming from the CEO" doesn't hold the weight it used to, as many are considered out of touch when it comes to the reality of the situation. Lots of times they speak out of turn and what happens isn't what they say. We must remember that with publicly traded companies there are often a whole slew of people making the decisions, least of which is the CEO.

As far as how RCG has communicated the updates so far, I have to say they have been a little bit more measured and the fact that they are one of the more "profitable" lines speaks volumes to this. Not taking in what Liberty and Bayley say in interviews but what is communicated on the website and through emails. 

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6 hours ago, RogerC1 said:

 

When things are not communicated properly, it leaves room for much interpretation, which in turn leaves room for disappointment. I am fully vaccinated and will be sailing soon, so it is not that I am trying to get on board and can't. I just expect clear communication from such a large corporation, and this was not clear in the slightest. MB should not have been responding, but that is my opinion and I don't expect others to share it.

 

 

On this point we agree completely.  IMO Mr Bayley has had some significant errors in his social media posts over the last years; someone should certainly be proofreading his posts.

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38 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

The CDC significantly eased its guidelines today, especially for unvaccinated. That could be why the cruise lines picked now to make their changes.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-covid-19-guidelines-updated-recommendations/

Especially: 

"Detailed recommendations are expected to be updated and "streamlined" over the coming days, including for travel, nursing homes, and other high-risk congregate settings. "

 

 

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12 minutes ago, Sushitex said:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-covid-19-guidelines-updated-recommendations/

Especially: 

"Detailed recommendations are expected to be updated and "streamlined" over the coming days, including for travel, nursing homes, and other high-risk congregate settings. "

 

 

That might be the trigger to get rid of all testing

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18 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Here's another one

image.png.1c0c7d892487f119e927bf0cc789d961.png

I read that earlier, and thought, "Hey, I hope this is enough incentive for the cruise lines to discontinue the mandate of  COVID-19 testing."  I'm not against it inherently, BUT it's so darn expensive if you have to pay for it, and fewer and fewer places are offering it for free. 

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51 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

That's enough right there for RC to dump all testing. Yes I know there are rules of other countries, but with many island nations following the CDC's lead, their rules may change soon too

Treat it like they are treating unvaxxed, if you don't test, you can't get off the ship. I'm good with that.

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It seems the latest CDC declaration that the whole thing is over hasn't been embraced by other countries yet.  Until it does we are stuck with what each destination thinks is important.  Hopefully the CDC throwing in the towel will be embraced across the world.  Time to end the public health emergency.  Maybe then other countries will wake up.  

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We've had no restrictions for a couple of months now and life is just a new normal. 

Some people still wear masks! 

If you feel ill then its up to you if test and again its your choice if you isolate if you test positive ( companies may enforce isolation but pay you for being off ) 

Most people are respectful and give others space and are a bit more tolerant of others.( unless your stuck in an Airport)

Of course there are those who have never cared since day 1.

 

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19 minutes ago, Matt said:

Don't forget, the CDC classifies cruise ships in the same grouping as prisons and nursing homes.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/04/06/5-ways-the-cdc-proves-it-doesnt-understand-cruise-ships

Which is why all eyes are on this:

 

"Detailed recommendations are expected to be updated and "streamlined" over the coming days, including for travel, nursing homes, and other high-risk congregate settings. "

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9 hours ago, Ray said:

We've had no restrictions for a couple of months now and life is just a new normal. 

Some people still wear masks! 

If you feel ill then its up to you if test and again its your choice if you isolate if you test positive ( companies may enforce isolation but pay you for being off ) 

Most people are respectful and give others space and are a bit more tolerant of others.( unless your stuck in an Airport)

Of course there are those who have never cared since day 1.

 

Not all companies pay you to isolate anymore.  My sons employer does not so isolating means a week without pay ☹️

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37 minutes ago, Pooch said:

Not all companies pay you to isolate anymore.  My sons employer does not so isolating means a week without pay ☹️

In UK we dont have to isolate, someone on a cruiseship could test positive on last night and be sent to quarantine, however on docking at Southampton or any other Uk port they can get off ship and go to work if they so wish. 

 

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