RC announce more Coronavirus measures

[Coralc]

2 hours ago, jaxflygirl88 said:

Just got this from PRINCESS about our upcoming cruise :

 

CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL ADVISORY We're monitoring the situation with the coronavirus that originated in mainland China, and our medical experts are working with global health authorities. As a precaution, anyone who has traveled from or through mainland China, Macau or Hong Kong (including airport transits), or has had contact with a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) within 14 days of the start of this cruise will not be allowed to board the ship. If this applies to you or your client, please contact us with proof of this travel for a full refund of the amount paid to Princess Cruises. All guests will also be subject to pre- boarding health reporting and enhanced screening at check-in. Due to changing circumstances, it is possible that authorities in the countries on your cruise may change their entry requirements on short notice. Please check all entry requirements prior to your arrival to the ship to ensure you are not impacted. Guest passports will be scanned to verify compliance. False responses on forms will result in immediate debark at the next opportunity, and you may face legal consequences. We may change requirements to safeguard guests and crew.

 

Princess is getting a little grumpy/firm with their notifications. I guess that is understandable. 

Edited February 29, 2020 by Coralc

[soloadventurer]

Game changer for many U.S travellers 

 

 

Warning - Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel

 

CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to Italy. There is limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas.

 

[Mary Louise]

They are also extending the final payment date on the European cruises. My cruise went from 90 days to 60 days. This is a very good move for RCCL.  It gives everyone time to closely monitor the situation before cancelling or going. 

[johnjen]

Please someone tell me this wasn't true, DW read it to me this morning:

 

"If you've had contact with anyone from China or Italy within the past 15 days and you were less than 5 feet from them, you may not cruise" yes, it actually alluded to that.

[webgal318]

I believe that is true. 

 

[webgal318]

Regardless of nationality, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara will deny boarding to:

a. Any guest who has travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy in the past 15 days.

b. Any guest who has come in contact with anyone with 15-day prior travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.

[bbtondo]

3 minutes ago, webgal318 said:

Regardless of nationality, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara will deny boarding to:

a. Any guest who has travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy in the past 15 days.

b. Any guest who has come in contact with anyone with 15-day prior travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.

ALL of Italy??

[webgal318]

4 minutes ago, bbtondo said:

ALL of Italy??

I don't know. I know that one of the cases in Rhode Island had just recently travelled to Italy. 

 

 

[Mark_UK]

14 minutes ago, webgal318 said:

Regardless of nationality, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara will deny boarding to:

a. Any guest who has travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy in the past 15 days.

b. Any guest who has come in contact with anyone with 15-day prior travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.

That’s quite a shift, where is that from?

[Margin Walker]

17 minutes ago, webgal318 said:

Regardless of nationality, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara will deny boarding to:

a. Any guest who has travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy in the past 15 days.

b. Any guest who has come in contact with anyone with 15-day prior travel to mainland China, Hong Kong, China, Macau, China, Iran, South Korea, and Italy. The CDC characterizes contact with an individual as coming within six feet (2M) of a person.

 

I just got this email too because I'm sailing this Saturday.

 

In my opinion, this means all of Italy.  

[webgal318]

c. Guests presenting with fever or low blood oximetry in the specialized health screenings will be denied boarding.

All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive full refunds.

 

Yes, I would say all of Italy. But you do get a full refund if that is any consolation. 

[soloadventurer]

Preventative measures 

 

Wet your hands with clean running water and then lather them with soap; don’t miss the backs of your hands, between your fingers or under your nails. Make sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds, and dry them with a clean towel or let them air dry. 

 

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which should be rubbed in for about 20 seconds, can also work, but the gel must contain at least 60 percent alcohol.

[webgal318]

One rule of thumb that I have been told to follow is to sing the words to Happy Birthday in your head or say a Hail Mary and that should come to 20 seconds. 

 

I don't understand the rational of excluding all of Italy. Here in the US, we have 2 cases in Florida and more in other states. What if one of the people that I am standing next to in the muster drill is from one of those cities with no symptoms or worse yet, did not report the contact or has no objective symptoms like fever? 

 

I am sailing in 13 days and my kids are telling me to go if there are no restrictions. I am not so sure about that but if I do go, I am packing ALL of our medications just in case. 

[MoniMommy]

My question is how do they know if you have been in contact with someone from those countries?

[webgal318]

I would say they don't know if you don't tell but I have heard of a couple who were prosecuted because they hid the truth. For me, the ethical thing to do is to be up front even it it results in a huge disappointment. 

[Coralc]

49 minutes ago, MoniMommy said:

My question is how do they know if you have been in contact with someone from those countries?

