ANTHEM UK - we were refused boarding as no PCR test provided.

[miaandmum]

 

Have already posted this under Anthem UK but thought I would give it a stand alone post as I dont want what happened to us happen to anyone else.

 

Please dont judge until you have read what happened.

 

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!!

[forgotmyCCname]

I am so, so sorry!!!

[Missusdubbya]

So sorry, that sucks

[Sunshine3601]

Wow!   I, too, would be very upset.

If she tested negative at the port, makes no sense whatsoever they wouldn't allow your family to board. 

and to say, no refund - that is unacceptable!

 

Did they give you a copy of her negative test result from the port?    I would take whatever documents you have and write up to Mr. Bayley and cc Mr. Fain and other corp. executives on the letter/email.   

[zekekelso]

No judgement - that sucks no matter what led to it. Better cruising in the future! 

[miaandmum]

5 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Wow!   I, too, would be very upset.

If she tested negative at the port, makes no sense whatsoever they wouldn't allow your family to board. 

and to say, no refund - that is unacceptable!

 

Did they give you a copy of her negative test result from the port?    I would take whatever documents you have and write up to Mr. Bayley and cc Mr. Fain and other corp. executives on the letter/email.   

Thank you so much for your advice I will email Mr Bayley.  We have the negative result from the port.

[Sam Ting]

Was she unvaccinated?

[miaandmum]

27 minutes ago, Sam Ting said:

Was she unvaccinated?

No not fully vaccinated.  Here in the UK vaccines have only recently been approved for 16 and 17 year olds (about 3 weeks ago) and thats when she had her first vaccine, along with all the others of that age in the UK who had been waiting for the government to allow them the choice.

[Sam Ting]

That stinks. Sounds like you did everything you were supposed to.  
 

They are making the requirements too confusing. I don’t think they even know what’s required   
 

a land based vacation is looking more and more appealing 

[xxHadleyxx]

That really does stink.

 

You were clearly making every good faith effort to do as you were supposed, were given incorrect information when following the link RCI sent you to register and then they did not fix it?  It seems like this would be a good time for the cruise line to send your daughter for the rapid PCR test at port and make sure she got on.

 

I am so sorry.

 

Based on the wrong links sent to us more than once, and still no link we need (for the at the cruise terminal PCR test day of, as we are flying in from Germany) and multiple phone calls and emails with supervisory, etc not being able to sort it out yet (we sail in 11 days)...I can very much beelive you were given that info by eurofin when you tried to book and I can understand why you did not think you needed to follow up furhter before arriving at port.  

Edited August 25, 2021 by xxHadleyxx

[FamilyCruiserUK]

I really do feel for you. We are due to sail on sunday and are continually checking the healthy sail pass on the RCL website for any changes on Anthem. 

 

We keep getting emails from RCL to upgrad on our cancelled Harmony cruise. So can understand the email confusion. 

 

Hopefully you can fight their decision and use the emails you received as proof.

 

 

[mek]

24 minutes ago, Sam Ting said:

That stinks. Sounds like you did everything you were supposed to.  
 

They are making the requirements too confusing. I don’t think they even know what’s required   
 

a land based vacation is looking more and more appealing 

I agree, they are looking more appealing right now.  I have a January cruise that I hope I will be on, but I'm  not booking anything else until all of this mess goes away.

Vacations are supposed to be relaxing.  Maybe cruising still is once onboard, but it's getting on the ship that right now, is stressful.

Edited August 25, 2021 by mek

[Ocean Boy]

This thread just adds more credence to my thoughts that I need to cancel what I have booked prior to final payment being made.

 

And RCI should be aware that how these issues are being handled is not going unnoticed.

[Biker19]

13 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

 

And RCI should be aware that how these issues are being handled is not going unnoticed.

Should be pretty obvious by the number of cancellations.

[sandebeach]

13 hours ago, miaandmum said:

No not fully vaccinated.  Here in the UK vaccines have only recently been approved for 16 and 17 year olds (about 3 weeks ago) and thats when she had her first vaccine, along with all the others of that age in the UK who had been waiting for the government to allow them the choice.

Sorry to hear about your experience.

[Ocean Boy]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Should be pretty obvious by the number of cancellations.

Then you would think its behaviors would change.

[Biker19]

Just now, Ocean Boy said:

Then you would think its behaviors would change.

