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Anthem UK cruises in the summer?


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2 hours ago, ukmusic said:

just reading the cruise compass - thanks for posting!
2 things; - going to Liverpool it says parents of un-vaccinated guests age 17 years and under are required to participate in a royal Caribbean  shore excursion - is this upheld? are we really not allowed to go explore on our own even although we have done the PCR test and if we drove to Liverpool we could do what we like???

 

Also all guests 11 and above must wear masks unless seated and eating/drinking. Does that mean just in the corridors between activities or on the dodgems sitting on loungers indoors poolside, playing pool?

 

its all a bit much and putting us off....Masks don't really do anything when your mingling this much and when they have made everyone take a PCR.....it just feels a bit restrictive....

 

We were on the 15th August sailing, parents of unvaccinated kids could get off under their own steam,  but if you wanted to take the kids off it had to be on an RC shorex tour. We did the Liverpool walking tour which made a mockery of the rules - walked straight through Liverpools main shopping area, complete with a stop at the public toilets 🙄. On the gangway we had to show the tour tickets to get off and the tour was escorted by a ships chapperone. Really !

 

Masks were worn walking around the ship and they asked you to wear them during dodgems. Less so on the loungers etc.

 

 

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Guest BigRoger

Hi folks just for anyone porting at Belfast….. rc wanted $15 per person for shuttle into city centre…… taxis £15 each way…. But note it takes precisely 7 minutes to walk out of the port and turn left to bus stop for 94B bus on the opposite side of road…. It also goes into centre for City hall stop 5 mins walk From where the rC shuttle drops you…. and costs £4.20 per person for a day ticket it takes 10-15 mins into city and stops at titanic museum on the way…. It is really easy

 

Big respect to Clodagh for sharing this with us…. And taking us to Kelley’s Cellar for Guinness!

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Just noticed in my planner there is a hop on hop off bus tour for belfast cost about £60pp.  Was googling the same thing and found the same thing for £15pp, ok so Royal is doing better yea, well no, they have used the exact same photo of a woman sitting on the bus as the £15 tour, except they have photo shopped the logo on the bus seat to remove it!

 

So they are basically charging you 4 times the price for the exact tour on the same bus, or they have breached copyright by steeling a photo from a competitors website.  Assuming it's the first, thats one heck of a mark up.

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4 hours ago, kernow said:

In our planner there are 5 different excursions for Liverpool ranging from £34.95 to £71.43 (adult prices). They include a city highlights tour, orientation tour(cheapest) and a Beatles tour.

The price for these excursions are fine. They really do worth the price. I've been to one of them and we really enjoyed it, even my kids. We plan to do another tripi to Liverpool this Autumn. I will share our experience

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4 hours ago, BigRoger said:

Hi folks just for anyone porting at Belfast….. rc wanted $15 per person for shuttle into city centre…… taxis £15 each way…. But note it takes precisely 7 minutes to walk out of the port and turn left to bus stop for 94B bus on the opposite side of road…. It also goes into centre for City hall stop 5 mins walk From where the rC shuttle drops you…. and costs £4.20 per person for a day ticket it takes 10-15 mins into city and stops at titanic museum on the way…. It is really easy

 

Big respect to Clodagh for sharing this with us…. And taking us to Kelley’s Cellar for Guinness!


i would just get an Uber. 

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Thank BigRoger for the transport info.

 

Belfast is a great city, we spent a few days there a few years ago.  The hop on hop off buses were great, we were able to pick areas to better explore later, there were also black cabs that you could tour parts of the city in but I’m not sure if they pick up in the port? The Titanic museum is 👍🏻 

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Our experience of having the test prior to Anthem on this Sunday was good.

 

We had to drive to a local hotel on Thursday at 9.20 am and the test was administered professionally by Eurofins who had previously done our test at the dock in Southampton when we sailed on Regal.

 

Our results came through at 7.43 am on Friday so less than 24 hours later. 
 

Very efficient system. 

 

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6 minutes ago, ellie1145 said:

Our experience of having the test prior to Anthem on this Sunday was good.

 

We had to drive to a local hotel on Thursday at 9.20 am and the test was administered professionally by Eurofins who had previously done our test at the dock in Southampton when we sailed on Regal.

 

Our results came through at 7.43 am on Friday so less than 24 hours later. 
 

