SEPTEMBER VAX REQUIREMENT FOR ALL CRUISES

[Blizzard54]

16 hours ago, De Colores said:

So am I to understand that every Royal cruise requires a negative test and full vaccination? Thanks..

I am excited that it will be only vaccinated passengers. 

There will be passengers that are not vaccinated.  Anyone under 12 years old.

[tserface]

12 minutes ago, Blizzard54 said:

There will be passengers that are not vaccinated.  Anyone under 12 years old.

 

We wonder why we have to wear bracelets to demonstrate we are vaccinated. If everyone older than 12 has to be vaccinated (at least when leaving from Seattle) can't they tell we are older than 12?  I can understand this need for ports like Florida where they have political intervention causing them grief.

 

[mauraoel]

1 minute ago, tserface said:

 

We wonder why we have to wear bracelets to demonstrate we are vaccinated. If everyone older than 12 has to be vaccinated (at least when leaving from Seattle) can't they tell we are older than 12?  I can understand this need for ports like Florida where they have political intervention causing them grief.

 

Not anymore at least not for Sept and Oct cruises.

[Sunshine3601]

5 hours ago, catmandu73 said:

i am sailing on Independence from Galveston on the 12 September sailing.  I am all checked in, etc. and this morning received an email from Royal specifying the COVID protocols and i am wondering if anybody else has encountered a similar question.  It specifically said that you have to have the COVID results from an accredited lab - no doctor's note - and i am wondering if you go to the doctor's office, you don't see the doctor, you go to the lab for the test and they give you paperwork, is that considered a "doctor's note"?  I have requested from my doctor's office which lab actually does the processing or if they do it in house and whose name appears as the lab of record.  

Just go to CVS, Walgreens or an Urgi care facility and get a rapid antigen test.   They will call, email and/or text you the results as well as provide you with a link to open up where you can print the lab results and save them on your phone to show at the cruise terminal. 

Easy peasy - no need to involved your doctor's office for a covid test. 

 

[bajathree]

4 hours ago, exm said:

I don’t think children under 12 will be vaccinated until the FDA provides the final approval for the vaccines.

 

It will be interesting since a lot of parents don’t want to vaccinate their children, I am curious if Royal will make under 12 in the future either vaccinated or PCR tested. Time will tell.

I think just like when the age limit went from 16 to 12.. fully vaccinated age will drop again when under 12 is authorized. 

It would be a lot easier if all the cruise lines would jointly just agree to vaccinated only for the rest of 2021.

[jean87510]

10 hours ago, orville99 said:

No, that statement if followed would have produced a result that would be rejected as being too old to be valid (if reports from the ports are accurate). No more than 3 days and At Least 3 days are completely different.

ok just follow me here.  Davekathy said Wednesday for Saturday.  You said Thursday for Sunday.  It's the same amount of time for both.

[shutterbug63]

This is good news.  Overdue, IMO, but good news.

[JMKreno]

5 hours ago, exm said:

I don’t think children under 12 will be vaccinated until the FDA provides the final approval for the vaccines.

 

It will be interesting since a lot of parents don’t want to vaccinate their children, I am curious if Royal will make under 12 in the future either vaccinated or PCR tested. Time will tell.

FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine is expected to happen soon, and if news reports are accurate, ON MONDAY! Once this occurs the avalanche of mandates will occur. Then, the FDA can focus on getting the results for kids reviewed and approved. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/20/health/pfizer-vaccine-approval-imminent-bn/index.html

 

Also, the legality of mandating FDA approved vaccines is very well established at this point. No sane lawyer (we know there are LOTS of otherwise) will take any "employee mandates" to court and reasonably expect to win. I can guarantee no Supreme Court judges will want to even touch the potential ramifications of going against mandates. The floodgate that would open...

 

Should be an interesting week, especially watching the "goal post" move on those who like to use the "not FDA approved" schtick...

Edited August 20, 2021 by JMKreno

[poocher]

8 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

ok just follow me here.  Davekathy said Wednesday for Saturday.  You said Thursday for Sunday.  It's the same amount of time for both.

Because the statement “at least” means it could be more and it can’t!  No more means NO MORE.  

