Odyssey Rome inaugural season moved to Israel

[Fido Chuckwagon]

20 hours ago, Mapleleafforever said:

The more I read it the more I think that only people 16 and over will be allowed to sail out of Israel. You can't make the statement that you have fully vaccinated sailings if there are unvaccinated people (kids) on board. 

 

"Royal Caribbean will be the first to offer fully vaccinated sailings, where both crew and guests above the age of 16 will be vaccinated against COVID-19"

Yeah but wouldn’t they just say then “Royal Caribbean will be the first to offer fully vaccinated sailings, where both crew and guests will be vaccinated against COVID-19?”

[Mapleleafforever]

3 minutes ago, Fido Chuckwagon said:

Yeah but wouldn’t they just say then “Royal Caribbean will be the first to offer fully vaccinated sailings, where both crew and guests will be vaccinated against COVID-19?”

Yup, so very true. Fain put out a video yesterday that kind of clarifies it a bit and it seems as though kids will be allowed. The statement from the press release probably means that fully vaccinated for whom the vaccine is approved, which is anyone over 16 years old. 

[Honolulu Blue]

4 hours ago, Biker19 said:

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/environmental-health/royal-caribbean-confident-odyssey-crew-will-be-fully-vaccinated

 

Thanks for sharing this.  What this COULD imply is that RCCL or their contractor get the vaccine directly from Israel and perform the vaccines wherever - on ship, in the home countries, or somewhere else.  Israel apparently has vaccines to spare or are confident in their continued supply as they've offered a few thousand to each of several countries that have made diplomatic moves they approve of.

 

The other point that most interests me is the shore excursions.  Obviously they won't be just technical stops.  But will excursions other than ones sponsored by the cruise ship be allowed?  I think you could make that argument.  Also, will masks and social distancing be needed on shore?  The risk of transmission would probably be minimal (especially outside), but if the local customs and ordinances require them, any tourists would stand out even more than they ordinarily would if they didn't do the mask/distancing thing.  We'll have to see what happens.

[M&A]

I'm wondering if the first couple of cruises will be Israeli residents only and then they will open it up to anyone that is vaccinated.  Would love to take a cruise out of Israel and spend a few days pre-cruise.  We spent 2 weeks there in 2013 so much to see.

More flights available to Tel Aviv over the past couple of years.

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 minute ago, M&A said:

I'm wondering if the first couple of cruises will be Israeli residents only and then they will open it up to anyone that is vaccinated.  Would love to take a cruise out of Israel and spend a few days pre-cruise.  We spent 2 weeks there in 2013 so much to see.

More flights available to Tel Aviv over the past couple of years.

My personal opinion is No. Only for Israel residents, while Odyssey is home ported in of Israel. This is likely Israel rules. 
 

M8

[M&A]

7 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

My personal opinion is No. Only for Israel residents, while Odyssey is home ported in of Israel. This is likely Israel rules. 
 

M8

I think that Israel would like to open up for tourists again and with their population vaccinated they would probably want vaccinated visitors.  Countries have to open up sometime.

[Milwaukee Eight]

10 minutes ago, M&A said:

I think that Israel would like to open up for tourists again and with their population vaccinated they would probably want vaccinated visitors.  Countries have to open up sometime.

I believe Odyssey will be long gone from Israel when that happens. 
 

M8

[A&L_Ont]

7 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I believe Odyssey will be long gone from Israel when that happens. 
 

M8

Agreed. 

[Sunshine3601]

12 hours ago, duckcruiser4 said:

FWIW, I did a L&S on Explorer transatlantic on 11/6/2020 to Odyssey transatlantic on 10/28/2021 (already a great deal since my original  Explorer cruise was cheap.)  RCCL today let me L&S that cancelled Odyssey transatlantic to a comparable balcony on the Voyager 09/04/2022 Arctic Crossing.   Port, itinerary, ship, etc. didn't matter, just the cruise length had to be within a day of the cancelled cruise and had to be in 2022.  If this 09/2022 cruise actually happens, it will probably be the best deal I've ever had  (D+) on RCCL.   (p.s. Odyssey was our 14th cancelled cruise since March 2020- we wouldn't have taken them all but we've sure been trying to get on a ship!)

