Health?

[deep1]

Curious... I know we're past the book with confidence days and all those protocols of the pandemic. Curious what happens now if you fail your questionnaire or get covid last minute.  Of course you can't sail. What about refunded?

[Matt]

Royal's policy for at least another few months is a refund.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

If you are sailing on a cruise that departs on or before April 30, 2023,  you will receive:

• 100% cruise fare refund for you and your Travelling Party, if any of you test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the terminal.
• Coverage of all costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, if you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise. 
   

[deep1]

19 minutes ago, Matt said:

Royal's policy for at least another few months is a refund.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

If you are sailing on a cruise that departs on or before April 30, 2023,  you will receive:

• 100% cruise fare refund for you and your Travelling Party, if any of you test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the terminal.
• Coverage of all costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, if you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise. 
   

Thank you Matt... That answers part of it. I was a bit more concerned about those exposed to coworker or having "symptoms" with it. Any intel on that? Thank you in advance.

 

[Matt]

If you hit "yes" to anything in the health questionnaire, it's automatic denial of boarding.

My advice is wait until you get to the terminal so you can explain things.

[deep1]

Its not me but a friend could have a bump in the road... Thanks again for the replies. 

 

[AandD]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

If you hit "yes" to anything in the health questionnaire, it's automatic denial of boarding.

My advice is wait until you get to the terminal so you can explain things.

The A part of AandD said yes once on the health questionnaire. I did not know this. I was almost on the ship when the gate people stopped her. It took about 2 hours and a covid test to clear everything up. It had nothing to do with Covid. So listen to Matt. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

What type of “proof” do you have to present to get the FCC ?  Can you do a self test or does it have to be a proctored test ?

[deep1]

Actual Covid is some concern. They are more worried about the possibility of symptoms or "exposure" (To a coworker) forcing a "no board" on the questionnaire...

 

[Peter D]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

If you hit "yes" to anything in the health questionnaire, it's automatic denial of boarding.

My advice is wait until you get to the terminal so you can explain things.

Truth about any 'yes'.  My mother-in-law did the check in for herself and my 80 year old father-in-law.  She accidently checked he was pregnant. Denied...  he had to take a pregnancy test at the port (KIDDING! ), but they did have delay at the port.

[JBC]

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

[Pattycruise]

2 hours ago, Matt said:

Royal's policy for at least another few months is a refund.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

If you are sailing on a cruise that departs on or before April 30, 2023,  you will receive:

• 100% cruise fare refund for you and your Travelling Party, if any of you test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the terminal.
• Coverage of all costs of COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard, if you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise. 
   

wow, I had  no idea that was still going on Thank you

[bluer101]

These are the questions. 

[ChessE4]

I recommend travel insurance that covers illness, including Covid, and if denied boarding for any reason, I'd request on-the-spot written notice to back up the insurance claim.  Some travelers have reported issues when they don't have a "Royal medical statement" or equivalent medical determination in writing.

[deep1]

41 minutes ago, bluer101 said:

These are the questions. 

Saw a longer version elsewhere but not sure if current.  This is the version I had this summer and likely the one in use now.. Thanks for posting. The other one included exposure questions and on this one #4 might be a wrench tosser.

 

[Dad2Cue]

6 hours ago, deep1 said:

Saw a longer version elsewhere but not sure if current.  This is the version I had this summer and likely the one in use now.. Thanks for posting. The other one included exposure questions and on this one #4 might be a wrench tosser.

 

I'm not sure if this is pertinent or not.  We were on a B2B cruise not too long ago.  No covid test needed to board the cruise.  We answered question #4 with "no" even though I have some of those symptoms all the time.  

My wife developed a runny nose and had "cold like" symptoms while on the first cruise of the B2B.  We wanted to do the right thing and reported her symptoms.  A non-monitored covid test was sent to our room with instructions to let the medical team know the result..  Fortunately my wife tested negative but she still needed to be seen by the doctor onboard.  I thought for sure we would need to get off the ship since it was the last day of the first cruise of our B2B.   My wife couldn't honestly say she didn't have runny nose, cough and sore throat 24 hours prior to the second cruise..  The doctor evaluated her and looked at her throat and said she had large tonsils.  That was it!

