What is the explanation for unvaccinated not being allowed to cruise from Florida?

[dna529]

I just looked at the new protocols and I am genuinely curious.  Has anyone seen why Royal is not following NCL and Carnival on this?

[Morecruisesplz]

3 minutes ago, dna529 said:

I just looked at the new protocols and I am genuinely curious.  Has anyone seen why Royal is not following NCL and Carnival on this?

They are a separate company. :-;

[dna529]

Just now, fredmdcruisers said:

They are a separate company. :-;

I guess I worded that wrong.  Why can't unvaxxed cruise from other ports, but not Florida??

[Tlbecker1]

Just now, dna529 said:

I guess I worded that wrong.  Why can't unvaxxed cruise from other ports, but not Florida??

Possibly the ports that they are visiting…

[twangster]

Several threads on this that explain it all, but in a nutshell there are destinations that are common on Florida homeport cruises that are not present on Texas or LA itineraries for Royal.  As a result Royal policy matches those Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas destination requirements that require vaccinations for 12+.

 

NCL and Carnival have updated their protocols that shift the onus to the guest to be compliant with all destination requirements.  Some individuals just read headlines and assume that NCL and Carnival have given the green light for unvax to sail.  That isn't entirely accurate.  Both have verbiage in their policy that guests must ensure they meet all local destination requirements. 

 

Royal has decided to wait until destinations like the Bahamas change their requirements so that unvax can enter by cruise ship.  

[cured]

1 hour ago, dna529 said:

I just looked at the new protocols and I am genuinely curious.  Has anyone seen why Royal is not following NCL and Carnival on this?

The suits from all departments including finance met, looked at current sailings at 100%, the current bottom line, future plans, reviewed the outcome of meetings they have had with their partner countries and their ports, and many other business factors, then decided that the current protocols are what is the best for the company and their investors.

[rbell]

1 hour ago, dna529 said:

I just looked at the new protocols and I am genuinely curious.  Has anyone seen why Royal is not following NCL and Carnival on this?

You can always go sail with them?🙄

[PhillyFan33579]

Just got off Freedom. The Bahamas still requires people to be vaccinated. Since most RCI cruises from Florida go to Coco Cay, which is in the Bahamas, they still have to comply with their current COVID policies. I don’t see RCI changing a policy that could result in their ships not being allowed to dock at Coco Cay. 

[Cat8]

I understand that the Bahamas requires vaccinations, but they do not require testing.  To me (cursing from NJ in September) this is an extra hassle that i wish could be avoided. 

[ocean sounds]

5 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Just got off Freedom. The Bahamas still requires people to be vaccinated. Since most RCI cruises from Florida go to Coco Cay, which is in the Bahamas, they still have to comply with their current COVID policies. I don’t see RCI changing a policy that could result in their ships not being allowed to dock at Coco Cay. 

Galveston has 3 Radiance 9-night  “Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise” upcoming in February and March.    Yet Royal is not requiring vaccines from Galveston starting September 5.  .

 *The only restriction note on Galveston sailings is that 12 and up must be vaccinated to go ashore in Grand Cayman.   No restrictions listed for the Bahamas itineraries. 

[ONECRUISER]

31 minutes ago, ocean sounds said:

Galveston has 3 Radiance 9-night  “Bahamas and Perfect Day cruise” upcoming in February and March.    Yet Royal is not requiring vaccines from Galveston starting September 5.  .

 *The only restriction note on Galveston sailings is that 12 and up must be vaccinated to go ashore in Grand Cayman.   No restrictions listed for the Bahamas itineraries. 

Thought I read a member post a new Change to that Grand Cayman one in last couple Days. Lot these Final holdouts are ending now.

[nelblu]

41 minutes ago, Cat8 said:

I understand that the Bahamas requires vaccinations, but they do not require testing.  To me (cursing from NJ in September) this is an extra hassle that i wish could be avoided. 

Please, we have enough problems in the state, but "cursing from NJ"🤣

[ocean sounds]

26 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Thought I read a member post a new Change to that Grand Cayman one in last couple Days. Lot these Final holdouts are ending now.

good news on Grand Carymen,

 

. Still doesn’t explain why Royal is allowing unvaccinated to Bahamas cruises from Galveston, yet prohibiting from Florida .    Unless they forgot they have some scheduled from Galveston, since they rarely do. 

Edited August 21, 2022 by ocean sounds
Typo typo typo

[smokeybandit]

59 minutes ago, Cat8 said:

I understand that the Bahamas requires vaccinations, but they do not require testing

They require testing of unvaccinated.

[ocean sounds]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

They require testing of unvaccinated.

thanks!

[smokeybandit]

35 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Thought I read a member post a new Change to that Grand Cayman one in last couple Days. Lot these Final holdouts are ending now.

Grand Cayman, which during the pandemic had the strictest tourism covid rules, dropping all restrictions should foretell all other Caribbean countries (that haven't yet) doing the same

Edited August 21, 2022 by smokeybandit

[Cat8]

53 minutes ago, nelblu said:

Please, we have enough problems in the state, but "cursing from NJ"🤣

Oops!!! Good catch and good for a smile 

[HaveWeMetYet]

I look for Royal to update the Florida port rules by the first of Sept.

I prefer there policy of waiting for at least the Bahamas and Grand Cayman to announce changes before Royal does.

Then no guessing at what and when new vax and testing rules are coming.

[Marie51]

We leave on a cruise from Florida next week and are traveling with an unvaccinated person. We stop at Labadee and CocoCay.

[dada2199cc]

Bermuda just updated their rules as of tomorrow.  Huge.

 

Bahamas will be next.  All the cruise lines have lobbyists there, right now, working with local authorities to come to a solution.

 

 

[dada2199cc]

Just now, Marie51 said:

We leave on a cruise from Florida next week and are traveling with an unvaccinated person. We stop at Labadee and CocoCay.

Would love an update after boarding!

[Charles4515]

14 minutes ago, Marie51 said:

We leave on a cruise from Florida next week and are traveling with an unvaccinated person. We stop at Labadee and CocoCay.

Didn’t you get a medical exemption? I recall you posted that one was applied for. Bahamas will allow those.

[Another_Critic]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Didn’t you get a medical exemption? I recall you posted that one was applied for. Bahamas will allow those.

That's my understanding.  So, it's an unvaxxed exemption, not an open invite for unvaxxed.

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by Another_Critic

[Marie51]

2 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Didn’t you get a medical exemption? I recall you posted that one was applied for. Bahamas will allow those.

Yes I have posted about our medical exemption. It’s for my granddaughter and we did get the medical exemption fortunately. But it took forever because we applied for the exemption in April and just found out two weeks ago.

[yogimax]

I, for one, feel much safer knowing all adults have been vaccinated.