 

More importantly, how do you know if you have been in contact (within 6 feet) of someone from those countries? 

[1novascotian]

Anyone know how the public health emergency in Florida (2 confirmed cases in Tampa) might affect future sailings? 

Edited March 2, 2020 by 1novascotian

[soremekun]

42 minutes ago, 1novascotian said:

Anyone know how the public health emergency in Florida (2 confirmed cases in Tampa) might affect future sailings? 

Not FL!  That's the USA cruise capital!

[hun]

On 2/29/2020 at 8:44 AM, Mary Louise said:

They are also extending the final payment date on the European cruises. My cruise went from 90 days to 60 days. This is a very good move for RCCL.  It gives everyone time to closely monitor the situation before cancelling or going. 

That’s not the case for all - ours is May 7 Explorer (flying to Rome May 5 with Air2Sea)  and based upon what I read on CC, I called, spoke to a very nice rep who checked with supervisors etc. and they actually were surprised/unaware that any European cruises were changed to 60 days final payment.
Ours is apparently not one, although it would make sense as sooner in time and we still have a few days to 60 days. Anyway, after a very long conversation, he notated our reservation and thanked me for bringing it to their attention and said they’d “escalate” the question...  I’ll check again before our 60 days is up. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We are sailing this Saturday, too.  We just got word from Royal Caribbean that St Lucia will not let our ship visit.

 

Here is our message:

 

St. Lucia's travel restriction for certain nationalities differs from ours. They prohibit ships from visiting that have guests or crew from Italy, Singapore, and Japan. As a result, we are replacing our call there with a visit to Dominica. We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change, but we’re confident you’ll have a great time in Roseau. 

[travelgirl528]

16 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

We are sailing this Saturday, too.  We just got word from Royal Caribbean that St Lucia will not let our ship visit.

 

Here is our message:

 

St. Lucia's travel restriction for certain nationalities differs from ours. They prohibit ships from visiting that have guests or crew from Italy, Singapore, and Japan. As a result, we are replacing our call there with a visit to Dominica. We’re terribly sorry for the last-minute change, but we’re confident you’ll have a great time in Roseau. 

I realize I may be on the fringe, but as a mother of a child with respiratory issues (who has a cruise leaving in less than 2 weeks) I would prefer that RCCL adjust their requirements to match the ports on the itinerary.  I recognize this is sensitive and there are economic implications, but I would prefer to take the conservative route when there is a discrepancy on travel restrictions.  This is very disappointing to me.

Edited March 3, 2020 by travelgirl528

[DragonOfTheSeas]

6 minutes ago, travelgirl528 said:

I realize I may be on the fringe, but as a mother of a child with respiratory issues (who has a cruise leaving in less than 2 weeks) I would prefer that RCCL adjust their requirements to match the ports on the itinerary.  I recognize this is sensitive and there are economic implications, but I would prefer to take the conservative route when there is a discrepancy on travel restrictions.  This is very disappointing to me.

I think the RCL comment that St Lucia has different restrictions refers to that they allow people that have not traveled to or through those countries in 15 days.  St Lucia excludes anyone from those countries.  [even if they are crew and have been on the ship for a long time]  That is the way I read it. 

[katkiker]

4 hours ago, 1novascotian said:

Anyone know how the public health emergency in Florida (2 confirmed cases in Tampa) might affect future sailings? 

I live in Tampa bay and we are sailing from here two weeks from today. So far that one case is from someone who traveled abroad and has been isolated so hopefully we don’t get a lot more cases. The other case is a bit farther away, an older man who got the virus from unknown origins. I wish we could just go dock at castaway for the 5 day trip. 

[Nn2036]

Vision of the Seas will dock in St Lucia on March 4th. I wonder if they will be denied as well?

[travelgirl528]

33 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I think the RCL comment that St Lucia has different restrictions refers to that they allow people that have not traveled to or through those countries in 15 days.  St Lucia excludes anyone from those countries.  [even if they are crew and have been on the ship for a long time]  That is the way I read it. 

I went and looked at RCCL restrictions versus St. Lucia.  It appears that if you travel from Singapore you will not be allowed entry to St. Lucia.  If you are from Singapore RCCL will put you through a screening process, but will then allow you passage.  Thus, RCCL probably had to either ban passengers from Singapore or drop the St. Lucia port.  My preference would be to err on the side of conservatism.  I would be even happier if RCCL had the criteria of 30 days similar to NCL.  If I didn't have a child with respiratory issues I wouldn't be so concerned. 

 

https://viconsortium.com/caribbean-health/caribbean-st-lucia-extends-travel-ban-as-global-cases-of-coronavirus-rise-/st_lucia

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by travelgirl528