Ovation Turned Away Half a Dozen Unvaccinated Cruisers in Seattle

[WhaleTailFlCruiser]

How are  you going to spend the amount of money that a Alaska cruise costs between airfare and other things and then be like no we didn't know that we were supposed to be fully vaccinated? I feel like Royal isn't just going to not try and inform all of their customers about this and just decided hey we don't like your group so you can't board? Something about this whole thing just stinks. 

[livingonthebeach]

In this day and age, it is prudent to have enough funds or means to abort travel plans, if need be.  I feel bad for these people having learned a hard lesson - but you just don’t fly half across the country without having a Plan B, C, or D.

 

At the end of the day, it’s not RCI’s fault if these people didn’t read or comply with the boarding requirements— shouting their hardship from the rooftop and getting news media involved does not help one iota. Seattle is a beautiful city with lots to do and explore. This is a perfect example of people who should not travel. 

[ONECRUISER]

On 8/14/2021 at 2:37 PM, SSBrickNJ said:

"It is harsh to say that people are ignorant"...maybe they are busy and not as attentive as they should be. I'm trying to pop in here once a month so I am up to date. I'm sure glad I chose to do so today!

 

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge and information. The word "ignorant" is an adjective that describes a person in the state of being unaware and can describe individuals who are unaware of important information or facts.

[3kidsncats]

14 hours ago, emory2001 said:

Who would try go to on a cruise right now without making CERTAIN they know the rules for their cruise line and the state/port they’re cruising out of? And isn’t Royal sending emails 30 days in advance of your sailing indicating what YOUR sailing’s protocols are? I’ve seen people post those emails in other cruising groups. Even with a TA, pandemic or no pandemic, cruising health and safety protocols are YOUR responsibility to know, just like luggage weight limits on an airplane. It’s not your TA’s responsibility to instruct you how to travel. 

Too many.  I was at a vaccinated gathering in May, where another attendee blithely told me that her family was going on an RC cruise out of Florida for a week late summer. This was before the current sailings were announced.  She had ZERO clue the sailing could be cancelled (it was).  Utterly oblivious.  But I 1000% agree it's each person's responsibility to understand what current travel requirements are 

[Casino Comp Chick]

11 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

Oh my gosh you just completely described two of my family members!!  I was the enabler that did everything for them for years, until I couldn’t take it anymore!!

 

They refused to learn how to do anything for themselves.  They weren’t completely dumb…..but totally wanted to be taken care of!!!

 

We no longer travel with them….🥺🥺

I am not sure if my cousin was busting them on me but I asked him for a picture of his passport last week and he sent me this….lol

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Casino Comp Chick

[A&L_Ont]

10 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

Sadly ….you are correct.  Now that I won’t do it they have moved on to other family members….

I hope that they too will eventually give up their “job”.   

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, Casino Comp Chick said:

I am not sure if my cousin was busting them on me but I asked him for a picture of his passport last week and he sent me this….lol

 

That'll teach you to not be VERY SPECIFIC in your requests!  LOL

[kearney]

I have been thinking about this... Those of us on CC have been aware of virtually every change as they have happened... most of which we have likely learned here. If you go to the Royal website..the health protocol link is not highlighted that well and you have to go through a few clicks to find the information. I know, as a former marketing person, that you don't want to have negatives on the front page... but it would be helpful if it was more prominent (vs almost hidden in smaller font at the top). Also, the emails I have received from RCL have been confusing..eg the one I must have received 4 times telling me I needed to register for my PCR test in Nassau... buried in small type to ignore if vaccinated.  So while I agree that these people should have known... I can see how it could have been overlooked if they were going by press releases that talked about allowing non-vaccinated on...missing other stories about how Seattle sailings required vaccination.  But this one of the risks traveling right now. Everything is in flux and even if you think you know the rules...better to check again before you head out.

 

 

[Dat Cruisin Couple]

8 minutes ago, kearney said:

I have been thinking about this... Those of us on CC have been aware of virtually every change as they have happened... most of which we have likely learned here. If you go to the Royal website..the health protocol link is not highlighted that well and you have to go through a few clicks to find the information. I know, as a former marketing person, that you don't want to have negatives on the front page... but it would be helpful if it was more prominent (vs almost hidden in smaller font at the top). Also, the emails I have received from RCL have been confusing..eg the one I must have received 4 times telling me I needed to register for my PCR test in Nassau... buried in small type to ignore if vaccinated.  So while I agree that these people should have known... I can see how it could have been overlooked if they were going by press releases that talked about allowing non-vaccinated on...missing other stories about how Seattle sailings required vaccination.  But this one of the risks traveling right now. Everything is in flux and even if you think you know the rules...better to check again before you head out.

