Royal confirmed in Alaska

[kccrzr]

The last Serenade Alaska cruise now ends in Seattle 1 day before Serenade was to sail from Vancouver to Hawaii.  Yet RCI has not cancelled the Hawaii sailing.  

 

Also don't understand why RCI cancelled all Radiance Alaska sailings instead of having the later ones leave or return to Seattle rather than Vancouver.

 

It's a conundrum for me as I was supposed to be on a southbound Radiance sailing, spend a few days in Vancouver then get on Serenade for Hawaii.  If I thought that Hawaii would still be a go with itinerary change from Vancouver to Seattle and 1 day less sailing then I would lift and shift my Radiance cancelled cruise to Serenade Alaska.  But September is not the optimal time to visit Alaska, so if Hawaii will be cancelled eventually, then I would wait and go to Alaska some other year.  I realize logistics are difficult for RCI as well but some of the decisions seem overly complicated.  But then, the new sailings are higher in price than what I paid so RCI is probably hoping to get more new bookings than transferred bookings.

[not-enough-cruising]

6 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

So what about people coming from countries who do not vaccinate children under 16?

 

I assume its just a test

No cruise for them, pretty simple. 

[Blizzard54]

1 hour ago, kccrzr said:

The last Serenade Alaska cruise now ends in Seattle 1 day before Serenade was to sail from Vancouver to Hawaii.  Yet RCI has not cancelled the Hawaii sailing.  

 

Also don't understand why RCI cancelled all Radiance Alaska sailings instead of having the later ones leave or return to Seattle rather than Vancouver.

 

It's a conundrum for me as I was supposed to be on a southbound Radiance sailing, spend a few days in Vancouver then get on Serenade for Hawaii.  If I thought that Hawaii would still be a go with itinerary change from Vancouver to Seattle and 1 day less sailing then I would lift and shift my Radiance cancelled cruise to Serenade Alaska.  But September is not the optimal time to visit Alaska, so if Hawaii will be cancelled eventually, then I would wait and go to Alaska some other year.  I realize logistics are difficult for RCI as well but some of the decisions seem overly complicated.  But then, the new sailings are higher in price than what I paid so RCI is probably hoping to get more new bookings than transferred bookings.

I have not rechecked the wording but as I recall the bill allows sailings from Seattle to Alaska without stopping in Canada.  I do not believe it allows one way sailings to or from Alaska.  That is a different part of the PVSA.  As far as Vancouver to Hawaii, it can not be moved to Seattle to Hawaii.  They could create a Seattle to Australia.   I also suspect they feel that 2 ships are enough to handle rather than 3.  I believe Princess and HAL are only bringing in 1 each.

[Ashland]

7 hours ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

So what about people coming from countries who do not vaccinate children under 16?

 

I assume its just a test

 

33 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

No cruise for them, pretty simple. 

There will be testing available to them....based on age and policy.

[not-enough-cruising]

23 minutes ago, Ashland said:

 

There will be testing available to them....based on age and policy.

That is not what the policy states. The policy states testing for those under 16, or under 12 dependent on embarkation date. 

[Tree_skier]

I'm so very tempted to book an August cruise...  

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

That is not what the policy states. The policy states testing for those under 16, or under 12 dependent on embarkation date. 

I would assume that if cruiser's show up from another country....RCI would offer them a test...right ?

Or would they just turn them away ?

[Jimbo]

30 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm so very tempted to book an August cruise...  

Don't get sucked in until cruises actually sail sucessfully.

 

Edited May 22, 2021 by Jimbo

[dswallow]

1 minute ago, Ashland said:

I would assume that if cruiser's show up from another country....RCI would offer them a test...right ?

Or would they just turn them away ?

 

The only requirements are vaccination based on age; anyone under those ages gets tested. These are just Antigen tests, done at check-in. Anyone showing up for boarding needs to provide vaccination with an approved vaccine if they're over age X and if they're under age X have to get a negative result from an Antigen test at check-in. I suspect the online/app check-in will be providing for part of this to be entered and confirmed earlier than at boarding time.

[not-enough-cruising]

5 minutes ago, Ashland said:

I would assume that if cruiser's show up from another country....RCI would offer them a test...right ?

Or would they just turn them away ?

The policy is clear. No vaccine, no boarding, there is no exclusion for country of origin. That would be completely counter productive 

[Ashland]

1 minute ago, dswallow said:

 

The only requirements are vaccination based on age; anyone under those ages gets tested. These are just Antigen tests, done at check-in. Anyone showing up for boarding needs to provide vaccination with an approved vaccine if they're over age X and if they're under age X have to get a negative result from an Antigen test at check-in. I suspect the online/app check-in will be providing for part of this to be entered and confirmed earlier than at boarding time.

So someone can't just show up and never have done the online checkin ?

[dswallow]

1 minute ago, Ashland said:

So someone can't just show up and never have done the online checkin ?

 

I suppose that's been possible in the past, but who knows for sure now. I know one person who made reservations directly with Royal Caribbean by phone and had no email address and that itself was a difficult process for them to accomplish. 🙂 If you use a travel agent, there should be some handling via their services, and if not then I would again bring up what the point is in using a travel agent!?!

[not-enough-cruising]

4 minutes ago, Ashland said:

So someone can't just show up and never have done the online checkin ?

