zpdw484

2 hours ago, DAVLIB007 said:

talked to emed said  the Navica app will allow you to add anyone to your profile . spouse , parents ,friends etc. 

Thanks!

We are sailing in March. We are taking our 13 year old daughter and her friend. Does anyone know if  I can set up her friend under my navica account even though I am not her parent or guardian?

Royal has always been our preferred line, Never been a huge carnival fan but sailed Mardi gras in October and absolutely loved it. Liked it much better than Oasis in fact.  The include Food options are much better than royals. Lots of "grab and go" type eating venues, which in my opinion works much better during this whole covid fiasco.  Don't foresee us going on any of their older ships but the new Excel class ships are pretty awesome.

4 hours ago, RCCL Fan said:

My relationship with RCI is a long one,  a beautiful one.

 

However with things "rocky" right now, I've said, I'm not splitting up with RCI, but taking a breather.

 

The covid restrictions and mask mandates and all make sense,  but I'd obviously rather cruise without them.

 

The lack of staff onboard, overworked staff,  the risk of crew and myself getting sick and quarantined.

 

There's just so much that's so not normal right now.    

 

I sailed twice in 2021, during all this, and showed my support. I have two more booked in 2022... and have been seriously considering postponing 1 if not both.  Just because I know I'll enjoy them so much more once things improve.

 

Lets do more land vacations I said,   there's so many places we want to go I said.

 

I meant it too

 

So can someone tell me why the heck I looked at more cruises in 2022, can someone tell me why I told my TA to make a reservation?

 

I truly believe it's better to wait for things to stabilize,  before I go back,  but man on man..... Breaking Up Is So Hard To Do....

 

See you at the end of the year Navigator!   hahaha

I feel the exact same way. Cruising has been my number one obsession since my first cruise when I was 15 years old. Throughout the past 22 years I have sailed just about every way imaginable. With my parents and sister, with friends, solo all by myself for several years, and nowadays typically once a year with my wife and daughter, and one "adult trip" per year just me and the wife.  The magic has never faded.. there's absolutely nothing I love more than being on a ship at sea..  we were completely lost when cruising was shut down.

Since cruising has restarted we have sailed twice. October went very well. Yes it was different but the "magic" was mostly still there.  We also sailed explorer over new years and we felt completely different. It was the most stressful trip I have ever done. Even once all the precruise requirements (stress) were taken care of it was still a mess. Dropping positive crew members off on two different occasions, remaining crew short staffed and totally overworked. For me it's hard to  enjoy my vacation knowing what the crew is going through behind the scenes. Port days shortened,  ship clearance delayed in other ports resulting in missed excursions (still fighting for a refund on these). Ever changing protocols while we were gone resulting in more stress, this on top of all the constant masking and other not so enjoyable protocols onboard.  For the first time ever the "magic" was completely gone. And the two days we spent in San Juan post cruise (which were by far the best two days of entire trip) just confirmed what we were feeling about cruising. I never thought I could feel that way about cruising, and honestly I don't want to take a chance on feeling that way again. I don't want that bad taste in my mouth.  I don't want to lose the magic so to speak.  So the conclusion we have come to is do land trips till things have significantly calmed down.  

Yes we understood things would be different on our explorer cruise. Yes we accepted the risks. Yes we think royal is doing the best they can and are not blaming them, but at the end of the day cruising is just not cruising at the moment.  I would rather hold onto past memories and wait for things to be a bit more "normal" before we sail again than to lose the "magic".

But with that said... Cruising is definitely an addiction... And here I sit at 6am on a Monday morning reading cruisecritic.... So who knows we may end up back on a ship sooner than we think😁

3 hours ago, cyclist_guy1 said:

just curious...did you take a covid test when you returned? you know, just to be sure you and others around you stay healthy.

Yes we had several of the emed tests leftover that were close to expiration and used them.

2 hours ago, ledges1 said:

Some people like talk about their vacations and where they are going in normal conversation. Others like to  live their life as a reality show on the internet and others are more private about their life. Is any approach wrong? No, it may come down to their personality.

I agree.. personally I hate drama, so I avoid it if possible.

On 1/3/2022 at 9:06 PM, land64shark said:

I am finding that I am avoiding letting anyone else know that I am cruising on Thursday (and flying to get there). I just don't want any more of their judgement. I don't want to have to defend or explain myself. Anyone else?

Over New year's I flew to Puerto Rico, went on a 7 day cruise, stayed two days afterwards in San Juan, and was back at work yesterday morning without anyone other than immediate family knowing...  My place of employment would have probably flipped out and had me quarantine upon returning.... 

2 hours ago, auburn34 said:

Totally agree.  We canceled 1/2 Harmony sailing for the same reasons.  Fortunately we can drive to FL instead for a week.  That won't get us away from Covid but we won't have to worry about beaches, golf courses, entertainment being closed or risk being stuck on a ship longer than expected.

Enjoy.. In my opinion land trips are the way to go right now. Even if you end up somewhere with relatively strict covid protocols.  Was on explorer last week and then spent 2 days post cruise in San Juan.  The two days in San Juan were so much more enjoyable than the cruise. Royal is not to blame but it is what it is.

