Ovation Turned Away Half a Dozen Unvaccinated Cruisers in Seattle

[Iamcruzin]

1 minute ago, xxHadleyxx said:

That partly depends on what you want out of the cruise.  For me, the ship is basically the destination (a nice bubble of mostly vaccinated and all recently tested people, excellent crew, lots of dining venues at my fingertips, trivia, etc) and the ports are basically a bonus. So, from my standpoint, keeping up with what is needed to get to/board the hsip isn't much different than keeping up with what would be needed for a land trip, which is hoenstly not that different than keeping up with what the current week's rules are for leading my Girl Scout meetings.  It is jsut a matter of reading through things carefully and checking back often.  I fully understand why some people don't want to do that and choose not to travel...but it isn't impossible or surprising that as a deadly virus spreads and we learn more about it the  rules get adjusted on the fly.

I choose itinerary over cruise line and ship every time.

[xxHadleyxx]

4 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

I choose itinerary over cruise line and ship every time.

which is totally valid.  We are all looking for different things and at different times.

 

[constable145]

Absolutely zero sympathy. 

 

These regulations were neither new nor secret. 

 

They were well publicized. 

[BecciBoo]

19 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I know a lot still do. It’s almost like playing Russian Roulette.

Except the gun is FULL of bullets!  I  am vaxd and scared to death that I may still get it.  Hundreds here in my locale are in hospital and were vaxd!.  It's getting to be that being vaxd is not the end game here.  If I contract the desease, my test will be positive and I won't be cruising.  Mas Nix if I am really ill or feel fine!

[BecciBoo]

23 hours ago, brillohead said:

RCCL didn't leave any door open -- they did everything possible to make sure that anyone checking in knows what is going on.

Except their reps!  Who are contradicting the website with increasing regularity.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

I choose itinerary over cruise line and ship every time.

Well somebody has to be the exception to the rule....most folks consider all 3 factors in some sequence of priority...nothing new there.

[BecciBoo]

I consider everything when I choose a cruise, but since we have been to practically every port in the Caribbean, not as important as the ship to us these days.  Although we picked Allure as our first cruise back because she was doing BOTH RCCL properties, I thought it would be fun, but now Labadee is out so what good was it?  Ha don't are, I enjoy Allure and all she has to offer.  I would be POd if they took out CoCo though!  They subbed in Cozumel which we consider our home away from home, but it looks like Grace and whomever comes in behind her has other plans, so picking because of ship in Sept. is optimal!

Edited August 18, 2021 by BecciBoo

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

I choose itinerary over cruise line and ship every time.

Same here.

[JsMom2]

On 8/16/2021 at 10:22 AM, ryano said:

"Sylver says not even their travel agent knew about the change"

 

That has to be one of the worst TAs in the business if this is true

 

Are we even sure there was a change? Or did the TA relay that vaccines were required, at the time the booking was made?  Maybe it just didn’t register with the guest.  If this lady called her TA and claimed there was a change, she may have caught the TA off guard. Could be the TA wanted to check their notes and call back. And may have already been working on a hotel and flight home.  We are only hearing the guest’s side here. 
 

Also the vaccine requirement announcement was made in May, and online checkin didn’t open until mid June.  So the guest would see the vaccine requirement there.  TAs can no longer access guest accounts for online checkin.   At least one person in that party accepted the cruise line contract.  I know not everyone has internet, but most public  libraries have free computers for use. 
 

As someone who has made stupid mistakes myself, I understand that sometimes you just screw up.  That’s what happened here.  It sucks for them, but they don’t have anyone else to blame. 
 

 

[crzndeb]

2 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

I choose itinerary over cruise line and ship every time.

I normally do, but for my upcoming B2B on Ovation, I just really wanted to get on a Quantum class ship, after so many have been cancelled. It will be my first time.