Sure they could, and they could just as easily be turned away. 
This scenario played out weekly pre Covid. We were always seeing posts of people showing up at the terminal and some paperwork was not right. Common instances- newly married, name on booking doesn’t match name on documents, another common one was no passport and the birth certificate presented was not official copy, I could go on, but you get the point. 
All of these people were denied boarding, and had to watch the ship sail away. 

[Ashland]

4 minutes ago, dswallow said:

 

I suppose that's been possible in the past, but who knows for sure now. I know one person who made reservations directly with Royal Caribbean by phone and had no email address and that itself was a difficult process for them to accomplish. 🙂 If you use a travel agent, there should be some handling via their services, and if not then I would again bring up what the point is in using a travel agent!?!

 

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Sure they could, and they could just as easily be turned away. 
This scenario played out weekly pre Covid. We were always seeing posts of people showing up at the terminal and some paperwork was not right. Common instances- newly married, name on booking doesn’t match name on documents, another common one was no passport and the birth certificate presented was not official copy, I could go on, but you get the point. 
All of these people were denied boarding, and had to watch the ship sail away. 

My thought was...someone (no online checkin done) showing up has booking number all required documents in hand but has no proof of a vaccine....What then ?

[Hoopster95]

19 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Don't get sucked in until cruises actually sail sucessfully.

 

 

How is Serenade getting to Seattle from her current position? And how much will it cost RCG?

How much will to cost RCG to sail Ovation empty to Seattle from Singapore?... and then what, hang around for 30-45 days (5 or 6  one week sailings) at 1/2 capacity and then redeploy her where? At what cost(s)?

 

Something doesn't add up here for me. I think we'll see more changes before this is all said and done. Unless RCG is planning for one or both ships to stay on the west coast after the Alaskan season (instead of Navigator)

 

 

 

edit: the announced HAL & Princess ships already on the west coast... ginormous difference.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Hoopster95

[atanac]

20 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Don't get sucked in until cruises actually sail sucessfully.

 

These ships will sail with reduced passenger occupancy. I don't think it will take that long for the brief 2021 Alaskan season to sell out for all the cruise lines. Waiting for July/August sailings is a nice idea but it's a risk that any cabins will remain.

[Jimbo]

10 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

How is Serenade getting to Seattle from her current position? And how much will it cost RCG?

How much will to cost RCG to sail Ovation empty to Seattle from Singapore?... and then what, hang around for 30-45 days (5 or 6  one week sailings) at 1/2 capacity and then redeploy her where? At what cost(s)?

 

Something doesn't add up here for me. I think we'll see more changes before this is all said and done. Unless RCG is planning for one or both ships to stay on the west coast after the Alaskan season (instead of Navigator)

 

 

 

edit: the announced HAL & Princess ships already on the west coast... ginormous difference.

I agree........Just more of Royal Caribbean not thinking things out first. They need better direction.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Jimbo

[not-enough-cruising]

17 minutes ago, Ashland said:

 

My thought was...someone (no online checkin done) showing up has booking number all required documents in hand but has no proof of a vaccine....What then ?

If they have no proof of vaccine, then they do not have all required documents. Boarding denied, plain and simple. 

[Jimbo]

10 minutes ago, atanac said:

These ships will sail with reduced passenger occupancy. I don't think it will take that long for the brief 2021 Alaskan season to sell out for all the cruise lines. Waiting for July/August sailings is a nice idea but it's a risk that any cabins will remain.

Then go in 2022.

[molly361]

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

I'm so very tempted to book an August cruise...  

I booked a Sept cruise (not Alaska)

[crilski]

As a Washington State resident, I wouldn't mind a cruise to Alaska - no flying!  I would go solo - but checking the various dates - looking at inside or ocean view - all are being booked Guarantee!  Having been burned BIG TIME on a guarantee - I will never book a guarantee again.  Hoping to see a change so I can pick a room in a location I can live with.  I've been to Alaska in the past with a balcony.  A must if it's your first time.  But I just want to cruise - save some $$ - and not have to fly.  Come on Royal - let me pick my cabin!

[Junkhouse]

Thanks for the info. We only received an email on the resumption, not that our Radiance cruise in Aug ‘21 was cancelled. Once we logged onto our account it shows as being cancelled. We were able to lift and shift to Aug ‘22. This bucket list cruise hopefully will happen before we kick the bucket.

[Tree_skier]

4 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Don't get sucked in until cruises actually sail sucessfully.

 

Sorry but I just couldn't help myself... We're booked on Serenade Aug 23rd 🙂

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

I booked a Sept cruise (not Alaska)

Well done.  It'll be nice to start seeing some live reviews again around here.  I booked the VT Panoramic suite.  I think that might just be the best suite in the house for an later August Alaska cruise 🙂 

[marykatherine111]

3 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Sorry but I just couldn't help myself... We're booked on Serenade Aug 23rd 🙂

Wonderful!!! Seriously how often to you get to cruise on a beautiful ship under capacity!

 

4 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

How is Serenade getting to Seattle from her current position? And how much will it cost RCG?

How much will to cost RCG to sail Ovation empty to Seattle from Singapore?... and then what, hang around for 30-45 days (5 or 6  one week sailings) at 1/2 capacity and then redeploy her where? At what cost(s)?

It's called good will and supporting Alaska.