9 hours ago, MindyJohn said:

I'm under the impression that even with the January 16 policy changes, disembarking U.S. citizens who fly back to the U.S. right away, without a post-cruise extension, will NOT be required to undergo testing. I hope I've got that right! 

That's the way I understand it also. No test unless you plan on staying a day or two in San Juan. I would think a lot of people like to add a day or two in San Juan when departing from there. If this is the way the new rules play out I would definitely want to do pre cruise instead of post cruise. We planned post cruise due to not wanting to miss Christmas at home

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

In your opinion, do you think you might have found cruising from the mainland U.S. less stressful? I'm just trying to get a handle on what to do about a Jan 22 sailing.

Absolutely.. San Juan is without a doubt our favorite port to sail from  but it definitely made things much more stressful this go around. When we booked this trip back in May we were hoping covid would not be such an ordeal by this point. 

9 hours ago, Splake said:

@zpdw484 we are scheduled to be on Explorer on 1/16 and I am following your comments closely to see what your take is being onboard now. I know that the cruise lines went through a rough spell with the Christmas and New Year's cruises, my thought was maybe the two weeks after would allow for recovery. We're going to make a call next week on whether we cancel our trip, but are still holding out hope.

I don't want to talk anyone out of going on their cruise. I just think people need to be aware of the current situation (which is obviously changing day to day)  With the right mindset I am sure you will have a great time if you decide to go. The one thing I would definitely keep an eye on is the changes to entry into Puerto Rico upon disembarking. Rumor is this is supposed to change on the 16th. At this point in time there is no way I would be ok with a negative test result being required before being allowed to disembark in Puerto Rico at the end of the cruise.  The potential of testing positive at the end of the week is just too high in my opinion from what I seen last week and no one wants to be quarantined in Puerto Rico..

We had a good time last week. We honestly did, but after dealing with all the pre cruise stress, the overbearing onboard protocols, watching the poor crew members being shuffled to the quarantine ship, watching the remaining crew members being worked to death, Puerto Rico changing requirements on the fly, etc for a week it was just too much for us to want to do it again till things change. It's hard for me to admit because I have always been a die hard cruising fanatic but Spending the last two days in San Juan has just reinforced in our minds that during the covid era land trips are just easier, less stressful and all around better. None of this is a knock against Royal Caribbean at all. They are doing the best they can.  Cruising at the moment is just a difficult balancing act for them. The industry is just not suited to excel during a pandemic no matter how hard they try.

13 hours ago, coldweather said:

Thanks for your update. Would you please share the plans for testing passengers to disembark in San Juan?  Did the passengers get tested today?  Thank you. 

Sitting in old San Juan. Disembarkation went smoothly this morning. No mention of being tested. Walked right off. Was a bit of a cluster catching a taxi or Uber as it seemed like they were in short supply but all in all not bad... No testing and no quarantine so we are happy lol

We are sitting in old San Juan. Off the explorer this morning and we're not tested. Never heard anything about it onboard the ship. So worked out for us. Thanks @Aviator of the Seas for keeping us updated through out the week

12 hours ago, Stewiesmom66 said:

We are on the 1/9 sailing and have decided to go regardless.    From Michigan and the winter is already too much.     Going with an attitude of being flexible to changes and showing grace to the ships staff understanding the pressure they are under.  
 

i do have a question for you.....did they offer the drink package special the first day of by one get one 50% off?  We normally don’t purchase the bev pkg but given we may spend more time on ship think we may.  Online is pretty pricey right now but the seem to offer this on Explorer each sailing.   If they offered for your sailing we may roll the dice and assume we will get the offer too.    Thanks in advance!

I'm sure if you go with the correct mindset you guys will have a great time. Being flexible is key.. and be aware of the San Juan entry protocols being subject to change. We pre purchased the drink package so honestly didn't pay much attention to any specials they offered on it. Sorry 

1 minute ago, coldweather said:

Thanks for your update. Would you please share the plans for testing passengers to disembark in San Juan?  Did the passengers get tested today?  Thank you. 

We have been stressing this all week. A local on the San Juan ports of call board says Puerto Rican residents will be expected to test no more than 48 after disembarking, non residents that plan on going straight to airport to fly home will not have to test, and non residents that plan on staying post cruise will have to test before disembarking. we have two days planned in old San Juan post cruise and have contemplated changing our flights to go directly home to avoid testing and possible quarantine all week. But I found an article online that says for home ported ships, the new entry protocols will not start until the 16th.  We have heard nothing about testing or any new entry protocols at all from the ship so hopefully tomorrow goes smoothly and I end up walking around old San Juan instead of getting something shoved up my nose.

13 hours ago, gulashk said:

I am in utter amazement at how graceful you and your partner have been throughout this entire ordeal. You have remained calm, considerate and deliberate at every unexpected turn. Thank you for such a thorough walk through of your experiences with us. I really hope that you both get home safely and also wish you a happy new year.

 

I am scheduled to cruise out of PR on EOTS on January 16, and believe my best bet is to cancel. My mind is 75% made to do so. 

