Royal Caribbean is a STAND UP company for the Zika Virus

[denatravels]

When you say "TA", did you mean to say "insurance company"? Because nobody named a TA, only CSA, the lousy insurance company.

 

 

 

Are we not allowed to mention insurance company names? If so, I didn't know that.

 

 

Look at the edit on the first post. It was removed by the host.

[CPT Trips]

Our final payment is coming up. My search of the RCCL web site did not turn up any statement that the cruise line has modified their terms and conditions to provide the accommodation described here.

 

Can anyone provide a link? I hate to make health and financial decisions based only on internet rumors.

[Clarea]

Our final payment is coming up. My search of the RCCL web site did not turn up any statement that the cruise line has modified their terms and conditions to provide the accommodation described here.

 

Can anyone provide a link? I hate to make health and financial decisions based only on internet rumors.

This is nothing official from Royal, but all I could find:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2016/01/28/zika-virus-cruise-carnival-royal/79459420/

 

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-zika-virus-cruise-ships-20160126-story.html

[cello56]

We are in the same boat - no pun intended - as the OP. Family reunion cruise this Saturday on Freedom with eleven people. We paid for our son and daughter in law and Grandbaby as their Christmas gift. Daughter-in-law is 14 weeks pregnant and we canceled on Wednesday. First time ever that I used a travel agent - always book myself through RCI directly. I must say that the Big Box Travel Agency that ends in "O" has been wonderful. Agent stayed on top of everything and got their cruise canceled, and RCI is giving them a future cruise credit for the entire amount good for two years.

 

Of course we are sad that they are not coming, but it was just not worth the risk.

[denatravels]

Our final payment is coming up. My search of the RCCL web site did not turn up any statement that the cruise line has modified their terms and conditions to provide the accommodation described here.

 

 

 

Can anyone provide a link? I hate to make health and financial decisions based only on internet rumors.

 

 

Am I missing something? Why wouldn't you just cancel if it's an issue?

[GreeniePrincess]

I just learned this week that I am 6 weeks pregnant. My parents, sister, husband, 4 year old son, and I were scheduled to cruise out of San Juan for a southern Caribbean cruise with RCCL at the end of the month. My parents are retiring soon, and my sister, husband, and I have jobs with odd days/hours, so it took quite a bit of planning to make this cruise happen, and we were all looking forward to it. My parents were primarily going for their grandson, as my dad is not a huge fan of cruising. I called RCCL when I learned of the pregnancy, and they told me I could cancel without penalty (25% monetary refund and 75% cruise credit good for 2 years given the time frame before the cruise), but that nothing would be done for my parents or sister, despite us booking jointly, as we were in 2 separate rooms. After speaking with the travel agent we used, RCCL customer service and RCCL corporate, and writing a letter detailing our situation and asking whether they would consider extending cruise credit only to my family members so that we could rebook for a future sailing (hopefully with both of my children next time), they declined. I explained that this was a pre-retirement cruise and the financial limitations of my parents as well as their reasons for taking the cruise and that we are frequent cruisers. We also considered changing to an alternate destination, which the cruise line told us they would change all 6 of us to for free, however all of the other possible destinations would take more than the 7 day time frame we had due to work scheduled (Europe, Asia, South Pacific) or were also Caribbean destinations, so were not feasible. I was pleased that they were accommodating to myself, my husband, and my son, however was very disappointed that they would not also accommodate my family given the circumstances, as I was pregnant prior to the Zika virus warnings even being a thought. The travel insurance company would not help (it was NOT a cancel for any reason policy), but our airline offered to refund all 6 of our tickets in full, no questions asked, and did not even ask me to provide documentation. I was really looking forward to the cruise, mainly because it was going to be a family trip, and I feel like that has been taken away from me. While I appreciate RCCL extending travel credits to pregnant women and those in their room, I wish they would offer the same for all guests traveling with them if the bookings were linked and made at the same time. The only money the cruise line would lose in that situation is for the original sailing, but I would certainly be a loyal customer for life knowing that the cruise line would have been willing to go the extra mile for the families as well.