 

Wow!  The artic crossing will be an amazing sailing.  So happy the L&S worked out for you.  That is an itinerary we would love to do!

Same here, we have had 12 or 13 cancelled cruises and we wouldnt have been all of them, just keep trying to get on a cruise.

[kirtihk]

On 3/1/2021 at 8:04 AM, NancyIL said:

I can’t imagine that there are enough residents of Israel interested in cruising to keep Odyssey busy for 6 months. 

100 people per cruise

[kirtihk]

18 hours ago, fweegy said:

This is now my 3rd cruise cancelled. Quite frankly I'm fed up with the whole industry. I'm tired of being cancelled and then having to call RC and restart the whole process all over again. Then having to call airlines, hotels, transportation companies, etc. I'm pretty much done booking anything until I see cruise companies fully back in service.

"fed up with the whole industry" - what industry?  Cruise?  What does cruise industry have to do with this madness?  Is it their fault a group of people has been playing with human lives for over 12 months by now?  There will be a way more issues and deaths (some who knows how long after all these games are "over"), and everyone knows that, just almost not discussed.  My cruise agent works 9 am to 2 am every day including weekends with pay for 13 months cancelling almost 3,000 cruise, rebooking some of them, cancelling again, rebooking again (and, of course, he still must pay all his business related expenses - he is his agency's owner).  I just called him 2 hours ago; he was on his way to an emergency room stating that "finally", all this insanity took its tall on him - he feels like paralyzed in lower body and very foggy in his head (mentally, disturbed, too).

[LXA350]

3 hours ago, kirtihk said:

100 people per cruise

 

Don't you worry, I am sure they will manage to get these cruises filled with the maximum capacity that will be available, likely 50-70%.

[kirtihk]

4 hours ago, kirtihk said:

"fed up with the whole industry" - what industry?  Cruise?  What does cruise industry have to do with this madness?  Is it their fault a group of people has been playing with human lives for over 12 months by now?  There will be a way more issues and deaths (some who knows how long after all these games are "over"), and everyone knows that, just almost not discussed.  My cruise agent works 9 am to 2 am every day including weekends with pay for 13 months cancelling almost 3,000 cruise, rebooking some of them, cancelling again, rebooking again (and, of course, he still must pay all his business related expenses - he is his agency's owner).  I just called him 2 hours ago; he was on his way to an emergency room stating that "finally", all this insanity took its tall on him - he feels like paralyzed in lower body and very foggy in his head (mentally, disturbed, too).

with no pay - it was a typo

[stowite]

On 3/1/2021 at 4:46 PM, dani negreanu said:

 

Imagine 😁

 

The travel agents are already overwhelmed with hundreds of people asking to book, and it was published here only in the afternoon....

 

We don't have many options to travel (only flying out anyway), but a round trip cruise [starting and ending in Israel] was very much in demand in the last years, but absolutely no cruise line was interested 😅.

 

I am happy to hear this.  One potential benefit of this is that more people will be introduced to cruising and decide  they like it.  Then perhaps cruiselines will be more willing to use a bigger variety of home ports.

[Liverpoolfan181]

On 3/2/2021 at 6:34 AM, Mapleleafforever said:

Yup, so very true. Fain put out a video yesterday that kind of clarifies it a bit and it seems as though kids will be allowed. The statement from the press release probably means that fully vaccinated for whom the vaccine is approved, which is anyone over 16 years old. 

In an interview with Ben Bouldin,  VP for Europe, Middle East and Africa, the following was stated in Travel weekly (and the interview podcast)

 

“All adult passengers and crew will have to be vaccinated prior to sailing. Children under 16 will not be vaccinated and will be able to sail as there will be full testing before boarding.”