 

 

 

I agree that it is possible to miss it on the RCCL site, but...

 

the news story mentions they had a travel agent. The TA didn't know. the TA NEEDS TO KNOW.

 

The news is also all over FB and even if they aren't on CC, they are other locations that the information is shared.

 

There seems to be an unspoken confirmation bias that the people in question heard somewhere that they could sail unvaxxed. That fit their accepted beliefs and they didn't look any further or ignored any information that didn't agree with what they already believed.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Dat Cruisin Couple

[livingonthebeach]

6 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

Quite honestly I place a lot of the blame at the feet of DeSantis. Had he left the cruise lines and CDC to their business, the rules would have been clear from the start. Instead its constant court cases and as a result constant changing of rules. One day its ok to ask for vaccinations, the next day it isn't. One day a test at the pier is possible before boarding. The next it isn't. One day vaccinated people can cruise, the next day they can't. Some lines are asking for vaccinations, some aren't. Some lines are threatening to pull out of Florida, some lines are cancelling cruises (looking at you Celebrity) because they need to quarantine for 4 week after homeporting outside the US. Mass confusion every where you look. We spent two weeks trying to figure out if we would be able to cruise, what cruise line, what rules we'd need to know until we finally gave up. The added complexity and uncertainty not only took all the fun out of the planning phase but it left in doubt whether or not we'd even be able to step foot on the ship in 2 or 3 days even though we meet the criteria today. Just not worth it.

 

DeSantis....yes he created mass confusion.  Yes, he created chaos and uncertainty.  But — that doesn’t mean retirees from Illinois arriving in Seattle, Washington get to trash RCI for not checking the rules and regulations pre-boarding a ship. 

 

That you entirely blame a Florida governor for this fiasco is beyond belief.  Why not lay part of the the blame where it properly belongs — with uninformed people? 

[Diver2014]

13 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

Oh no.  I'm from Florida and I now live in Washington.  These 2 are world's apart.  😉

LOL!  I'm from Washington and now live in Florida!  Yeah, worlds apart.

[livingonthebeach]

2 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

LOL!  I'm from Washington and now live in Florida!  Yeah, worlds apart.

 

Yes worlds apart.  But I’m sure you would agree that Seattle has much to offer. I’m a native Floridian who once took a cruise to Alaska and stayed in Seattle for a few days prior to boarding. I totally fell in love with the City.  Loved everything about it - from Pike Place Market to Space Needle to Mt Rainier.  Would revisit in a heartbeat given the chance. 

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

Just not worth it. 

It is to RCI and the shareholders they are trying to appease.

[zekekelso]

5 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

At this point, RCL just needs to shut down cruising again. 

 

Just not worth it. 

Bad answer. 

[zekekelso]

2 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

It is to RCI and the shareholders they are trying to appease.

And those of us willing to jump through a few hoops to cruise. 

[livingonthebeach]

3 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

At this point, RCL just needs to shut down cruising again. 

 

Just not worth it. 

 

Really? Just shut down and go out of business?  You think this is the solution to a few retirees showing up in Seattle unvaccinated and not having the funds to return home?  Tell me more - genuinely curious.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

1 minute ago, zekekelso said:

And those of us willing to jump through a few hoops to cruise. 

 

Few hoops. LOL .... I love the cruise life but this is getting beyond ridiculous now. 

 

I recognoize that many on this board breath, live, and die on cruising, but wowza.Wake up peeps. This is not the cruise life any of us really enjoyed in years past.  

[kearney]

If being sarcastic... please place (s) at the end of the post... it will save a lot of back and forth... It is hard to tell these days...so a code is needed

[zekekelso]

5 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

Few hoops. LOL .... I love the cruise life but this is getting beyond ridiculous now. 

 

I recognoize that many on this board breath, live, and die on cruising, but wowza.Wake up peeps. This is not the cruise life any of us really enjoyed in years past.  

 
Beyond ridiculous? We have to get vaccinated (which 99.99% of us should do anyway) get a test and wear masks at times. I think many of us can handle that no problem. Those that dont want to, fine. But that shouldn’t stop the rest of us. 

Edited August 16, 2021 by zekekelso

[Diver2014]

43 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes worlds apart.  But I’m sure you would agree that Seattle has much to offer. I’m a native Floridian who once took a cruise to Alaska and stayed in Seattle for a few days prior to boarding. I totally fell in love with the City.  Loved everything about it - from Pike Place Market to Space Needle to Mt Rainier.  Would revisit in a heartbeat given the chance. 