My wife wore a mask for a few days and her symptoms got better.  We successfully completed the B2B.  

[bluer101]

6 hours ago, deep1 said:

Saw a longer version elsewhere but not sure if current.  This is the version I had this summer and likely the one in use now.. Thanks for posting. The other one included exposure questions and on this one #4 might be a wrench tosser.

 

This is the one I answered today for Saturday’s boarding on Odyssey of the Seas and the same one a few months ago on Symphony of the Seas. 

[Midwest Cruiser]

21 hours ago, bluer101 said:

These are the questions. 

Question for the group. Anyone had issues if you answer No to all the questions. Is there any different procedure at the Terminal?

May or may not be Vaccinated, but don't feel it is any of Royal or anyone's business to that information. Also royal isn't requiring any of those to cruise where we are going from and to.

 

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

32 minutes ago, Midwest Cruiser said:

Question for the group. Anyone had issues if you answer No to all the questions. Is there any different procedure at the Terminal?

May or may not be Vaccinated, but don't feel it is any of Royal or anyone's business to that information. Also royal isn't requiring any of those to cruise where we are going from and to.

 

 

Unvaxxed here, so we are straight “no” down the line.  They simply ask you if there have been any changes to your answers since you submitted your on-line questionnaire.  That’s it.  No hassle, no further questions.

[Midwest Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Unvaxxed here, so we are straight “no” down the line.  They simply ask you if there have been any changes to your answers since you submitted your on-line questionnaire.  That’s it.  No hassle, no further questions.

Awesome to hear there is no hassle. 

[Xaa]

54 minutes ago, Midwest Cruiser said:

May or may not be Vaccinated, but don't feel it is any of Royal or anyone's business to that information. 

 

 

You do realize No is an answer.  What you want is "I don't care to answer, it's none of your business"

My guess is they will put no for everything, but then you would have been true to your conviction.

[Midwest Cruiser]

22 minutes ago, Xaa said:

You do realize No is an answer.  What you want is "I don't care to answer, it's none of your business"

My guess is they will put no for everything, but then you would have been true to your conviction.

What?

It was a legitimate question as to Matts response that if you mark "Yes" to anything on the Health questionnaire you would be denied. 

I guess he could have clarified that if you answered Yes to the last question you would be denied. Wouldn't think you would be denied for answering Yes or No to the 1st 2 questions, 3 and 4 answering Yes would probably get you a denial to board. That seemed logical.

[WAAAYTOOO]

16 minutes ago, Xaa said:

You do realize No is an answer.  What you want is "I don't care to answer, it's none of your business"

My guess is they will put no for everything, but then you would have been true to your conviction.

We actually struggled with this one a bit….we feel the same as @Midwest Cruiser and think it’s really none of their business.  For a while, after the restart, they actually did have an answer like that, where you could just say that you didn’t care to answer the question but once they dropped both the vax and testing requirements they limited the answers to “yes” or “no”.  We felt like it was not a battle worth fighting so we relented and answered their question.  Truthfully, I am proud of the fact we resisted their unscientific mandates so I don’t care who knows I’m unvaxxed.  It’s not like the government didn’t know already….they know all and see all….  

[Xaa]

18 minutes ago, Midwest Cruiser said:

What?

It was a legitimate question as to Matts response that if you mark "Yes" to anything on the Health questionnaire you would be denied. 

I guess he could have clarified that if you answered Yes to the last question you would be denied. Wouldn't think you would be denied for answering Yes or No to the 1st 2 questions, 3 and 4 answering Yes would probably get you a denial to board. That seemed logical.

 

Sorry man, I was just goofing on the answering No because it's none of their business.  No and yes are both answers so it doesn't fulfill the none of your business aspect.

[Xaa]

17 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

We actually struggled with this one a bit….we feel the same as @Midwest Cruiser and think it’s really none of their business.  For a while, after the restart, they actually did have an answer like that, where you could just say that you didn’t care to answer the question but once they dropped both the vax and testing requirements they limited the answers to “yes” or “no”.  We felt like it was not a battle worth fighting so we relented and answered their question.  Truthfully, I am proud of the fact we resisted their unscientific mandates so I don’t care who knows I’m unvaxxed.  It’s not like the government didn’t know already….they know all and see all….  