 

[SRF]

On 8/16/2021 at 7:08 PM, Iamcruzin said:

I have to say that I'm done with cruising for a while. My son has been doing land trips as early as last August. He is headed for Cabo San Lucas this week. He hasn't had any issues. This year he is vaccinated. Last August he was in St Thomas when they went into lock down. He still had a good time and didn't spend as much money as planned since everything had to be take out and they had to buy liquor and  make their own drinks.  Cruising is just too nerveraking right now. Wearing masks on board which I am opposed to is the least of the problems. 

 

We did a land trip to one of the resorts south of Playa del Carmen last Nov.  Had a great time.  And lower pressure than a cruise, as there was no port that was ONLY TODAY

 

[brillohead]

3 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

 

On 8/17/2021 at 10:22 AM, brillohead said:

RCCL didn't leave any door open -- they did everything possible to make sure that anyone checking in knows what is going on.

 

 

Except their reps!  Who are contradicting the website with increasing regularity.

 

I was specifically talking about the CHECKING IN process, as evidenced by the part in red.  If you checked in for the cruise, you had ALL the information right there on the screen in front of you.

[orville99]

DW informed me that we are cruising regardless of protocols because she is tired of the two of us doing all of the cooking for the past 17 months. So it really doesn’t matter if the ship ever gets to any port of call as long as someone else gets custody of the kitchen. 

[brillohead]

On 8/17/2021 at 11:34 AM, AustinCruise said:

Thanks!  That’s good to know. 
 

I do not recall being presented with any such box when I did my checkin a few weeks ago for Indy. 
 

I logged back in to edit my check-in to see if they loaded new boarding times yet, and the big pop-up box was front and center again, so I took a screenshot this time:

 

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by brillohead

[pcur]

On 8/17/2021 at 4:49 AM, Biker19 said:

That could be a highly manipulated statistic and says nothing about RCI specific visitors. Given the blank stares most get when asked on a ship if they are on CC, it's a good guess that the cruising public who visit CC is less than 10%.

OK, I agree:  don't put a vaccine reminder in your signature, and help out a few people.

[xxHadleyxx]

So we are booked on the first UK cruise which will allow on UK guests.

 

We are fully vaccinated and every communication we get about the cruise makes it VERY clear we have to be.

 

Other than that, UK guests are supposed to get a PCR test 72-48 hours prior to boarding and bring that with them...they get sent an email to register for the test with a UK based company at RCI's expense (and if they use this company they get a rapid PCR test at port at no additional charge if the results do not arrive in time). 

NON UK residents get a rapid PCR at the port and we are supposed to get an email to register for THAT test.  This is what the drop down menu on the RCI website says  for Southampton departures after 29 August: 

 

• All guests traveling from overseas aged 2 years and above, will be required to take a rapid PCR test on arrival at the cruise terminal and receive a negative result in order to sail. This test can be used as your Day 2 test to support the UK Government requirements. We will email instructions on how to register for your complimentary test approximately 14-18 days before your cruise.

 

Guess who ended up with the email for UK residents and the links only allow you to regsiter for the 72-48 hour ahead link?  I am still on hold with resolutions who are utterly confused as to why that doesn't work.  I get it.  We are the first sailing to allow non Brits  this and there is only the one ship in the UK, and I am sure the various rules for every port are a nightmare for the RCI reps too.  But, I am wanting it straightened out and I know in the COVID travel world all i's must be dotted and all t's crossed

 

THIS is a situation in which I can see blaming RCI a little bit...literally emailing different information than is on their own website for the specific cruise and port.  But, I doubt any of this would prevent me boarding if I had not known to look at the drop down menu and had only done what was in the email (plus, figured out a "day 2 test" required by UK law for myself...I do not expect the cruiseline to tell me what the country I fly into requires...though I imagine some do).    I think IF I had  missed it, worst case scenario would have been we would 've paid for  rapid PCR at port and then tried to get RCI to cover it since we would have done what the email said.    Then again, we would never travel without enough emergency funds avaiable to cover those two tests (which is about what it costs for a hotel in Seattle for one night), soooooo

[BecciBoo]

56 minutes ago, brillohead said:

 

I was specifically talking about the CHECKING IN process, as evidenced by the part in red.  If you checked in for the cruise, you had ALL the information right there on the screen in front of you.

