To Book or Not to Book

[JGriggs]

Man, I have been going back and forth on if I should book or wait. My family is not vaccinated - not debating vaccines. 
 

The cruise we are looking at for May 2023 (4 night - Bahamas) has only 1 room left that would fit us. I called RC and they said we have to be vaccinated to sail. Do I roll the dice and book the room hoping that the vaccination requirement is lifted by then or play it safe and wait for official announcement? 
 

I know no one has the answer but just curious on what others would do. 

[davekathy]

2 minutes ago, JGriggs said:

Man, I have been going back and forth on if I should book or wait. My family is not vaccinated - not debating vaccines. 
 

The cruise we are looking at for May 2023 (4 night - Bahamas) has only 1 room left that would fit us. I called RC and they said we have to be vaccinated to sail. Do I roll the dice and book the room hoping that the vaccination requirement is lifted by then or play it safe and wait for official announcement? 
 

I know no one has the answer but just curious on what others would do. 

Your choice. 

[smokeybandit]

Book it. If the vax mandate isn't eased in May 2023, we've got bigger fish to fry

[firefly333]

I saw my ta post he has some on hold for this very reason. 

 

There might be a way TAs can hold a cabin for longer.. see what the announcement by august 14 says. I would not put down non refundable money until I was sure. .. or book with a TA a refundable group price. Book refundable .. can be changed later.

 

I see someone who read that blog and thought it said unvaxxed can cruise and booked Panama canal and long cruises ... those might never be lifted. 

[molly361]

Book refundable

[Ourusualbeach]

Only book a refundable deposit.

[JGriggs]

I saw the refundable option but it added about $200 to the cost. To me paying $200 to get back $400 seemed kinda crazy. 
 

I called a TA (family friend last week but they still haven’t followed up so I’m not interested in using him).

 

My job is analyzing risk so I’m probably overthinking this. 

[Ourusualbeach]

14 minutes ago, JGriggs said:

I saw the refundable option but it added about $200 to the cost. To me paying $200 to get back $400 seemed kinda crazy. 
 

I called a TA (family friend last week but they still haven’t followed up so I’m not interested in using him).

 

My job is analyzing risk so I’m probably overthinking this. 

Right now being unvaccinated is a big unknown. That tips the odds significantly.  Besides if you find a decent TA you could get access to group space that will be refundable and less than Royals Non refundable price

[ARandomTraveler]

50 minutes ago, JGriggs said:

I saw the refundable option but it added about $200 to the cost. To me paying $200 to get back $400 seemed kinda crazy. 
 

I called a TA (family friend last week but they still haven’t followed up so I’m not interested in using him).

 

My job is analyzing risk so I’m probably overthinking this. 

I would book it, and pay the $200 for refundable. Don't look at it as paying $200 to get back $400, look at it as paying $400 to get your cash back. You're paying for flexibility and options. 
 

I don't think of the refundable option as being more money, I look at it as the regular price, and I think of the non-refundable option as a special discount with penalties attached to it.
 

If RC listed the refundable price as the main price, and then listed the non-refundable as the discount option you could select at the end after reading the terms and conditions, I think less people would probably book non refundable. They're smart in doing it the opposite way, because most people look at the refundable option as an up-charge and don't want to pay it, and RC is getting to keep a lot more money that way. 
 

Also, is $200 really life changing money in the scheme of things? 
 

 

Edited August 7, 2022 by ARandomTraveler

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, JGriggs said:

Man, I have been going back and forth on if I should book or wait. My family is not vaccinated - not debating vaccines. 
 

The cruise we are looking at for May 2023 (4 night - Bahamas) has only 1 room left that would fit us. I called RC and they said we have to be vaccinated to sail. Do I roll the dice and book the room hoping that the vaccination requirement is lifted by then or play it safe and wait for official announcement? 
 

I know no one has the answer but just curious on what others would do. 

why does it matter what others woud do?

[ReneeFLL]

I would book with the refundable rate. If vaccinations are still required look at it as losing 200.00 instead of 400.00.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Or, you could play it safe since you still have time before the cruise to....

[loman]

Just book it and and if they dont lift the  mandate , get the vax.  lol 

Problem solved .😂

Just kidding , there will be more cruises to book if you decide to wait it out .

I personally dont like giving out my money with the chance i have to try to get it back later. 

[JGriggs]

Thanks… I’m going to wait until tomorrow and see if there’s an update for August 8th then book refundable. 
 

And no, we aren’t vaccinating so that’s not an option. 
 

It’s just crazy to me because we have been to Disney twice, numerous flights but can’t cruise. Even went to a concert with 100k ppl. 
 

We mask, sanitize and distance if we think it’s necessary. 

[kitkat343]

16 minutes ago, JGriggs said:

Thanks… I’m going to wait until tomorrow and see if there’s an update for August 8th then book refundable. 
 

And no, we aren’t vaccinating so that’s not an option. 
 

It’s just crazy to me because we have been to Disney twice, numerous flights but can’t cruise. Even went to a concert with 100k ppl. 
 

We mask, sanitize and distance if we think it’s necessary. 

The negative publicity surrounding cruise ships during covid outbreaks was immense.  Disney may not be any more dangerous, but a lot of people take shorter trips  to disney, so they can claim people already had covid if they get sick while staying at Disney.  On a longer cruise, its hard to explain how people got sick except for the ship.  I'm not telling you cruising is any more dangerous (I have no idea) but I do understand the cruise lines being very concerned about adverse publicity, and a passenger dying of covid on a cruise would be a very bad scenario for an industry that has struggled a lot.

 

We also booked our first cruise not knowing if we would actually go.  Our youngest wasn't yet eligible for vaccination and they had bubble tours mandated for her.  WE can't take our kids on ship tours because we would ruin everyone else's experience so we booked under the cruise with confidence thing that lets you cancel up to 48 hours in advance.  I hope they bring that back, since it would solve your concerns.

Edited August 7, 2022 by kitkat343

[deliver42]

They're already easing up on unvaxxed. My guess is by the end of this year, there won't be any restrictions.

[soremekun]

Made me of a song by Salt N Peppa - Book It (Real Good)

[Marie51]

6 hours ago, JGriggs said:

Man, I have been going back and forth on if I should book or wait. My family is not vaccinated - not debating vaccines. 
 

The cruise we are looking at for May 2023 (4 night - Bahamas) has only 1 room left that would fit us. I called RC and they said we have to be vaccinated to sail. Do I roll the dice and book the room hoping that the vaccination requirement is lifted by then or play it safe and wait for official announcement? 
 

I know no one has the answer but just curious on what others would do. 

Since your cruise is not until May 2023 and you say there’s only one room left that would fit you the chances are by that time more rooms will open up. I have a feeling RC will be making an announcement very soon about the vaccine mandate. And by very soon I mean this week.

[Biker19]

14 hours ago, JGriggs said:

I know no one has the answer but just curious on what others would do. 

It's been mentioned already - find a TA which can put a hold on the cabin for at least 30 days without having to put down a deposit - by mid-Sept we should know and have actual cruiser feedback on how RCI handles unvax guests.

[JGriggs]

I booked refundable and got the last room class - ultra spacious interior promenade view. 
 

Right now, it’s just 4 of us but we may add my stepdaughter later. 
 

fingers crossed 🤞 

[RandomUser123]

I would say no. Granted things are changing rapidly but given your circumstance I would book to places where right now there is no vaccine requirement.