Ovation Turned Away Half a Dozen Unvaccinated Cruisers in Seattle

[long4acruise]

A few things that has been  pretty standard advice during this pandemic mess: wash your hands frequently, wear a mask, social distance and get vaccinated!  It's constantly repeated on TV and the radio.

 

Simple... so if planning to travel, whether it's domestic, international, and especially on a cruise, get a Covid test for your own piece of mind (preferably the more reliable RT-PCR test), carry proof of vaccination and a passport, be patient and have your emergency funds (and insurance)! 

 

Life would be so simple if folks followed guidance, take responsibility and not try to blame others for their "whatever" (oversight, ignorance, "it doesn't apply to me attitudes"!)

Edited August 15, 2021 by long4acruise

[CRUISEFAN0001]

4 minutes ago, long4acruise said:

Life would be so simple if folks followed guidance, take responsibility and not try to blame others for their "whatever" (oversight, ignorance, "it doesn't apply to me attitudes"!)

Sums it up well.

[read2learn]

29 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

This is actually the part that lends credence to what they are saying, and throws this back on the TA. My oldest sister and aunt are going to AK with us next May. They aren’t internet savvy, and I am taking care of everything.  They don’t even have wifi because they are on fixed incomes, and their internet is cellular data, because they had to choose one or the other. One of them doesn’t even have a credit card, never needed it. 
 

While I can’t contemplate being as disconnected as the above, it does happen, and it they used a TA for the trip of a lifetime, shame on that TA. And if they are that disconnected from the internet and the ability to research, they have no idea how to find a cheap hotel online, and may not know that they can change their flights. If that is the case and she speaks the truth, I hope that some compassionate person helped them. 

Except she is holding a smartphone in her hand! The video also shows people who appear to be much younger sitting and looking rather dejected.Kudos to RCCL for standing firm. Her TA should have to deal with this not the cruiseline. 

[barbeyg]

8 minutes ago, read2learn said:

Except she is holding a smartphone in her hand! The video also shows people who appear to be much younger sitting and looking rather dejected.Kudos to RCCL for standing firm. Her TA should have to deal with this not the cruiseline. 

I absolutely have to agree about the TA. And I don’t force myself to watch these ridiculous types of  videos anymore. 😂 Thanks for the additional info. 

[BecciBoo]

17 hours ago, SeaHunt said:

very upset passengers

Because they didn't follow instructions...surprise?

[BecciBoo]

17 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

My thoughts were the following:

1) did they have a travel agent who did not pay attention and mislead them thinking about FLA rules vs other rules?

2) Did they not read their e docs where is says to check the protocols of the ship you are going on?

3) when did they get their e docs?

4) what about the RCI App? Did they not look around 24 hours in advance to answer the questionnaire? I am unsure if the questionnaire mentions a vaccination

Exactly, Caveat Emptor.  We are responsible for our actions, nobody else.

[cruiselvr04]

9 hours ago, MaryZ said:

Two of my children are not vaccinated.  Both are in their 30's and have questions about what will the vaccine do.    My answer to them both is science is just better and faster today.  What took years when I was young is only months now.
I notice it's a huge thing with the 20-35 yr olds ...conspiracy theories....lol  almost as bad as the old people who made it political.
 
 

 

I’m not here to be political just to state truth.  My 4 kids and spouses all chose to vaccinate.  All in their 30’s.  One has a best friend now in ICU for 2 weeks, who chose not to.  Has been on a vent over a week and his life is hanging by a thread.  This young man, in his 30’s was healthy and has small children and a devastated wife.  Unfortunately with Delta the young are being hit harder.  I’m very thankful my kids decided on their own to get vaccinated.  Everyone can make up their own mind but also must accept the consequences of their decisions. 

[barbeyg]

3 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

I’m not here to be political just to state truth.  My 4 kids and spouses all chose to vaccinate.  All in their 30’s.  One has a best friend now in ICU for 2 weeks, who chose not to.  Has been on a vent over a week and his life is hanging by a thread.  This young man, in his 30’s was healthy and has small children and a devastated wife.  Unfortunately with Delta the young are being hit harder.  I’m very thankful my kids decided on their own to get vaccinated.  Everyone can make up their own mind but also must accept the consequences of their decisions. 

My niece is still on a vent, and a coworker has a cousin whose wife was taken off the vent yesterday. She was 33 and leaves 3 young children. Her twin sister is home on oxygen after her own time on a vent. Very tragic what Delta is doing. 

[Rancher Dave]

16 hours ago, xxHadleyxx said:

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 

I'd put some blame on the media for even covering something that really isn't newsworthy.  The family made a big mistake and are upset nobody is taking care of it for them.  Happens all the time, happens with life and death choices that have far more serious consequences all of which never makes the news.

I am glad Texas is all vaccinated other than kids not eligible...and most of those kids should be back in school when we cruise.  My wife is even already part of an ongoing trial for the booster after being a trial subject for one of the vaccines so she had hers far earlier than we got ours, and I went as soon as I was eligible. 