I never replied this to you, I think that post was part of the tech problems here on CC.  I don't even know what you're talking about?? I didn't check in for any cruise, we cruise in September.

 

Are you talking about this sentence: Except their reps!  Who are contradicting the website with increasing regularity.  I was referring to the answers different reps are giving to other people.  I am not a part of any of this.

Edited August 18, 2021 by BecciBoo

[Iamcruzin]

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I normally do, but for my upcoming B2B on Ovation, I just really wanted to get on a Quantum class ship, after so many have been cancelled. It will be my first time.

 

I loved the Anthem. That class ship will keep me coming back. 

[Iamcruzin]

5 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

I consider everything when I choose a cruise, but since we have been to practically every port in the Caribbean, not as important as the ship to us these days.  Although we picked Allure as our first cruise back because she was doing BOTH RCCL properties, I thought it would be fun, but now Labadee is out so what good was it?  Ha don't are, I enjoy Allure and all she has to offer.  I would be POd if they took out CoCo though!  They subbed in Cozumel which we consider our home away from home, but it looks like Grace and whomever comes in behind her has other plans, so picking because of ship in Sept. is optimal!

With what's been happening the ship has to be top priority because the rest is a crapshoot.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

8 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

Except the gun is FULL of bullets!  I  am vaxd and scared to death that I may still get it.  Hundreds here in my locale are in hospital and were vaxd!.  It's getting to be that being vaxd is not the end game here.  If I contract the desease, my test will be positive and I won't be cruising.  Mas Nix if I am really ill or feel fine!

 

My fully vaccinated DH contracted COVID which progressed to COVID pneumonia. He spent 6 days in the hospital and is on 24/7 oxygen at home. No travel for us for quite awhile. We live in CA but flew to Nashville July 23 for a Nashville to Memphis river cruise. He started not feeling 100% the last 2 days of the cruise. It appears that that area of the country has had an increase in the virus. 

[HowardK]

It would have been common sense for them to check in on RCCL's page for the change in policy and maybe perhaps common sense and considerate to get the vaccine considering they were traveling far.

 

I guess though RCCL are wrong for wanting to keep their passengers safe. 

 

Reminds me of the time the people on NCL put their boarding documents and passports in their luggage and then wanted a free cruise for their mistake as they were the victims.

 

The bottom line is if you are going on a cruise and doing traveling at a distance you would think people would want to vaccine to lower their risk. 

[Ocean Boy]

7 minutes ago, HowardK said:

 

The bottom line is if you are going on a cruise and doing traveling at a distance you would think people would want to vaccine to lower their risk. 

Yup, you would think.

[flamingos]

My travel agent just sent me an update for my September 17 cruise, with a copy of the current requirements.  She suggested we get out PCR test on the 14th, and make our appointment two weeks out when CVS and Walgreens open up their schedule.   So.......... thanks to her, and that's what should be done.

[Merion_Mom]

On 8/17/2021 at 9:03 PM, Aquahound said:

FWIW, balconies on Ovation are down to $544 for October after checking my applicable discount boxes and entering C&A number. That’s less than half what it was a month ago. Rates are dropping like an anvil. 

@Aquahound

 

When did you move to Washington?!?!?!?

[SUSIEK]

On 8/16/2021 at 2:41 AM, 3kidsncats said:

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 

 

I know people who say  "I'm going on a cruise!".   When I ask them the name of the ship.... they reply with "I don't know, but it goes to Mexico."   In my mind I'm thinking..... how can you not know??  Nothing amazed me anymore :-0