[jean87510]

Just now, poocher said:

Because the statement “at least” means it could be more and it can’t!  No more means NO MORE.  

ok.  have a nice day

[poocher]

Yes I know, it’s semantics but things are so crazy right now.  We need to be as precise as possible in our wording.

[xqueenfrostine]

7 hours ago, tserface said:

 

We wonder why we have to wear bracelets to demonstrate we are vaccinated. If everyone older than 12 has to be vaccinated (at least when leaving from Seattle) can't they tell we are older than 12?  I can understand this need for ports like Florida where they have political intervention causing them grief.

 

 

While it’s usually pretty easy to tell a 20 year old from an 12 year old, the same isn’t necessarily true between an 12 year old and a 15 year old.  Also, the rules for the Bahamas make exceptions for people who are medically ineligible for the vaccine, so I assume Royal is as well (they outline a process of petitioning for an exemption on their FAQ page).  While I can’t imagine there will be that many people with medical exemptions on board, the existence of that loop hole and potential difficulty differentiating between tweens and teens probably just makes it easier for them to keep the current bracelet system in place.

Edited August 21, 2021 by xqueenfrostine
Edited for clarification

[PhoenixCruiser]

2 hours ago, xqueenfrostine said:

 

While it’s usually pretty easy to tell a 20 year old from an 12 year old, the same isn’t necessarily true between an 12 year old and a 15 year old.  Also, the rules for the Bahamas make exceptions for people who are medically ineligible for the vaccine, so I assume Royal is as well (they outline a process of petitioning for an exemption on their FAQ page).  While I can’t imagine there will be that many people with medical exemptions on board, the existence of that loop hole and potential difficulty differentiating between tweens and teens probably just makes it easier for them to keep the current bracelet system in place.

 

Do you think people who are unable to be vaccinated will be wiiling to risk taking a cruise during a pandemic ?

[OfcSupport]

On 8/19/2021 at 10:01 PM, ToroAzul said:

So they I am guessing they will drop the mask requirements, open venues to all, and not limit activities? 

I highly doubt that. I am currently on the Odyssey and see that they take thee Covid protocols seriously. With the Delta variant out there and affecting vaccinated individuals I don’t think they will throw the mask requirements out the window.

[LXA350]

On 8/20/2021 at 4:01 AM, ToroAzul said:

So they I am guessing they will drop the mask requirements, open venues to all, and not limit activities? 

 

In contrary, as even fully facinated people can catch COVID again and are less and less protected against the new variants social distancing, masks etc will stay for a while. Vaccinations have not solved the problem, they decrease the chance to have severe symptoms.

 

It was such a stupid decision to offer cruises to non vaccinated adults in the US in the first place together with droping the mask mandate indoors. Things always have to be learned the hard way.

[kilkoyne]

Duplicate post

Edited August 21, 2021 by kilkoyne

[mike123abc]

18 hours ago, tserface said:

 

We wonder why we have to wear bracelets to demonstrate we are vaccinated. If everyone older than 12 has to be vaccinated (at least when leaving from Seattle) can't they tell we are older than 12?  I can understand this need for ports like Florida where they have political intervention causing them grief.

 

 

18 hours ago, mauraoel said:

Not anymore at least not for Sept and Oct cruises.

 

I am on Ovation sailing out of Seattle.  They checked to be sure everyone was vaccinated during boarding and gave out white wristbands.  They did not say what the bands were (the bands say "The Royal Comeback" on them).  I thought it was just that they were promoting the return to sailing.  Then then give you a contact tracing watch like band and tell you to wear it everywhere but the pool since they are not water proof.

 

So, with all the wrist action I take off the white band and leave it in my room.  Well they denied my entry to the theater since they said I has to be vaccinated.  They then told me the white band was a vaccination status band.  I asked the obvious question is if all adults are vaccinated why are they doing the bands?  Of course the door guys do not have an answer (I know they are just doing what they were told to do).

 

Again why are they forcing the wearing of 2 bands?  I understand the contact tracing one and they were in multiple colors,  Why not make one color for unvaccinated?  Why not only use bands for those under 18, I doubt many 11 year olds could pass for 18 and try to sneak into vaccinated only parts of the ship.

 

I am happy to be cruising, and I will put up with 2 plastic bands on my wrists for a week.  Maybe I should start wearing them a week or two before the next cruise to get used to them so they will not be as annoying (well not really annoying, just something different that gets your attention over and over).

