Allure of the Seas turned away in St Thomas

[tohono]

We arrived in Nassau late.  Sadly a passenger passed away between Ft Lauderdale and Nassau.  Condolences to the family.  
 

Port excursions were totally screwed up.  And after visiting Nassau many times, I still think it is best to avoid Nassau or stay on the ship.  
 

Today, St Thomas was cancelled due to COVID concerns.  I seriously doubt at this point we will visit St Kitts.  Nothing is being offered as compensation.  
 

I love to cruise as much as anyone else, and a cruise is still a vacation.   But being stuck at sea for 6 days with no ports is a little underwhelming.  

[erinsmom03]

I'm sorry that your ports have been so messed up. Do you have any more info about the Covid concerns? Are there a lot of positive cases on the ship? Also, do you know what capacity the ship has on board?

[tohono]

4 minutes ago, erinsmom03 said:

I'm sorry that your ports have been so messed up. Do you have any more info about the Covid concerns? Are there a lot of positive cases on the ship? Also, do you know what capacity the ship has on board?

The number of passengers onboard is 4700. No COVID cases have been reported to the passengers.  Protocols are being observed.  We just don’t know anymore than that. 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Thanks for sharing. I'm sorry that this is happening and I hope you still have a fun cruise.

[colesc15]

Following. Curious if anything comes out of this. 

[island lady]

Not sure how RCI will handle the lack of ports we can go to.  At some point they will HAVE to go to at least one foreign port, or will be at issue with the PVSA rule.  

 

Wonder if they will use Coco Cay as a "bubble" port possibility if the Bahamas government allows that exception?  The island is still owned by the Bahamians...RCI just leases it.  

 

May have to go back to tendering if too many ships use it.  😉 

[D4]

11 minutes ago, island lady said:

Not sure how RCI will handle the lack of ports we can go to.  At some point they will HAVE to go to at least one foreign port, or will be at issue with the PVSA rule.  

 

Wonder if they will use Coco Cay as a "bubble" port possibility if the Bahamas government allows that exception?  The island is still owned by the Bahamians...RCI just leases it.  

 

May have to go back to tendering if too many ships use it.  😉 

The US government can allow exceptions to the PVSA rule.

[island lady]

1 minute ago, D4 said:

The US government can allow exceptions to the PVSA rule.

 

But have they yet?  

 

We sail on Sunday.  

[petuniaflower]

Following..we have St Thomas and St Kitts in a couple weeks:(

[D4]

1 minute ago, island lady said:

 

But have they yet?  

 

We sail on Sunday.  

That is one thing I would not worry about.  It’s not like the cruise lines planned to not visit any foreign ports.

 

I’d be more concerned about Covid and airline cancellation chaos.

 

Good luck!

[island lady]

2 minutes ago, petuniaflower said:

Following..we have St Thomas and St Kitts in a couple weeks:(

 

We are scheduled for those two ports as well for our 1/9 cruise...with St. Thomas again for our 1/2 cruise.  

 

Or are we?  😮   RCI shore excursion in St. Thomas already cancelled.  

[clover18]

3 hours ago, tohono said:

We arrived in Nassau late.  Sadly a passenger passed away between Ft Lauderdale and Nassau.  Condolences to the family.  
 

Port excursions were totally screwed up.  And after visiting Nassau many times, I still think it is best to avoid Nassau or stay on the ship.  
 

Today, St Thomas was cancelled due to COVID concerns.  I seriously doubt at this point we will visit St Kitts.  Nothing is being offered as compensation.  
 

I love to cruise as much as anyone else, and a cruise is still a vacation.   But being stuck at sea for 6 days with no ports is a little underwhelming.  

Wut? So sorry for the death and the port cancellation and does not bode well for Odyssey. 😳

[island lady]

3 minutes ago, D4 said:

That is one thing I would not worry about.  It’s not like the cruise lines planned to not visit any foreign ports.

