New Vaccination policy on RCL

[firefly333]

53 minutes ago, ericfromri said:

why dont you invite me to go on a crnival cruise and show me around.  all i know about them is what i read in the crime section of cruiselawnews.

Come go with me in sept, though I dont think you mean it. I'm solo with a extra bed.

 

Fly into hobby, it's closer.

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, ericfromri said:

theres no point in arguing.  we come from different worlds.

Probably true, the poster you replied to is a doctor. 

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, ericfromri said:

why dont you invite me to go on a crnival cruise and show me around.  all i know about them is what i read in the crime section of cruiselawnews.

There it is 

Edited May 24, 2021 by not-enough-cruising

[scorpluvsdolphins]

6 hours ago, Mark_UK said:

Had my jab yesterday over in the UK aged 33. Can't wait to get back onboard (Symphony in Nov) and pleased about the new policy 🤗. 

 

I had COVID back in March 2020, spent many nights sweating, had a horrible cold and completely lost my taste for ~3 months, which hasn't really fully recovered - many things still have a chemical type taste. 

Are you my favorite Mark from the casino on the Explorer cruise in February 2020?

🙂

[ericfromri]

41 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Come go with me in sept, though I dont think you mean it. I'm solo with a extra bed.

 

Fly into hobby, it's closer.

i'll try any new cruise line one time if i have somebody to go with.  my exwife is a doctor, had no time for me or son so now we are better off without her...lol

[Jenjer]

It looks like its great news for vaccinated cruisers and matching the islands requirements is just the cherry on top. Fingers crossed for safe and soon cruising. Lets get these ships sailing.  

[dswallow]

Galveston is a lousy port for those flying in, compared to most other ports as a flight destination. The ships aren't the problem.

[Capt Stuebing]

54 minutes ago, dswallow said:

Galveston is a lousy port for those flying in, compared to most other ports as a flight destination. The ships aren't the problem.

 

Gotta disagree. We enjoyed Galveston. There is a lot to see & do. 

[Tree_skier]

59 minutes ago, dswallow said:

Galveston is a lousy port for those flying in, compared to most other ports as a flight destination. The ships aren't the problem.

 

3 minutes ago, Capt Stuebing said:

 

Gotta disagree. We enjoyed Galveston. There is a lot to see & do. 

 

We enjoyed our cruise out of Galveston and have another booked for Dec. but I agree that it is a little bit of pain in the butt to get to from Houston.  It was about  $65 dollar Uber each way.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 minute ago, Tree_skier said:

 

 

We enjoyed our cruise out of Galveston and have another booked for Dec. but I agree that it is a little bit of pain in the butt to get to from Houston.  It was about  $65 dollar Uber each way.

With the port expanding, I would imagine in the not too distant future, transportation options to/from the airport will improve. No doubt, it’s a challenge one does not encounter in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. 

Fortunately it’s a drive in port for us. 

[Tree_skier]

4 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

With the port expanding, I would imagine in the not too distant future, transportation options to/from the airport will improve. No doubt, it’s a challenge one does not encounter in Miami or Fort Lauderdale. 

Fortunately it’s a drive in port for us. 

Actually it'll be a drive in port for me as well next time, sort of.  I'll be in Dallas for a conference and I'm renting a car and dropping it off in Galveston on cruise day.  I'll Uber to Houston for the return flight.

[spooky981]

It's been documented that vaccinated individuals can still carry COVID. So when getting on a boat of 6000+ passengers I'm absolutely certain the virus is on the ship. But now that I'm vaccinated it's not even among my top-five cruising health concerns anymore.

 

Incidents of the common cold, norovirus, or the flu will be far more common on cruise ships than a serious case of COVID. We just need to get over the mental hump of COVID where we instantly associate it with death. If you're vaccinated that's extraordinarily unlikely.

Edited May 24, 2021 by spooky981

[exm]

19 hours ago, jrapps said:

The NY Yankees would disagree with that percentage

 

They all received the J&J vaccine which is 70% effective. I'm happy with my 95% efficient Pfizer vaccine.

[jrapps]

Someone started another thread about Fain's video he just posted, but I figured I'd post this here too since it is directly about vaccines

 

 

The really important part is around the 3:00 mark. He talks about the 2 structures (95% vs test sailings).

 

Celebrity and Silverseas will sail in the 95% and up structure, while Royal Caribbean Int. will sail with a lower threshold, HOWVER (and this is the critical part) even the RCI sailings with less that 95% vaccinated will REQUIRE vaccines.

 

"Everyone who is eligible for a vaccine will be expected to have one, however children under 12 can't yet get the shot and RCI carries a lot of families."

 

There you have it. Vaccines required, 12+, even in the sailings under 95% of the ship vaccinated.

[time4u2go]

8 minutes ago, jrapps said:

Someone started another thread about Fain's video he just posted, but I figured I'd post this here too since it is directly about vaccines

 

 

The really important part is around the 3:00 mark. He talks about the 2 structures (95% vs test sailings).