[xxHadleyxx]

11 minutes ago, Rancher Dave said:

I'd put some blame on the media for even covering something that really isn't newsworthy.  The family made a big mistake and are upset nobody is taking care of it for them.  Happens all the time, happens with life and death choices that have far more serious consequences all of which never makes the news.

I am glad Texas is all vaccinated other than kids not eligible...and most of those kids should be back in school when we cruise.  My wife is even already part of an ongoing trial for the booster after being a trial subject for one of the vaccines so she had hers far earlier than we got ours, and I went as soon as I was eligible. 

Oh without a doubt the media feeds this type of behaviour when they run stories/interviews like this without including reporting on where the information is published, etc...bascially hyping up the idea of a big bad bussiness and a poor victim for ratings.

 

I really don't much care of the passengers are banned or not.  I do hope RCI does not refund their money or pay for their hotel, etc...as it just feeds the crowd who think they can do as they please by getting loud and throwing fits when they break rules.  

But, I do not think RCI would be out of line for banning them....when you have a decent sized group of would be passengers who make a point of causing a PR issue hoping to get compensated for something which isn't the line's fault, well, it indicates these people are probably the types to regularly "make a fuss" in hopes that a company will give in to them in on various things to make the problem go away.  If I owned a bussiness, I would not want such people as repeat customers and would block them if I could. The customer is most defintely not always right.

[mek]

2 hours ago, SSBrickNJ said:

NOW my wife and daughter are both considering getting the vaccine. Full payment for us is not due until the end of September. My wife requested right now that I DO NOTHING until much closer to the point of deciding if we should pay the balance...again that is in late September.

So, probably forget about me and focus attention elsewhere 🙂

Glad to hear this.  I have a DIL who had Covid back in November and so far she had not been vaccinated, but said she probably would if it was the only way to cruise.  Amazing what things will motivate someone to step up to the plate and do the right thing.

[billslowsky]

2 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

On a semi-serious note, why do some people who do stupid things, like these folks did, compound their stupidity, by advertising it to the whole world by contacting the press?

That's what you do now.  If you made a bad decision, or one that just didn't work out, claim victimization.  Why should anyone be held accountable?

[crbonfiber]

Good!

[Jasukkie]

If anything, this is good publicity for Royal. I think most people can see the need for cruise ship passengers to be vaccinated, even if they aren't planning to get on a ship anytime soon. 

 

If there were significant numbers of people who could not cruise because they did not meet protocols then Royal may want to consider how they are reaching people. I am the point person for my group sailing on Ovation next month. I am on top of things and will fully admit it can be confusing. The first question my TA asked when we booked was if we were all vaccinated, but a lot of people book online and never talk to an agent. It's also hard to erase information that may be found on message boards that once was true but is no longer the case. Still, in the end, each passenger has to be responsible for being prepared for their cruise. 

[lr657]

2 minutes ago, Jasukkie said:

If anything, this is good publicity for Royal. I think most people can see the need for cruise ship passengers to be vaccinated, even if they aren't planning to get on a ship anytime soon. 

 

If there were significant numbers of people who could not cruise because they did not meet protocols then Royal may want to consider how they are reaching people. I am the point person for my group sailing on Ovation next month. I am on top of things and will fully admit it can be confusing. The first question my TA asked when we booked was if we were all vaccinated, but a lot of people book online and never talk to an agent. It's also hard to erase information that may be found on message boards that once was true but is no longer the case. Still, in the end, each passenger has to be responsible for being prepared for their cruise. 

 

The information regarding the vaccine requirement is on the Royal website. It is also included in the app/online check-in where you have to check that you are vaccinated and can show proof at boarding. The vaccination requirement for the sailings out of Seattle has not changed, it has been required from the start. The recent change was the pre-cruise testing requirement for all passengers, which they seemed to know about. I find it very difficult to believe that they weren't aware of the vaccination requirement. 

[3kidsncats]

11 hours ago, MaryZ said:

We just booked the Anthem for December today. 
Yes it is required that we be vaccinated.  And that we bring proof of a negative covid test. 
NY requires you to be vaccinated to go nearly anywhere starting within a week or so now.  We have the empire pass that shows our covid vaccines with a qr code.
Since the ports are run by ny/nj requiring vaccines is going to be mandatory. 

Two of my children are not vaccinated.  Both are in their 30's and have questions about what will the vaccine do.    My answer to them both is science is just better and faster today.  What took years when I was young is only months now.
I notice it's a huge thing with the 20-35 yr olds ...conspiracy theories....lol  almost as bad as the old people who made it political.
 

We are booked to sail out of NYC in the spring, so am happy about the protocols in place there.  Also happy that all five (3+2 BFs) of my twenty somethings got the vaccine the minute they were eligible.  I didn’t even have to bribe them with the cruise we are all going in in December, lol.  Most of their friends too— some of whom had to talk their parents into it.  It’s a strange dynamic and I don’t understand it, but it’s definitely real

[suzyluvs2cruise]

1 hour ago, barbeyg said:

My niece is still on a vent, and a coworker has a cousin whose wife was taken off the vent yesterday. She was 33 and leaves 3 young children. Her twin sister is home on oxygen after her own time on a vent. Very tragic what Delta is doing. 