 

I’d be more concerned about Covid and airline cancellation chaos.

 

Good luck!

 

I am not worried at all.  Just curious as to how they will handle it.  All I am concerned about is just getting on the ship.  Then whatever happens...eh...happens.  I am already on board then...let the ship chips fall where they may.  😉 

 

Airline?  No worries for me...takes me 20 minutes to drive to the port from my house.  😄  

[livingonthebeach]

I've read that Amber Cove (Puerto Plata) in the Dominican Republic is accepting cruise ships. That stop and the Bahamas might be the only available ports available in the Caribbean for a while. 

[orville99]

3 hours ago, erinsmom03 said:

Do you have any more info about the Covid concerns?

Could be because cases are doubling daily in St. Thomas.

[tohono]

St Kitts was cancelled as well. The last day is now a perfect day at Coco Cay. One last chance, on top of captive passengers drinking and gambling, for Royal Caribbean to make a cash grab on this cruise.  As a stockholder in the company, I am embarrassed at RC’s response.  I understand that customers should show understanding and flexibility in these times.  But Royal’s response is business as usual, make as much as possible.  

[c-leg5]

7 minutes ago, Deez123 said:

If they are cancelling ports (for any reason) they should be refunding port fees; those are hard costs not incurred.

Have they said they wouldn’t? Usually automatic.

[Mapleleafforever]

17 minutes ago, tohono said:

St Kitts was cancelled as well. The last day is now a perfect day at Coco Cay. One last chance, on top of captive passengers drinking and gambling, for Royal Caribbean to make a cash grab on this cruise.  As a stockholder in the company, I am embarrassed at RC’s response.  I understand that customers should show understanding and flexibility in these times.  But Royal’s response is business as usual, make as much as possible.  

Were you able to get off the ship at all yet this week?

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, D4 said:

That is one thing I would not worry about.  It’s not like the cruise lines planned to not visit any foreign ports.

 

I’d be more concerned about Covid and airline cancellation chaos.

 

Good luck!

True, missing a required Foreign Port, Emergencies and Deaths on Board happen. Experienced all 3, many dozens times. I've had changed or return to Port, Speed up, Slow down and Helo lifts off Cruise. All this Pre-CV with 3 Emergencies just on one leg of my Oct2019 Sailing. 

[silvil]

Aw no. On the Odyssey right now & due for st thomas on Wednesday. I thought it would be impossible to turn a US ship away from a US territory, right? Any turn-away from San Juan? Bracing for being stuck all week on ship 😞

[c-leg5]

11 minutes ago, Deez123 said:

 

 

Per OP "Nothing is being offer for compensation"

 

I was on Harmony last week.   Skipped Costa Maya; never a word about refunding port charges.  RCL doesn't care.  Passengers have no rights; you sign them away when boarding.

The OP was talking about compensation which is different. I have always had port charges refunded on final statement without any notification.

 

I don’t see why that would have changed.

[Race Watcher]

All the Alaska cruises did not stop at any foreign ports this year.  Seattle to Alaska and back.  

 

[Another_Critic]

41 minutes ago, Race Watcher said:

All the Alaska cruises did not stop at any foreign ports this year.  Seattle to Alaska and back.  

There was an limited exemption passed by congress for the Alaska season.

[RedIguana]

4 hours ago, silvil said:

I thought it would be impossible to turn a US ship away from a US territory, right? Any turn-away from San Juan?

They are not US ships. 

Puerto Rico, and I believe the US virgin islands, count as a foreign port via an exemption in the PVSA.

I assume Royal can somehow perform a technical stop at Coco Cay if required. Probably a question for Chengp

[cruisegus]

On Allure compensation has been posted to your on board account.  One days cost refunded as refundable credit. Plus port taxes and fees.

 

Passenger count posted in this thread was pre-last minute cancellations, which were a little over 1k.

Edited December 27, 2021 by cruisegus