 

Oh I love Seattle too  (family still lives there-mom in Ballard and brother in Bothell).  Went to high school there and Western Washington U in Bellingham (was state college back then).  We laughed 2 years ago when we flew from Miami to Seattle to go on an Alaska cruise since there are so many cruises from Miami, Pt Everglades and Pt Canaveral).  But I digress...getting away from the OP topic.

[firefly333]

16 minutes ago, Goodtime Cruizin said:

 

It has nothing to do w/ the Seattle mess, but in general, cruise ships need to take a pause. The testing, the vax vs invax, the masking, the port's governments, it's a firggin'  mess. Everyone kbnows it, but the diehards just muddle therough the mess. Blaming the covid issues on a Governor or an unvaxed kid is the typical response to any issue. 

Disagree that cruises should take a pause. It would be stupid from a business pt of view not to get thru the restart as best they can. The other alternative is bankruptcy. When people think a business should shut down seems to me they dont know much about business.

 

Is it full of bumps of course.

 

I hate masks and the idea of pre testing, but I personally will do whatever. At least the prices are good right now.. except for my vista which has remained high. Got a huge crazy roll call is why I think. Pre covid cruisefare. The rest of my prices are dropping.

 

Let those of us who want to cruise do so. .. it's your choice not to. Why impose what you want on me?

[Biker19]

27 minutes ago, kearney said:

If being sarcastic... please place (s) at the end of the post... it will save a lot of back and forth... It is hard to tell these days...so a code is needed

There's supposed to be a sarcastic font, but not sure that would be any more obvious.

[livingonthebeach]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

There's supposed to be a sarcastic font, but not sure that would be any more obvious.

 

Yes, some need to add some of these, for sure. 

 

[kirtihk]

On 8/14/2021 at 4:57 PM, crzndeb said:

On the Roll Call, somebody stated they saw several people turned away for not having tests, when he was checking in. So which is it, or is it both. Or was he mistaken and it was for non vax.  With things changing daily, it is up to the passenger’s to check daily, to see what is needed to board the ship. 
I dislike the wording....more than a half dozen. Is that 7,8,9,10 or 11. Just say the number. These media reports just irk me....LOL

perhaps, 2,000 - it is also > (more than) "a half dozen".  Whatever it takes to make misery, stress, and fear to prevail.  "The anticipation of death is worse than death itself" (from "Hard to Kill" - one the first few movies I watched when I came to US from Russia in 1991, and this saying has been staying with me since then).  Life is life - let it be!  Living in fear is not an option!

Edited August 16, 2021 by kirtihk

[JMKreno]

I put blame on people and lack of doing ANY research and if unsure asking questions. I don't really care if people "disagree". These days it is SO common for people to be ignorant on lots of topics DESPITE easily being able to find out almost any information on any topic at any time. It's not unique to these people "not knowing the rules". You see it everywhere. Do you know how many people that buy a HOUSE have 0....0..clue on how their interest rates work, or fees for closing, or any of that?  Or willingly sign a car loan for 24% interest just because they don't even bother researching? People try to argue that "they don't have time" or "don't know how to research". I call BS. If you are spending HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS you can bother to read "financing 101". There are a million of them online. They teach you how to read the closing disclosure for irregularities, unexpected changes, how principal & interest work. The BASICS. But, people just don't care but they will invest a ton of time and effort into "hobbies" but not bother learning just the basics on other topics when they really should bother to spend 5 minutes. 

 

Another example: a family member took their kids to Disneyland for the first time (and for them). We are pretty solid Disney fans and know the park ins-and-outs quite well (tips and tricks). We provided them more information than they could ever need. We even offered to give them suggestions to avoid lines, where to stay, etc. They ended up going and complained about everything, had no plan for their days, nothing. They even spent money on parking when they stayed right across from the entrance because they "never looked at the map" or looked into it. They spent $100 on parking when they had it free AND closer to the park! I could go on. Same thing when planning cruises for the family, which I pretty much stopped doing. They all wanted to be spoon fed everything. Where to go; what to eat; how to get there; not even spend a moment looking for themselves. This is pretty typical. We sold our house a few years ago and the realtor even sent us a thank you bottle of champagne and a dinner. He called us up and said how "refreshing" it was to work with clients who actually understood the process of selling/buying and made it so much easier for them. He said most of their clients are completely clueless and don't even bother getting involved in any part of their transactions. Blows my mind really...

 

So none of this is a surprise to me....this is just a topic that drives me nuts. I don't expect people to obsessively research things they do (I read hundreds of reviews when buying a car/watch videos, for example) but there needs to be some level of "accountability" when it comes to knowing about things you are involved in. 

 

If you are going to spend thousands of dollars on a cruise, you should be able to spend a few minutes checking you have everything in order...

 

Sorry, let me get off my soapbox. 

Edited August 16, 2021 by JMKreno