Ovation Turned Away Half a Dozen Unvaccinated Cruisers in Seattle

[Tree_skier]

8 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

Seeking an answer as well.

I am vaccinated but my wife and daughter have thus far chosen not to be.

We have a RCL cruise out of Cape Liberty NJ in December.

???My wife and daughter can have a negative result on a Covid test within the 72 hours timeframe before sailing and they or good to go?...Or....like this thread's topic...everyone needs to be vaccinated?

 

Rules for Cape Liberty have not been released but I’d expect them to need to be vaccinated from that port.  If, in the unlikely event, Cape Liberty’s rules are the same as Florida’s then not only will they need a test but they will need three tests by Royal and will be charged $178 for them as well they will need to have special insurance to cover any evacuation expenses.  

[FLcruisergrl]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

They knew about the regulation change and didn't care. They should not get their money back and should be banned for life from Royal.

Banned for life? Why? They didn’t lie about their vaccination status. Should they get their money back? No. But other than being either stupid or incredibly ill-informed, they didn’t actually do anything wrong.

[xxHadleyxx]

3 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

This is to everyone and not just the nice individual I am quoting:

Not all folks are tuned in like those on Cruise Critic.

Somehow I got the impression that RCL WOULD let passengers on if they had a negative Covid test 72 hours or less prior to departure. 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!

 

Honestly, I can't fathom travelling anywhere these days without checking regulations and rechecking close to travel dates...and for my two upcoming cruises RCI has sent us multiple emails with all the most recent rules.  Yes, there is a lot of information in those emails to read, but it's my responsibility to do so and know the regulations.   Not the cruise line's fault if I don't.

[SSBrickNJ]

6 minutes ago, xxHadleyxx said:

Your welcome.

You can use the drop down menu here, out in your embarkation port and check exact requirements:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center/getting-ready-to-cruise

I opened the link and desired to select Cape Liberty....or Bayonne NJ in the drop down menu related to "Where are you sailing from?"....but our departure location an option on the drop down menu 😞

I think I will CALL RCCL on the phone.

[not-enough-cruising]

7 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

I opened the link and desired to select Cape Liberty....or Bayonne NJ in the drop down menu related to "Where are you sailing from?"....but our departure location an option on the drop down menu 😞

I think I will CALL RCCL on the phone.

Don't bother calling, vaccination and other guidelines have not been finalized for your embarkation port yet; but expect it to be VAX required for anyone over the age of 12 (until the next age group is eligible)

Edited August 14, 2021 by not-enough-cruising

[xxHadleyxx]

1 minute ago, FLcruisergrl said:

Banned for life? Why? They didn’t lie about their vaccination status. Should they get their money back? No. But other than being either stupid or incredibly ill-informed, they didn’t actually do anything wrong.

Because they're throwing fits and making a big stink on the news, trying to get rewarded with refunds, hotels, etc when this was their own fault.   

If they just quietly threw themselves a pity party, accepted that they'd screwed up and not blamed RCI, I'd agree with you.   Instead they're showing themselves to be looking for a reason to demand compensation, who wants that in a customer?

[SSBrickNJ]

3 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Rules for Cape Liberty have not been released but I’d expect them to need to be vaccinated from that port.  If, in the unlikely event, Cape Liberty’s rules are the same as Florida’s then not only will they need a test but they will need three tests by Royal and will be charged $178 for them as well they will need to have special insurance to cover any evacuation expenses.  

Wow! We have final payment due on Sept. 25th.

If we want to NOT go on this cruise due to all the regulations, hopefully RCCL would give us a Future Cruise Credit rather than us losing our deposit. Hopefully???

[not-enough-cruising]

13 minutes ago, xxHadleyxx said:

Per my understanding, under current rules your wife and daughter will not be allowed to sail.

RCI is requiring all adult passengers be vaccinated, except for sailings out of Texas and Florida where they've been legally required to allow unvaccinated adults (and even then they've added additional testing and insurance requirements, paid by the passengers, for those who choose not to be vaccinated).

Texas is not Florida, sailings from Galveston require all passengers of eligible age to be vaccinated. (Carnival even disallowed children from some sailings)

[Tree_skier]

4 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I bet they don't have one, just blamed their phantom TA

Probably, the whole article is rife with error.  They couldn’t have been planning the trip for 2 years since these itineraries have only been available since they passed the law letting them skip Canada.  If you look at Royal’s site it is quite clear that those itineraries need a vaccination. I can’t imagine a TA being that uninformed but all things are possible apparently.  It is really hard to be sympathetic when they seem so belligerent and unwilling to accept any responsibility.  If it was me I’d just be embarrassed. 

[FLcruisergrl]

Just now, xxHadleyxx said:

Because they're throwing fits and making a big stink on the news, trying to get rewarded with refunds, hotels, etc when this was their own fault.   

If they just quietly threw themselves a pity party, accepted that they'd screwed up and not blamed RCI, I'd agree with you.   Instead they're showing themselves to be looking for a reason to demand compensation, who wants that in a customer?

So throwing a fit should ban someone for life? Wow!  Okayyyyy…

[not-enough-cruising]

48 minutes ago, mek said:

Well, the bottom line is - yes, they were at fault.