Very efficient system. 

 

Is it nasal or throat or both? 

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On 8/24/2021 at 9:47 PM, miaandmum said:

PCR TESTING. I will share what happened to us yesterday.  Please dont judge, as we followed the emails.  

 

We were denied boarding yesterday.  

 

It was heartbreaking, upsetting, we were given our suitcases escorted out of the departure lounge  - no discussion, nothing.  We were left stranded without easy access our car and shocked.  No one wanted to help us we were ushered out like criminals.  The reason - my 17 year old daughter had not provided a 72 hour PCR test!!  Before anyone judges this is what happened.  

 

We booked last minute on 13 August.  On 14 August we received our emails saying all guests between 2 and 17 needed a PCR test asking us to book via the link provided to eurofins.  I followed the link and booked my test.  i followed the link to book my daughters test and it said she needed to have her test at the port.  I ‘assumed’ this was correct and didnt think to question it, as there was no problem when we cruised with them in July.

 

I went along to have my test - my daughter even came with me!  It makes no sense whatsoever for me to book mine and not book my daughter’s.  Why would I do that - no one would.

 

I received nothing to say I had not registered my daughters test.  I had an email thanking me for booking my test.
 

On 17 August I received 2 emails -  one for me, one for my daughter.  Both saying Your Healthy Cruise Update. It says the following

 

Testing 
Vaccinated guests must bring the negative result of an rt-PCR test taken within 72 hours of sailing. We will email instructions on how to register for your complimentary test approximately 14-18 days before your cruise.

Unvaccinated guests, 2-17 years old, must take a complimentary rapid antigen test at the terminal and receive a negative result in order to sail. We will email instructions on how to register in advance approximately 14-18 days before your cruise.

 

Nothing on that email said about unvaccinated guests needing a PCR test.  Again this misled me into believing all was good and that my daughter, as stated when we clicked the link to Eurofins, just needed to go to the port.

 

We have been told we are not entitled to a refund as it clearly stated all guest 2 - 17 required a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to boarding.  There is no discussion, nothing.  We are wrong and did not comply.  Yes, it did state that all guests needed a PCR test on 14 August email BUT Eurofins allowed us to believe it was not needed.   It did not state the same on our last email (extract above) dated 17 August, (not one mention of a PCR test for unvaccinated guests) which led us to believe all was ok. 

 

We were never advised that they had not received a PCR  booking for my daughter,, or that any alternative arrangements been logged.  They would not believe there was ever a problem with the link provided by eurofins, despite protesting it makes no sense for me to book just my test and not my daughters.  

 

Please beware and dont let what happened to us happen to you.  Check, check and recheck again.  Take screen shots of everything as once a link is clicked you cant go back to prove what came up.  Royal Caribbean are not interested, they will treat you like a leper, and will not engage in any form of discussion.  Appalling.  

 

Oh and my daughters test at the port was negative!!

@miaandmum Did you have to register in advance for your daughter’s test at the terminal, or was that just done when you arrived?

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1 hour ago, ellie1145 said:

What happens if you are early for your embarkation slot on Anthem please?  We need to plan our departure time from hotel. 
 

Many thanks 😊 

When can you pick your time?  We haven’t been given a choice yet for a U.K. cruise

Edited by *Fudge*
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21 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Oh and my daughters test at the port was negative!!


How awful for you all and heartbreaking. Thank you so much for sharing your story. It may prevent others from falling into the trap

 

From what you have written it certainly seems ambiguous. To be absolutely clear,  they need to inform passengers in the strongest possible terms that BOTH a PCR test AND a rapid antigen test are required. 

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27 minutes ago, ellie1145 said:


How awful for you all and heartbreaking. Thank you so much for sharing your story. It may prevent others from falling into the trap

 

From what you have written it certainly seems ambiguous. To be absolutely clear,  they need to inform passengers in the strongest possible terms that BOTH a PCR test AND a rapid antigen test are required. 

To be fair to RCL, it is made clear in the emails and reminders. The problem is that you are bombarded with longish emails and I can see how it can get to the point you miss out the information. 

 

It's not RCL that failed to provide the right info but Eurofins who seem to have informed the poster that her daughter didn't need to book the test which is odd since she would have received the email to book her. Someone at Eurofins got their information mixed and sadly have the wrong advice.

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