[A&L_Ont]

Although I truly agree with you that cancellations should be allowed (despite my CCL stock taking a major dip), I don't believe that it is ultimately the cruise line's fault if they go and the child has health problems. Bottom line- you should not be going--Whatever the financial loss is. While I believe that there shouldn't be one, it is not the fault of the cruise line if someone ignores the CDC. Hopefully the cruise line and/or insurance will step up and cover the loss-- but it really shouldn't be a difficult decision what the right choice is.

 

I agree, but there are some who will take the risk VS losing money. We had a daughter born with microcephaly about 4 years ago and I wouldn't wish this on any family or child. After our daughter's passing we returned to cruising, but for the two years she was with my us only once did we get away from home. Otherwise it was a 24/7 job to care for her.

 

A refund policy hopefully would decrease the birth rate numbers of this illness. Our daughter had a genetic fault, which one could not predetermine, but the Zika Virus is whole another cause.

[Big_G]

Getting back to the OP, kudos to RCI for stepping up. Regardless of who else is offering refunds, Royal still stepped up.

 

As for travel insurance, it depends on the cruise. We're at a point where we sail suites and my parents have been having some health issues. We had to cancel our Freedom cruise last May because we almost lost Mom and insurance covered all of it. They weren't even traveling with us. Thankfully she beat the odds. That said, we did Summit to Bermuda a couple of years ago and we didn't bother because it wasn't a suite and it was only a June bus ride to the port. We were OK with the risk.

 

It's a personal choice.

[Coralc]

We are in the same boat - no pun intended - as the OP. Family reunion cruise this Saturday on Freedom with eleven people. We paid for our son and daughter in law and Grandbaby as their Christmas gift. Daughter-in-law is 14 weeks pregnant and we canceled on Wednesday. First time ever that I used a travel agent - always book myself through RCI directly. I must say that the Big Box Travel Agency that ends in "O" has been wonderful. Agent stayed on top of everything and got their cruise canceled, and RCI is giving them a future cruise credit for the entire amount good for two years.

 

Of course we are sad that they are not coming, but it was just not worth the risk.

 

I didn't even have children, but I agree with you that a baby is just too important to take the risk. It might be internet hoopla....but if it isn't, the virus, and virus carrying mosquitoes won't be going away anytime soon, unless there are widespread vector control measures, which would include aggressive treatments.

 

And if the virus is truly linked to Guillian-Barre syndrome...that doesn't sound like much fun either. We will be wearing mosquito repellants in the ports.

 

Interesting.

[Reader0108598]

I agree, but there are some who will take the risk VS losing money. We had a daughter born with microcephaly about 4 years ago and I wouldn't wish this on any family or child. After our daughter's passing we returned to cruising, but for the two years she was with my us only once did we get away from home. Otherwise it was a 24/7 job to care for her.

 

A refund policy hopefully would decrease the birth rate numbers of this illness. Our daughter had a genetic fault, which one could not predetermine, but the Zika Virus is whole another cause.

 

 

 

A&L_Ont

 

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

Reader

Edited February 6, 2016 by Reader0108598

[CPT Trips]

Am I missing something? Why wouldn't you just cancel if it's an issue?

 

Zika has not, yet, hit our destination - Bermuda. We are hoping Zika will stay away and, if it doesn't, that RCCL would make accommodation for our family group.

 

But after reading GreeniePrincess' post, odds are that our group will all cancel right before final payment rather than take the chance.

[A&L_Ont]

A&L_Ont

 

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

Reader

 

Thank you Reader. Here is a link to a cruise review to which I share our Allie girl and her effect on us. Even if you read the first few page you will see the profound effect she had on our lives. I feel for anyone who has a child with this disorder as it becomes all encompassing on all levels.

 

Andrew

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1873787

[Reader0108598]

Thank you Reader. Here is a link to a cruise review to which I share our Allie girl and her effect on us. Even if you read the first few page you will see the profound effect she had on our lives. I feel for anyone who has a child with this disorder as it becomes all encompassing on all levels.

 

Andrew

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1873787

 

Andrew your Allie was beautiful! :)

That was a great review thanks for sharing.

 

Reader AKA Gail