 

Celebrity and Silverseas will sail in the 95% and up structure, while Royal Caribbean Int. will sail with a lower threshold, HOWVER (and this is the critical part) even the RCI sailings with less that 95% vaccinated will REQUIRE vaccines.

 

"Everyone who is eligible for a vaccine will be expected to have one, however children under 12 can't yet get the shot and RCI carries a lot of families."

 

There you have it. Vaccines required, 12+, even in the sailings under 95% of the ship vaccinated.

Is that his back yard?

[squick64]

4 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Is that his back yard?

I guess he lives in Florida...nice yard to hang out in during the pandemic lockdown, though, not that Florida has had much of one.

 

His video has brought me some joy today. 🙂

[time4u2go]

1 minute ago, squick64 said:

I guess he lives in Florida...nice yard to hang out in during the pandemic lockdown, though, not that Florida has had much of one.

 

His video has brought me some joy today. 🙂

Lol I guess we've all paid for that back yard in a small way.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, exm said:

 

They all received the J&J vaccine which is 70% effective. I'm happy with my 95% efficient Pfizer vaccine.

Real world efficiency is constantly

in flux, as more doses are given and post dose follow up times grow longer. There is no significant difference in the efficacy of any of the three FDA approved vaccines. They are all in the 83%-85% range currently. 

[exm]

14 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Real world efficiency is constantly

in flux, as more doses are given and post dose follow up times grow longer. There is no significant difference in the efficacy of any of the three FDA approved vaccines. They are all in the 83%-85% range currently. 

 

Not according to this article

[cured]

23 hours ago, koolZip said:

COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Two different viruses.

But of course if you "hate fake media" and "don't know what to believe anymore" you're not going to know this very basic information.

I think it would be easy for her to figure out what she is listening too. Since whatever she is quoting is so farfetched, it would be the wrong thing to listen to.

 

Interestingly enough about the influenza vaccine, I was watching a vlog from a ice skater on Adventure (Jordan) who is vlogging through her 14 day quarantine. She mentioned that the covid vaccine is mandatory as well as the influenza vaccine. She said previously the influenza vaccine was optional, now both are mandatory.

[lusyrsgirl]

Wonder how RCCL will handle those that booked and paid non-refundable deposits that don't want the vaccine?  Will they allow a full refund?  We rebooked our March 2020 cruise for this October and some members of my party (already paid for) do not want the vaccine for their own personal reasons.  The policy just reads that they have to be.  

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, exm said:

 

Not according to this article

This article is quoting the efficacy from each vaccines EUA submission and has not allowed for post injection follow up and revision.

[RFerrington]

1 hour ago, lusyrsgirl said:

Wonder how RCCL will handle those that booked and paid non-refundable deposits that don't want the vaccine?  Will they allow a full refund?  We rebooked our March 2020 cruise for this October and some members of my party (already paid for) do not want the vaccine for their own personal reasons.  The policy just reads that they have to be.  

Very good question.  I will be interested in the answer as well since we are not getting vaxxed.

 

May I suggest that the members of your party that do not want to get the vaccine perhaps discuss this matter with their physicians and see if the docs would be willing to document a medical exemption/contradiction.  I was delighted to find that our physician did this for both my husband and myself so if Royal is going to allow for medical exemptions, we will be in good shape.  That is far from clear at this time.

 

Are these friends on any kind of COVID prophylaxis ?  Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), Ivermectin and others that I cannot recall.  Personally, I would not recommend that unvaxxed pax go on a cruise unless they are otherwise protected (and to protect others) by an acknowledged prophylaxis.  I am not a physician or clinician.  This is just my personal opinion (as well as that of my physician) after much research on the subject.  We are both on a physician-monitored regimen of HCQ.  

 

If all of this fails (and it may well), then I would certainly hope that Royal will offer a full refund since we are medically documented to be unable to be vaccinated.  I have anecdotal (strictly hearsay from someone on the blog) information that refunds have been provided recently based age restrictions (children) who could not be vaccinated.  Whether that was a one-off, I have no way of knowing.  Time will tell, I suppose.

 

Best of luck to your party.  I share their concerns.

[harkinmr]

Kind of an important change to the vaccine requirement on website. Only applies to Seattle and Bahamas sailings. They changed the language on the page last night apparently. Sounds like other US sailings will not have a vaccine requirement.  That explains why test cruises will be done.  Pretty poor decision from my perspective.  
 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center

Edited May 25, 2021 by harkinmr

[BSocial]

10 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

Kind of an important change to the vaccine requirement on website. Only applies to Seattle and Bahamas sailings. They changed the language on the page last night apparently. Sounds like other US sailings will not have a vaccine requirement.  That explains why test cruises will be done.  Pretty lousy decision from my perspective.  
 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/the-healthy-sail-center

True, but those are presently the only confirmed sailings, right?

I’d expect the website to be further updated as more ships are confirmed  to sail from US Ports. 
 

 

Edited May 25, 2021 by BSocial