The public front of RCG (and to the shareholders) is that they are going back to sailing with as many ships as possible - the details of booking capacity (or lack thereof for whatever reason) won't show up till much later when the financials show up.

[ententecordiale]

I'm so sorry for you, I can't imagine the huge disappointment, it's gutting. 

 

To be fair on RCL, I've read again the email invite for the test and it does say, in bold, that children over 2 must have a PCR. It says it twice.

 

It is expected that the email just before boarding would only mention the test just before cruising for the unvaccinated as it would be assumed everyone had had the PCR test. 

 

It wouldn't have picked up that you didn't test as people can do their private one. 

 

What you need to pick this up with is Eurofins. You should have been able to book an appointment for your DD. Why you were not and then told she didn't need it is outrageous since they are the main provider of test for RCL. 

 

I would definitely pick it up with them and seek compensation 

 

 

 

[miaandmum]

On 8/24/2021 at 10:57 PM, Sunshine3601 said:

Wow!   I, too, would be very upset.

If she tested negative at the port, makes no sense whatsoever they wouldn't allow your family to board. 

and to say, no refund - that is unacceptable!

 

Did they give you a copy of her negative test result from the port?    I would take whatever documents you have and write up to Mr. Bayley and cc Mr. Fain and other corp. executives on the letter/email.   

Thank you SO much Sunshine3601 for replying to my thread.  If you had not I would never have thought to email Mr Bayley.  Well I did email and I have since had an apology and a full refund, something I would never have received without your reply to my thread.   So, once again a massive thank you x

[Pandamonia]

This is why you ALWAYS pay by credit car for at least 100 pounds. 

 

Take them to small claims court to get your money back.

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

4 hours ago, miaandmum said:

Thank you SO much Sunshine3601 for replying to my thread.  If you had not I would never have thought to email Mr Bayley.  Well I did email and I have since had an apology and a full refund, something I would never have received without your reply to my thread.   So, once again a massive thank you x

This is great news!  I am so happy to hear this worked and Thank You for the update.🥰

Stay safe and hopefully you will enjoy a family cruise someday soon!

[ticketsunlimited]

Another cruise critic happy ending.😀

[Joseph2017China]

I totally agree that the info is very confusing and ever changing.  Sometimes what makes it worse, is understanding language issues. They also need to make the rules easier to follow, such as testing at the ship.  I know, if you test negative, too bad.....but if you are traveling you can go on your own, just to make sure if you want, but still take a mandatory test at the ship.   This needs to be simplified and made easy.  

[pdawson30]

We are sailing on the 19th and we are in real trouble.

We have 2 British guests and 2 US guests.

 

We can't get RC to send the emails to get the PCR test for the UK guests.

 

We still don't know the exact tests the US guests are supposed to take or when.

The RC website has multiple answers and the reps we spoke to all gave different answers.

Some even told us that what is written on the website is incorrect.

Of course we can't get hold of anyone who knows.

FWIW everyone in the group is fully vaccinated so this isn't the problem.

 

The US side can't send the UK emails and when you call the UK side they say they can't see any bookings made in US dollars. What a total disaster. And yes we are Diamond, not some rookies.

Any suggestions, I just don't know what to do? I spent a total of 7 hours on the phone to get nowhere.

 

 

[kernow]

29 minutes ago, pdawson30 said:

We are sailing on the 19th and we are in real trouble.

We have 2 British guests and 2 US guests.

 

We can't get RC to send the emails to get the PCR test for the UK guests.

 

We still don't know the exact tests the US guests are supposed to take or when.

The RC website has multiple answers and the reps we spoke to all gave different answers.

Some even told us that what is written on the website is incorrect.

Of course we can't get hold of anyone who knows.

FWIW everyone in the group is fully vaccinated so this isn't the problem.

 

The US side can't send the UK emails and when you call the UK side they say they can't see any bookings made in US dollars. What a total disaster. And yes we are Diamond, not some rookies.

Any suggestions, I just don't know what to do? I spent a total of 7 hours on the phone to get nowhere.

 

 

Worst case scenario, the British guests can take their own test, 72 hours before, any government approved provider (Boots have lots of locations), RCL will reimburse them with $140 OBC. Not certain what US guests need but there was another thread about this earlier today and also someone on the Anthem thread who is actually onboard this week who is from outside UK and gave details of what they had to do.