Onboard now and my advice is to cancel and wait for a better time. We had our 2nd rendezvous with Rhapsody this evening to dump off positive crew members... Cruising is just an absolute mess right now.. and dealing with Puerto Rico flights, ever-changing protocols in and out of San juan, etc just makes it that much more stressful..

Explorer just got done with her second rendezvous with Rhapsody this week to unload positive crew members. Monday morning was quick. Tender boat made two trips between the ships. Tonight took 2 hrs

Onboard right now and we have just finished our second meeting of the week with Rhapsody off the coast of st Maarten to offload positive crew members.. on Monday morning it was relatively quick, tender boat made two trips. Tonight took 2 hrs. Crew is stretched thin and very overworked to say the least. The crew has been great all things considered and the ship looks great to be 21 years old. Unfortunately that's about all the good I have to say...  We are avid cruisers, a mid 30's couple, not scared of covid, but honestly cruising is a disaster at the moment. We sailed in Oct and all was good but at this point Covid has greatly watered down the product. We will definitely not be booking another cruise any time soon. Not blaming royal by any means, we are huge royal Caribbean fans but it's just too much.. by day 2 we were wishing we had cancelled. 

4 hours ago, FlyOverGirl said:

I didn't think I would make it this far but my mom and I are checked in and waiting to board.

 

I'll try to post some live updates and answer questions as best as possible.

 

We arrived at the port around 11 and had no wait for health screen, security, or check in. We were told to arrive an hour after our original time but still ended up here at our original time. We have The Key and I'm not sure if that's why they let us in early or not.

 

While waiting we've done the security videos - super easy. We've also been given a letter that is the CYA email but with the positivity rate for the cruise prior to ours - 2.4%.

Well i don't feel so bad now.. were onboard explorer this week and previous sailing% wasn't nearly that high.. and we have still had to make unplanned stops to offload positive crew members, had one port day cut in half, had delayed clearance in another that resulted in missed excursion lol but we are making the best out of it and I hope you do the same this week! Just keep in mind it is not the crews fault and they are spread super thin, working extremely long hrs at the moment and just wondering when they will also be quarantined.... we feel so bad for them..

1 hour ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

That's what it sounds like.

Thank you for your continued updates.. can you tell me how things are in San Juan at the moment? We were in condado one night before boarding explorer this past week and everything seemed open and pretty well functional.  Wondering what we will encounter in old San Juan for a couple days if we go through with it... Last thing we want is to be a "nuisance" to the locals and everything kinda be closed down due to the covid changes this week.

10 hours ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

Update: Non-Puerto Rico residents who stay post cruise need a test within 48 hours of sea arrivals. No one will be detained onboard. Those going straight to the airport after the cruise do not need to get tested prior to disembarkation.

 

Spanish language news source: https://www.elvocero.com/noticia_rotary/article_02d5dfe0-68b6-11ec-8367-8bbcac22779a.html

 

I looked at the news article and had Google translate it and this stuck out to me. Does this indicate that the changes won't immediately take effect and we may be ok this coming Sunday as far as having to go directly to airport to fly home or get tested within 48 hrs of debarkation in order to stay on the island for a couple days post cruise?

"Given this, the executive director of the APPR, Joel Pizá Batiz indicated that it has been agreed that home port operations will continue to be carried out with the existing protocols until January 16, 2022."

6 hours ago, Splake said:

This has probably been the most helpful post I have seen about Explorer of the Seas and how the new PR testing requirements have impacts. We are due to go out on Explorer on Jan 16th, but are really wondering if it is worth the risk of testing positive and getting stuck some where. Appreciate all the continued updates at see @zpdw484!

Honestly at this point we wish I had just stayed home.. you also need to read the thread on the royal board from the passenger from last week's sailing that tested positive and is quarantined in San Juan at the moment

Wow what an absolute mess... I am not looking forward to whatever type of cluster is awaiting us come Sunday morning in San Juan..

16 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

Update: Non-Puerto Rico residents who stay post cruise need a test within 48 hours of sea arrivals. No one will be detained onboard. Those going straight to the airport after the cruise do not need to get tested prior to disembarkation.

 

Spanish language news source: https://www.elvocero.com/noticia_rotary/article_02d5dfe0-68b6-11ec-8367-8bbcac22779a.html

 

Thank you for this... Still awaiting any word for m the ship about this change in protocol. Weighing our options... Flight change is going to be super expensive.. guess we have a day or two to figure it out.. maybe we will just take the chance on testing...

I am so sorry for the mess you are going through.. honestly it isn't looking much better for cruisers coming off this week's sailing either. Nothing has been mentioned onboard but a Puerto Rican local on the san Juan board here (that seems very legit) says from what they are hearing this coming Sunday they will segregate passengers into 3 groups. 1 local Puerto Ricans that are expected to test within 48 hrs of disembarking. 2 us citizens going straight to the airport for a flight home that will just be let go and. 3 us citizens planning on staying post cruise in Puerto Rico and will have to be tested...  We are supposed to be staying two nights post cruise in old San Juan and are totally second guessing that decision at the moment... trying to make the best out of it but honestly wishing we had cancelled this trip..