Everyone should be proud if they follow their heart and make the choices that are right for them.  I'm personally agnostic to the debate about it. I'm happy for those that wanted it and took it and happy for those that didn't and didn't.

Not sure what they would do if you didn't do them in the app and refused them at the port.  It's probably only the last question that they really need an answer to.  I don't have the courage to find out.

[Midwest Cruiser]

17 minutes ago, Xaa said:

Sorry man, I was just goofing on the answering No because it's none of their business.  No and yes are both answers so it doesn't fulfill the none of your business aspect.

Was just confusing as to Matts response. Think Royal could just simplify that and just ask the last question. Being pregnant hasn't changed from before the restart so that really doesn't need to be on there. 

[Xaa]

I think there is an amount of pregnancy that would exclude you from sailing so it's probably valuable to some degree.

The others probably just for their statistics.  Statistics around that topic are less sought after so maybe they'll drop them.  Imagine the stooge in the office that has to put together the reporting on it and include it n the monthly dog and pony show.  He/she has got to be like "Do we need that info this month?  Do you think anyone cares?"

[Midwest Cruiser]

33 minutes ago, Xaa said:

I think there is an amount of pregnancy that would exclude you from sailing so it's probably valuable to some degree.

The others probably just for their statistics.  Statistics around that topic are less sought after so maybe they'll drop them.  Imagine the stooge in the office that has to put together the reporting on it and include it n the monthly dog and pony show.  He/she has got to be like "Do we need that info this month?  Do you think anyone cares?"

Yeah the amount of weeks pregnant matters, but I believe that is expressly noted when booking the cruise that one can not cruise if more than 23 weeks pregnant. 

Yeah would suck to be the Bean counter for this type of information. Much better things they could be improving or keeping track of.

[Atlantix2000]

42 minutes ago, Midwest Cruiser said:

Was just confusing as to Matts response. Think Royal could just simplify that and just ask the last question. Being pregnant hasn't changed from before the restart so that really doesn't need to be on there. 

Matt's response was confusing but historically, there were more questions and the "right" answer was no for all of them.  Once upon a time, each symptom was its own question.  Do you have a fever? No.  Are you throwing up? No. Etc, etc.  It's only recently that yes is an acceptable answer for any question.

The pregnancy question is there because it's a generic questionnaire for all ages and genders.  Men who answer yes will be "denied" boarding until they get someone to change the answer.  And there's no way for Royal to know if someone has become pregnant since their last cruise so they have to ask every time.

[bluer101]

This was the original after restart. We only got vaccinated due to not being allowed to cruise.  
 

 

[smokeybandit]

Now it's just one single question that asks "has any of this stuff happened recently?"

[Pooch]

We were on a cruise mid February 2020, about a month before the shut down, and I remember being asked about symptoms and whether we had recently traveled to China.  My son actually worked for a Chinese company and was supposed to be in China for 5-6 weeks beginning early January.  He was disappointed when the trip was cancelled (not because of covid).  Talk about dodging a bullet!

[RCVirgin22]

On 2/10/2023 at 9:45 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

We actually struggled with this one a bit….we feel the same as @Midwest Cruiser and think it’s really none of their business.  For a while, after the restart, they actually did have an answer like that, where you could just say that you didn’t care to answer the question but once they dropped both the vax and testing requirements they limited the answers to “yes” or “no”.  We felt like it was not a battle worth fighting so we relented and answered their question.  Truthfully, I am proud of the fact we resisted their unscientific mandates so I don’t care who knows I’m unvaxxed.  It’s not like the government didn’t know already….they know all and see all….  

I think it's just a matter of them wanting the info on who is and who isn't for data purposes, a box for refusing to answer doesn't assist them very well in that data collection.

[smokeybandit]

I live at high elevation. When I travel to a low elevation, I always get a sore throat and nasal congestion.  It goes away after a day or two.