They had to tick a box on the online check in that states "I am vaccinated and can show proof" (paraphrasing) 

Sorry, not sorry

[BSocial]

12 minutes ago, xxHadleyxx said:

RCI is requiring all adult passengers be vaccinated, except for sailings out of Texas and Florida where they've been legally required to allow unvaccinated adults …

No …  just Florida.   
Royal can, and is, requiring vaccination for all passengers 12 and up cruising from Galveston. 
 

 

[xxHadleyxx]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Texas is not Florida, sailings from Galveston require all passengers of eligible age to be vaccinated. (Carnival even disallowed children from some sailings)

Thanks for that.  Last I knew Abbot had the same rules as DeSantis...but maybe that never actually went through, or it got rescinded.  I honestly haven't watched Texas closely.  My sailings are in Europe, and my kid just got off a honeymoon cruise in Miami last weekend...so those are the areas I've focused on.

 

 

With NCL's lawsuit progressing, I'm guessing sailings from everywhere will require vaccinations to sail soon.

[Tree_skier]

3 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

Wow! We have final payment due on Sept. 25th.

If we want to NOT go on this cruise due to all the regulations, hopefully RCCL would give us a Future Cruise credit rather than us losing our deposit. Hopefully???

They will give you FCC for your deposit if you cancel before final payment.  However, expect the rules to mirror Galveston’s. Make your decisions based on that.

[Jasukkie]

I could have my cruises confused but I'm pretty sure we had to upload copies of our vaccination cards for our September sailing to Alaska on Ovation. Did they miss that step?

[xxHadleyxx]

8 minutes ago, FLcruisergrl said:

So throwing a fit should ban someone for life? Wow!  Okayyyyy…

Going on news, etc trying to force a cruise line to give you compensation for something that's your own fault is, imo, a reasonable reason for a line to not want them on their product in the future.  Yes 

Edited August 14, 2021 by xxHadleyxx

[lr657]

Just now, xxHadleyxx said:

Because they're throwing fits and making a big stink on the news, trying to get rewarded with refunds, hotels, etc when this was their own fault.   

If they just quietly threw themselves a pity party, accepted that they'd screwed up and not blamed RCI, I'd agree with you.   Instead they're showing themselves to be looking for a reason to demand compensation, who wants that in a customer?

 

The protocols are all very clearly stated on the RCI website. I would also think that the same protocols would also be communicated in the cruise documents. Currently except for sailings from Florida, all eligible passengers are required to be vaccinated. I have a feeling that these passengers were well aware of the vaccination requirement, but ignored it thinking they'd be allowed to board anyway.

[SSBrickNJ]

Just now, Tree_skier said:

They will give you FCC for your deposit if you cancel before final payment.  However, expect the rules to mirror Galveston’s. Make your decisions based on that.

I am on hold w/ RCCL for the purposes of asking questions....no rash decisions...I just want to educate myself on hypothetical stuff

[Tree_skier]

1 minute ago, Jasukkie said:

I could have my cruises confused but I'm pretty sure we had to upload copies of our vaccination cards for our September sailing to Alaska on Ovation. Did they miss that step?

I haven’t had to do that for my Serenade.  The info I have received indicates you just bring your CDC card with you.

[xxHadleyxx]

8 minutes ago, BSocial said:

No …  just Florida.   
Royal can, and is, requiring vaccination for all passengers 12 and up cruising from Galveston. 
 

 

Sorry for my mistake.  I've apologized already in the thread, this has been pointed out repeatedly already.  I can't edit my first post.  Mea culpa

Edited August 14, 2021 by xxHadleyxx

[Tree_skier]

1 minute ago, SSBrickNJ said:

I am on hold w/ RCCL for the purposes of asking questions....no rash decisions...I just want to educate myself on hypothetical stuff

Good luck with that.  You will get better and, likely, more accurate info from folks here on CC.  

[Cruising89143]

Shaking my head over this one. They’re taking zero personal responsibility. It’s on each passenger to know what is needed for a cruise. Take the time to educate yourself. Especially with everything that is going on at the moment. Also if you don’t have the funds for an emergency then maybe one should rethink about traveling. RCI owes them nothing. 

[SSBrickNJ]

7 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

I am on hold w/ RCCL for the purposes of asking questions....no rash decisions...I just want to educate myself on hypothetical stuff

I am off the phone with Royal Caribbean.

My wife and daughter DO need to be fully vaccinated in order to sail.

Cut and dry.

They'll either have to join me in my fully vaccinated status or they can't sail.

I also learned that my options if they choose to avoid the vaccine are:

1) Get a full refund of the $750 Deposit

2) Get another FCC...not for 125%...I only qualify for 100%'

I'm going out...gotta log off.

[BSocial]

9 minutes ago, xxHadleyxx said:

Sorry for my mistake.  I've apologized already in the thread, this has been pointed out repeatedly already.  I can't edit my first post.  Mea culpa

No problem.  I’ve had a problem today that some of my posts in RC threads are delayed posting - Not sure why.  I post and it disappears for awhile.   So it may be a timing issue why there are multiple relies to your comment.  I’m sorry. 

[GTO-Girl]

The new protocol was first announced in May that this new requirement would begin 8/1 and she swears that Royal said they only needed a negative test!!  
 

What I find is also unbelievable was the claim that “even her travel agent didn’t know anything about it”….!!!!  Sounds like she needs a new travel agent!!!  
 

That’s who I would be mad at!