xxHadleyxx

That's not surprising at all. The Celebrity brand is marketed primarily to a western audience regardless of where it sails. Royal sailings from China are marketed towards the Chinese and many things onboard are changed specifically to appeal to that market.

I guess that's one of the great things about Royal...there are ships and sailings for everyone. Me? I much prefer a more diverse group of cruisers. Meeting a variety of people and getting out of my own little bubble is one of the things I most enjoy about cruising

You do realize that RCI has regular sailing from Shanghai and a strong Chinese customer base, regardless of the Olympics, correct? We sailed from Shanghai in March 2019 and had b2b sailings from Shanghai booked for this March (a trip which was obviously cancelled). These are sailings geared towards the Chinese market with few westerners onboard.

About ninety percent of their passengers on most sailings from Shanghai were Chinese anyway. I can see reduced capacity, only Chinese nationals sailings happening. Possibly with no stops outside China Things appear to be far more under control there than in the US at this point.

Here is the article I saw which mentiosn China sailings as of 1 July and Europe and Asia likely to start before the US: https://www.trvltrend.com/cruise/royal-caribbean-to-resume-sailing-on-august-1/

I want to say that the same interview said they are likely to start with cruises in Asia and Europe. No mention was made of when the US might start up---but I think the line needs to know things are controlled enough to not lead to terrible press again. I even think there might be some cruises out of Shanghai in July? I don't recall where I read that though--sadly. Anyway--yes, I can imagine having a couple of ships sailing in Europe by August 1, and do not think that is totally unrealistic at all. Many places in Europe have multiple weeks of declining or steadily very low rates of new infections, with plenty of hospital capacity and testing and there is a lot of talk about reopening tourism between those nations only within the next couple of weeks. I can imagine that a cruise which, for example, only stops in Schengen Zone nations and only allows cruisers who live in those nations to sail might well get the go ahead. For me the biggest piece, which was addressed as a priority by RCI; is making sure the embarkation/debarkation ports WILL allow everyone off the ship at the end and not turn ships away or hold people in quaratine for weeks on the ship itself. If that is handled, I would be likely to sail if my August sailing out of Copenhagen happens and would feel reasonably safe going on it--far more so if it is limited to residents of the Schengen Zone for the time being, and not people flying in from places where the virus is not remotely under control yet (if those two pieces are both in place, I will sail for sure, barring a second wave of infections being in progress).

RCI's policy is that ships embarking in Europe have a drinking age of 18. Perhaps you were on a different line?

They're allowed anywhere the other adults are, they just can't drink (I think on some iteneraries they are not allowed in the casino either?). Sailings which originate in Europe they can also drink. So, basically, if your kid is only happy hanging out with others their own age, it might be less fun for them on the cruise---as it might be harder to find/meet those people (and on some sailings, there are not a lot of peopel in taht age bracket at all). On the other hand, if they enjoy going to the club, pool, etc and hanging out with adults of all ages they should be fine. My kids are now 23 and 21 and both sailed several times in the 18-21 age bracket (often on TAs with few people under 40, much less their ages) and both very much enjoyed the trips.

I don't know. Royal has far more presence in Europe, and a much bigger European passenger base while here than HAL or Princess. Several ships are already on this side of the Atlantic. I'll be surprised if RCI cancels the entire European season. It might happen, but I doubt that it will I expect there may be something like only Schengen residents and sailings only stop in the zone,. Or all Spanish ports, etc. But I'm thinking at least something by midsummer is likely. Maybe it's just wishful thinking in my part though. I've got a late August sailing booked from Copenhagen.

in the context that the line should not count on the lure of status as enough to keep their most loyal cruisers loyal, if they have policies like this with the deposits on "replacement" cruises ( let's face it, far more people willing to take the FCC and rebook are giong to be experienced cruisers than brand new ones, who are likely to be more concerned about safety AND more likely to change plans to a land based vacation). goodness you seem bothered by someone mentioning status though---it wasn't meant as a brag---I am sure you and many others have lots of nice things which I do not, go lots of places I do not, probably sail pricier sailings and in nicer cabins, most likely live in a bigger place than I do and on and on. I am nowhere near rich. I simply happen to like cruising, a lot, and have for a coupel of deacdes now. I only meant that I think RCI might be counting on the C&A members to be a lot of what fill the cruises for the next year or two and they shouldn't think offering a few onboard perks is enough to outweigh some of these shennanigans. Overall I like the ocmpany. I actually want to see them succeed in spite of this pandemic. I hope they realize some of their policies need to be rethought.