I'm certainly not answering "yes" on that questionnaire because of that since I know I'm not sick.

[DoomSlayer]

On 2/10/2023 at 11:45 AM, WAAAYTOOO said:

We actually struggled with this one a bit….we feel the same as @Midwest Cruiser and think it’s really none of their business.  For a while, after the restart, they actually did have an answer like that, where you could just say that you didn’t care to answer the question but once they dropped both the vax and testing requirements they limited the answers to “yes” or “no”.  We felt like it was not a battle worth fighting so we relented and answered their question.  Truthfully, I am proud of the fact we resisted their unscientific mandates so I don’t care who knows I’m unvaxxed.  It’s not like the government didn’t know already….they know all and see all….  

Ideally, the questions for vaccination status and booster status should just be removed.  We are past the pandemic stage and in the endemic stage, meaning it is here to stay.  The questions have no more meaning than asking if someone had a seasonal flu vaccine or not.  Those of us that wanted the vaccine, and could get it, have had it.  And those of us that did not want it, or could not get it for some reason, did not.  I personally have been vaccinated and boosted, but that was my personal choice and my personal business -- the same goes for those that choose not to get vaccinated.  Outside of itineraries that have ports with vaccination regulations, this question should simply be removed.

The only reason I can see it still being asked is that adult non-US citizens or residence card holders entering the US are still required to be fully vaccinated by federal mandate.  I honestly believe Royal is just making sure their policy aligns to current US policy.  If that is true, and the mandate is lifted and not extended in May as currently planned, this question should hopefully disappear.  Foreigners flying to the US must still show vaccination status to the airline before boarding, so I am assuming this is the policy Royal is following to cover their legal butts.  This would make sense in some repositioning cruises, like from Barbados to Miami, but admittedly, makes little sense for closed loop cruises originating in the US.

At the end of the day, I don't think these questions are there to make a political statement, or to make anyone upset, or to deny access to cruising for unvaccinated US citizens or residents.  It does restrict access though to unvaccinated foreign visitors, but that is by US policy / mandate, and not Royal's policy.

[LakeAlto]

Does Royal Caribbean require a more extensive health questionnaire to be done at the port? Or do they only ask the four questions for the health screening done the day before boarding and nothing else?

[Yo2slick]

37 minutes ago, LakeAlto said:

Does Royal Caribbean require a more extensive health questionnaire to be done at the port? Or do they only ask the four questions for the health screening done the day before boarding and nothing else?

Just the 4 questions the day before and at the port they ask if anything has changed.

[Jzx1103]

Lol I just assumed everyone would answer what they need to answer to get onboard regardless of their condition at the time. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

The last few boardings we’ve done, we weren’t even asked if anything had changed since we answered our health questions.  When we boarded SY last Saturday, the guy who was checking us in with his iPad not only didn’t ask about our health questionnaire, but he obviously didn’t even look at it b/c he marked us both as vaxxed and boosted.  I watched him do it.  I don’t think they’re even checking anymore

[Mike n Ky]

48 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The last few boardings we’ve done, we weren’t even asked if anything had changed since we answered our health questions.  When we boarded SY last Saturday, the guy who was checking us in with his iPad not only didn’t ask about our health questionnaire, but he obviously didn’t even look at it b/c he marked us both as vaxxed and boosted.  I watched him do it.  I don’t think they’re even checking anymore

Frankly I believe that RC is totally ignoring Covid and have removed a lot of their protocols and procedures that were implemented after the return. Service to clean on our recent Odyssey cruise was poor at best. Tables being cleared and cleaned was slow. The old signs showing a table had been sanitized abandoned. 5 cruises post return before testing was eliminated and no issues. On our most recent cruise we both came back with Covid. A FB group my wife was on for that cruise, dozens reported returning with Covid. Loved the ship, the cruise and even booked a Next without assigning it to a specific cruise. Still haven't chosen a sail date and beyond our next two already booked, and one already paid for, not sure what we will do going forward.

[Bowen]

On 2/9/2023 at 11:45 AM, JBC said:

Wait, we are supposed to read the questions on the health questionaire before just answering them all no?     

This is crazy talk!