Edited March 3, 2021 by Liverpoolfan181

[Mapleleafforever]

45 minutes ago, Liverpoolfan181 said:

In an interview with Ben Bouldin,  VP for Europe, Middle East and Africa, the following was stated in Travel weekly (and the interview podcast)

 

“All adult passengers and crew will have to be vaccinated prior to sailing. Children under 16 will not be vaccinated and will be able to sail as there will be full testing before boarding.”

Excellent, thanks for sharing!! 

[bhoffman]

My travel agent was told that since our August 2020 Mediterranean cruise was lifted and shifted to Odyssey August 2021 cruise that has now been cancelled that  we are not entitled to lift and shift again. So frustrated. They won’t price protect another cruise for us and won’t lift and shift. Nice. She is calling back today to try to get someone else but....has anyone else been told no second lift and shift?

[RFerrington]

11 minutes ago, bhoffman said:

My travel agent was told that since our August 2020 Mediterranean cruise was lifted and shifted to Odyssey August 2021 cruise that has now been cancelled that  we are not entitled to lift and shift again. So frustrated. They won’t price protect another cruise for us and won’t lift and shift. Nice. She is calling back today to try to get someone else but....has anyone else been told no second lift and shift?

She was given bad information.  You definitely CAN L&S again.  Keep calling until she gets someone who knows what they're doing.

[Bobal]

1 hour ago, bhoffman said:

My travel agent was told that since our August 2020 Mediterranean cruise was lifted and shifted to Odyssey August 2021 cruise that has now been cancelled that  we are not entitled to lift and shift again. So frustrated. They won’t price protect another cruise for us and won’t lift and shift. Nice. She is calling back today to try to get someone else but....has anyone else been told no second lift and shift?

She's wrong. I've lifted and shifted twice on cancelled cruises - Boston to Tampa 2020 shifted to Same itinerary 2021, shifted to Odyssey TA 2021 - cancelled Odyssey cruise will be 3rd time if I choose L & S. 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Bobal

[dani negreanu]

6 minutes ago, Bobal said:

She's wrong. I've lifted and shifted twice on cancelled cruises - Boston to Tampa 2020 shifted to Same itinerary 2021, shifted to Odyssey TA 2021 - cancelled Odyssey cruise will be 3rd time if I choose L & S. 

May be, may be there is a difference between a cruise YOU've cancelled and a cruise cancelled by Royal??

 

Just sayin...

[Bobal]

10 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

May be, may be there is a difference between a cruise YOU've cancelled and a cruise cancelled by Royal??

 

Just sayin...

Not sure about the different rules but just for info in every case our cruise was cancelled  by RC and presumably #bhoffman's cruise was cancelled by RC too

Edited March 3, 2021 by Bobal

[bhoffman]

21 minutes ago, Bobal said:

Not sure about the different rules but just for info in every case our cruise was cancelled  by RC and presumably #bhoffman's cruise was cancelled by RC too

Yes, they cancelled our August cruise on Odyssey out of Rome. 

[Bobal]

1 minute ago, bhoffman said:

Yes, they cancelled our August cruise on Odyssey out of Rome. 

Well in that case our lift and shift and shift and shift 🙃 were done on cruises they cancelled each time and we've been offered it as an option again on our cancelled Odyssey cruise so don't see why you shouldn't be able to do it too. Keep persevering 

[dani negreanu]

2 hours ago, bhoffman said:

My travel agent was told that since our August 2020 Mediterranean cruise was lifted and shifted to Odyssey August 2021 

 

The August 2020 Mediterranean cruise was cancelled by RC or by you?

 

Stands to reason that if BOTH cruises were cancelled by RC, then L&S will be allowed.

 

Though, not sure about one of the cruises being cancelled by you...

[Bobal]

1 hour ago, dani negreanu said:

 

The August 2020 Mediterranean cruise was cancelled by RC or by you?

 

Stands to reason that if BOTH cruises were cancelled by RC, then L&S will be allowed.

 

Though, not sure about one of the cruises being cancelled by you...

See post #147 just above yours. RC cancelled their August cruise 🙂