I like how you acuse me of wanting special policies becuase of status, I explain that it is not at all what i meant when you pulled that quote out, and you do not even aknowledge it now. Geez. OK then. Anyway, about the deposits IMO, until we are inside the date by which the line will no longer consider cancelling a cruise in order to sell it as a charter, there should at least be an option for a refundable deposit booking. If we have to agree to a FIRM commitment to sail, non refundable, then the line should agree to an equally firm commitment to offer the sailing if weather/illness/mechanical problems and the like do not force their hand in cancelling it. Nonetheless what bothers me far more is the FCC not being able to be applied to the portion of cruise fare which is the deposit when booking a replacement cruise. That policy is, IMO, ridiculous. They already took the actual money. I could see them saying that portion of the FCC would not be given back if we then changed our minds about the sailing, but the current policy? It is not a good one. If they hold onto it, it is likely (though not certain by any stretch) we will move back to other lines which we have also enjoyed in the past.

No. That is not at all what I meant. I think everyone should have the option of a refundable deposit or at the very least the FCC they get for a cancelled crusie should be able to be applied to all of the base fare, deposit included, on a replacement cruise. I meant that having status perks is not enough of a draw to keep me with the line if I am enough opposed to the new booking policy, partially because I have status perks elsewhere (on lines which still allow refundable deposits----and from which FCCs issued by the lines for cruises they cancelled are good for the ENTIRE base cruise fare of a replacement cruise, including the deposit, which I had after all, already paid for for the cancelled sailing). I might change my mind, as there is a lot I like about RCI, but this is one of those things that particularly bothers me and I see no reason to encourage. Once upon a time we sailed almost exclusively on Princess, then Disney became a better (and, hard to believe these days) cheaper option for us. Then Royal was a better, less expensive and more varied option. Now? Who knows, maybe Princess or DCL is going to be better again. I can be pretty loyal up to a point, but there can (and has previously been) be a breaking point.

We have booked two RCI sailings for 2021 in recent weeks (and many family members are joining us on at least one, my inlaws on both). Most will be paid with FCC, though yes we had to put down those deposites. (we also booked a DCL sailing for Spetember 2021, but that has a fully refindable deposit---I am leaning towards going back to lines which offer the refundaable deposits once we have used up our FCCs; we have top status on more than just RCI and the need to put down a deposit when we have FCCs and had put deposits down on the original sailings really irks me) We have a large group booked for Alaska for the end of May 2021 (most of us were suppsed to be sailing together in Alaska this month) and also a TA in October next fall. We figure it is worth the risk to put down the added deposits. My thought process, which might prove totally wrong, is that the creditors will find a way to allow RCI and other very large lines to wait on making payments long enough that they can continue to operate and rebuild after the COVID-19 issues eventually fade away. Why? Because the collateral is mostly big ships. If no one is cruising and no lines have lots of demand or passengers bases, who would buy a big ship from the bank if the bank were to insist on collecting? No one. Thus, it is in the best intersts of the creditors to extend the line of credit as needed until travel picks up again. At least I hope it works out that way and we are not throwing our money away on those deposits.

Great thread topic! DH and I were just talking about this earlier today. We still have two, not yet cancelled, cruises this year (late August and late October). I hope by our 2021 cruises we can just do the normal things, but for these 2020 cruises maybe we will change some behaviours: The August sailing we had origianlly not had a balcony cabin---we do now! (I would have paid more for it too, but as luck would have it the prices have fallen so it was not any added charge). We will most likely leave the balcony door open at all times that we are in the stateroom (including through the night) so that we get a lot of outside air mixing in regularly. I have also told DH that I might prefer that he not run the a/c all.the.time as he normally would on an August cruise and instead dial in whatever seems to most limit shared air from coming into the cabin. I have never been one to wipe down the cabin (or hotel rooms, in a typical year we spend more nights away from home than at home). I doubt I will change that practice, but maybe I will hit the doorknobs every so often. We already tend to avoid crowds---especially in ports, we will wait to leave the ship until there are no longer lines, then reboard sooner than most, etc. So I asusme we will continue to do so, maybe even more than in the past (might not go to trivia games if Schooners is packed, or would skip dance parites in the centrum, might not spend as much time at Diamond Happy Hour if the lounge is packed, then again maybe so many older D+ cruisers will be staying home that it will be quiet up there?, etc). Other things we might do differently (depending on how crowded the ship is and what procudeures are in place to space people out, etc already: Possibly skip shows in the theatre if seating is not spread out enough. Spend more time on our balcony as opposed to puplic areas Eat lunch in outside areas (fresh air flowing through)--the sailings are on Jewel which has an outside seating area in the back of Windjammer and Allure which has options for outdoor dining midday as well. Possibly order room service for dinner and eat on our balcony if we find the MDR or speciality restraurants too crowded. Avoid elevators alltogether (we normally use them sparingly) Possibly spend more time on open pool decks (We are not sun worshippers) and/or more time off the ship just walking in open areas in port. We will also pack both of our laptops, my kindle and a few games, etc in case we either just spend more time in our room/on our blacony or (God forbid) get quaratined on the ship.

How long do we think it is going to take for RCI to announce what they are doing about Alaska cruises? It sure would be nice to know so I can change my airfare in May and fly directly to my planned post cruise destination if need be (which I suspect it will be)