 

My fully vaccinated husband (Moderna) is currently in the hospital with Covid pneumonia. He tested COVID positive on Aug 4 and was hospitalized Aug 10. Covid tests do not test for the variant but they "assume" it's DELTA as he has not lost his sense of taste/smell....which appears to be a trait of DELTA. He is getting his 5th dose of Remdesivir as I write this and we're hoping he will be home later today. 

I write this to make others aware that breakthrough cases are happening and we still need to be careful. 

[Jasukkie]

1 minute ago, lr657 said:

 

The information regarding the vaccine requirement is on the Royal website. It is also included in the app/online check-in where you have to check that you are vaccinated and can show proof at boarding. The vaccination requirement for the sailings out of Seattle has not changed, it has been required from the start. The recent change was the pre-cruise testing requirement for all passengers, which they seemed to know about. I find it very difficult to believe that they weren't aware of the vaccination requirement. 

I can, watching the video of the news report. Her family look embarrassed. I didn't get the impression these were anti-vaxxers trying to make a point. She genuinely believed she was right. Still wrong though, and Royal owes nothing. 

 

I also have to say I have gone on cruises having pre-paid my gratuities and spent zero dollars on board. Not my usual, but it can be done. I would not go if I were truly broke though.

[flamingos]

3 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

My fully vaccinated husband (Moderna) is currently in the hospital with Covid pneumonia. He tested COVID positive on Aug 4 and was hospitalized Aug 10. Covid tests do not test for the variant but they "assume" it's DELTA as he has not lost his sense of taste/smell....which appears to be a trait of DELTA. He is getting his 5th dose of Remdesivir as I write this and we're hoping he will be home later today. 

I write this to make others aware that breakthrough cases are happening and we still need to be careful. 

I'm so sorry, I hope he recovers quickly.

 

[emory2001]

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. 

[smplybcause]

12 hours ago, brillohead said:

In fact, she says they are all retired, all on fixed incomes. And they frankly can’t afford to stay the night in Seattle and then fly home early to Illinois.

 

 

This is the part that kills me... if you don't have the money for a hotel room, you didn't have the money to take the cruise.  Were you not going on ANY excursions?  Were you not planning on paying any tips?  You don't have a couple hundred bucks or a credit card?

Many major airlines are waiving change fees in the current climate... so spend the night in a no-tell motel and change your ticket to fly home the next day.  

 

 

 

 

It's definitely a risk if it's true. I had a flight home canceled from a wedding recently and it was a small airport so the airline didn't have space to fly my home until 3 days later. Ended up having to rent a car to drive to a big airport to fly home. It was over $200 more than I was expecting, plus almost $200 more I fronted until the original airline got me my refund. 

 

It sucked, but it's not like I didn't have the money. 

Edited August 15, 2021 by smplybcause

[Oxo]

Anyone who is planning to get an antigen rapid test at a Miami-Dade County-run testing site will now also be required to get a PCR test, which is more accurate in detecting early COVID infections but takes slightly longer to process results.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article253477639.html

[dani negreanu]

24 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

He is getting his 5th dose of Remdesivir as I write this and we're hoping he will be home later today. 

 

Excellent news 🙏

[Aquahound]

46 minutes ago, lr657 said:

 

The information regarding the vaccine requirement is on the Royal website. It is also included in the app/online check-in where you have to check that you are vaccinated and can show proof at boarding. The vaccination requirement for the sailings out of Seattle has not changed, it has been required from the start. The recent change was the pre-cruise testing requirement for all passengers, which they seemed to know about. I find it very difficult to believe that they weren't aware of the vaccination requirement. 

 

Just playing devil's advocate here.  I'm booked on Ovation in October and my app says nothing like that.  I see all the health questions that are grayed out for 24 hours before departure, but nowhere on the app.....so far, at least....does it say that I need to be vaccinated and need to show proof.  Even on the Health tab, it addresses app check-in, health questions, and reentry.  Nothing about vaccination.

 

Again, just pointing out what I see.  Of course, I know that I need to be vaccinated because I'm thorough and savvy about the rules.  I did see the requirement on RCI's website.  

[barbeyg]

59 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

My fully vaccinated husband (Moderna) is currently in the hospital with Covid pneumonia. He tested COVID positive on Aug 4 and was hospitalized Aug 10. Covid tests do not test for the variant but they "assume" it's DELTA as he has not lost his sense of taste/smell....which appears to be a trait of DELTA. He is getting his 5th dose of Remdesivir as I write this and we're hoping he will be home later today. 

I write this to make others aware that breakthrough cases are happening and we still need to be careful. 

I am sorry about your husband, and I hope he fully recovers with no residual effects. My sister, vaccinated with Pfizer, also was hospitalized, and I truly believe the monoclonal antibodies saved her life. She deteriorated very quickly.  She was the first case in her family, and quickly passed it on to others.  Yes, there are def breakthrough cases, and those vaccinated can pass it on to others. 😕

Edited August 15, 2021 by barbeyg