 

Hopefully they will figure out that 2 bands is a waste of money and RCL will make a cutback on plastic waste in the near future and only have the contract tracing one (color coded if needed).

[RFerrington]

10 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

Do you think people who are unable to be vaccinated will be wiiling to risk taking a cruise during a pandemic ?

Yes !

[davekathy]

10 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

Do you think people who are unable to be vaccinated will be wiiling to risk taking a cruise during a pandemic ?

Yes. No matter their age or medical condition(s). 

[bucfan2]

10 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

Do you think people who are unable to be vaccinated will be wiiling to risk taking a cruise during a pandemic ?

Absolutely.  I chose to get this 'experimental therapy' and have already cruised/continued life.  I fully expect those who chose not to get it and love to live and/or cruise would do exactly that (assuming the protocols are worth it to them).

[atgood]

13 hours ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

Do you think people who are unable to be vaccinated will be wiiling to risk taking a cruise during a pandemic ?

Absolutely they will.

[RFerrington]

3 hours ago, atgood said:

Absolutely they will.

As a matter of fact, I have already gotten the instructions from special needs for providing the info for medical exemptions:

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting the Access Department.

 

Vaccine accommodation requests are only being considered for active reservations. Please send us your reservation number and a doctor's letter on the office letterhead with the following information:

 

•    Name and DOB of the guests who are requesting an accommodation

•    Medical reason that the guests are unable to be vaccinated

•    Confirmation that they are medically fit to travel

 

Best Regards,

 

Patrick Burden

Access Advocate

[xqueenfrostine]

On 8/20/2021 at 11:21 PM, PhoenixCruiser said:

 

Do you think people who are unable to be vaccinated will be wiiling to risk taking a cruise during a pandemic ?

Sure, why not?  Not everyone who is ineligible to be vaccinated is ineligible because of problems with their immune system.  Some people are unable to take it because of allergies.  Given how many people who are voluntarily unvaxxed are willing to cruise without being vaccinated, I don’t think it’s a stretch that there are people who haven’t taken it due to a history of allergic reactions to vaccine ingredients who might as well.  I don’t think it’s a given that being allergic to certain preservatives or other components of the vaccine would make you more cautious to travel than the general population.

Edited August 22, 2021 by xqueenfrostine

[dswallow]

1 hour ago, xqueenfrostine said:

Sure, why not?  Not everyone who is ineligible to be vaccinated is ineligible because of problems with their immune system.  Some people are unable to take it because of allergies.  Given how many people who are voluntarily unvaxxed are willing to cruise without being vaccinated, I don’t think it’s a stretch that there are people who haven’t taken it due to a history of allergic reactions to vaccine ingredients who might as well.  I don’t think it’s a given that being allergic to certain preservatives or other components of the vaccine would make you more cautious to travel than the general population.

 

Probably worthy to note the ingredients of mRNA vaccines are pretty different from those associated with flu shots and other vaccinations. So usually someone using that kind of excuse is making up an excuse not really looking at the ingredients and past experiences so much.

Safety: Unlike live-attenuated or viral-vectored vaccines, mRNA is non-infectious and poses no concern for DNA integration—mainly because it cannot enter the nucleus which contains DNA. Other strategies such as protein-based or inactivated vaccines also require chemicals and cell cultures to produce. mRNA is made through a cell-independent process and does not require inactivation; thus, it poses no safety concerns due to contamination with toxic agents.

A Simple Breakdown of the Ingredients in the COVID Vaccines - COVID-19, Health Topics - Hackensack Meridian Health

[ReneeFLL]

11 hours ago, RFerrington said:

As a matter of fact, I have already gotten the instructions from special needs for providing the info for medical exemptions:

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting the Access Department.

 

Vaccine accommodation requests are only being considered for active reservations. Please send us your reservation number and a doctor's letter on the office letterhead with the following information:

 

•    Name and DOB of the guests who are requesting an accommodation

•    Medical reason that the guests are unable to be vaccinated

•    Confirmation that they are medically fit to travel

 

Best Regards,

 

Patrick Burden

Access Advocate

🤣🤣🤣

Hopefully they will be checking with the drs office.