Symphony of the Seas - Update from onboard

[John&LaLa]

7 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Jewel just cancelled sailings until February. 

 

Do they need another quarantine ship?

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

Do they need another quarantine ship?

 

LOL -- Perhaps they should buy back Empress?

[AshleyDillo]

28 minutes ago, Teknodude said:

I would say my other half as an officer on the ship is a good source but obviously not one I can  directly quote. Nothing official yet. 

 

It's going around one of my groups that the Jewel captain has said the same thing.

[MommaBear55]

2 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

 

Hopefully they'll let the next group know immediately. How sad for them, for the staff and really for all if us who love cruising and really want it back to normal. Heck, I'd take it like it was in early December

[willing292]

I’m on the Jewel, and the captain just made the announcement, that the ship will be shut down until sometime in February.  I missed the actual date.

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, MommaBear55 said:

Hopefully they'll let the next group know immediately. How sad for them, for the staff and really for all if us who love cruising and really want it back to normal. Heck, I'd take it like it was in early December

 

Agree.  I cruised in September and while not the same as pre-pandemic, I enjoyed it.  Hopefully this will be a short pause and things will resume soon.  

[Jimbo]

Maybe the Royal Caribbean Officials have finally looked at the news, and this thing called covid  that the cases are going higher and higher and maybe, just maybe have decided to put a halt on some of their cruise ships for the time being until things get more under control.

Maybe using their head now instead of their wallets.

[Teknodude]

8 minutes ago, leono1 said:

Captain had supposedly announced it according to a person on FB whose onboard now.....

Correct. My other half just confirmed the captain just announced it on board 

[jrapps]

I understand the Jewel..if the reports are to be believed, over 10% of the crew is positive. No way to sail like that. But that is ship specific. Remains to be seen if they are doing this fleet-wide (my guess is no)

 

We don't yet know WHY the symphony would cancel...

[livingonthebeach]

 

[ticketsunlimited]

4 minutes ago, jrapps said:

I understand the Jewel..if the reports are to be believed, over 10% of the crew is positive. No way to sail like that. But that is ship specific. Remains to be seen if they are doing this fleet-wide (my guess is no)

 

We don't yet know WHY the symphony would cancel...

They may use the crew from one of the bigger ships to help keep the other ships viable.  Just a guess.

[At Sea At Peace]

5 minutes ago, jrapps said:

I understand the Jewel..if the reports are to be believed, over 10% of the crew is positive. No way to sail like that. But that is ship specific. Remains to be seen if they are doing this fleet-wide (my guess is no)

 

We don't yet know WHY the symphony would cancel...

 

I've seen unofficial references to 80+ crew members testing positive and an unknown number deemed to be close contacts (the last reference to crew I saw re: Cartagena was 755 crew).  So, it seems to make sense.  

 

With other ships and issues, more cancelations, it might be best for the CLIA members to PAUSE FOR THE CAUSE and toe-the-line before other regulatory powers impart much worse.

 

[PatMunits]

I so very much hope there will be a Lift&Shift to go with this one. Just hours ago my cabin that was previously on a Covid deck got free-upgraded to a balcony on a higher deck.

[Teknodude]

As far as I know from an update from other half just now, Symphony is cancelled for 21 days. 
 

if I get other updates I’ll feed back. 

but try not to shoot me - just feeding back from an officer on board Symphony right now. 

[Starry Eyes]

39 minutes ago, Teknodude said:

He texting me now. Officers getting briefing in the next hour 

let you all know soon as I do 

Are you willing to share your other half’s department?  I’m wondering if cancellations might be due to shortage of Bridge officers or a shortage of Engineers necessary for safe ship operations (and perhaps another Bridge or Engineering officer might be positioned to know such info…or not).

Thanks for passing the info along

[NaiNoNo]

its posted on their website now....

 

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, Teknodude said:

As far as I know from an update from other half just now, Symphony is cancelled for 21 days. 
 

if I get other updates I’ll feed back. 

but try not to shoot me - just feeding back from an officer on board Symphony right now. 

 

Thanks -- yes it has been confirmed by a letter from RCI. 

[NaiNoNo]

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates

[AstoriaPreppy]

4 hours ago, Jimbo said:

I  just made up a ship and date, I don't even know if Athem sailed on that date or not. ship and date has no effect on my question.

 
This is *peak* Cruise Critic in every way possible 💯 😂

[Teknodude]

32 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Are you willing to share your other half’s department?  I’m wondering if cancellations might be due to shortage of Bridge officers or a shortage of Engineers necessary for safe ship operations (and perhaps another Bridge or Engineering officer might be positioned to know such info…or not).

Thanks for passing the info along

admin. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by Teknodude

[yogimax]

We were scheduled for Symphony January 15th and this morning I got an email that my Royal Up offer was accepted for an upgrade from a central park balcony to an ocean view balcony.

 

Will I now lose the $80 paid for the Royal Up since it is handled by a different company (as others have said)?

[Ourusualbeach]

39 minutes ago, PatMunits said:

I so very much hope there will be a Lift&Shift to go with this one. Just hours ago my cabin that was previously on a Covid deck got free-upgraded to a balcony on a higher deck.

Lift and shift is not an option for any of the cancelled sailings

[Ourusualbeach]

7 minutes ago, yogimax said:

We were scheduled for Symphony January 15th and this morning I got an email that my Royal Up offer was accepted for an upgrade from a central park balcony to an ocean view balcony.

 

Will I now lose the $80 paid for the Royal Up since it is handled by a different company (as others have said)?

It will also be refunded

[Starry Eyes]

5 minutes ago, yogimax said:

We were scheduled for Symphony January 15th and this morning I got an email that my Royal Up offer was accepted for an upgrade from a central park balcony to an ocean view balcony.

 

Will I now lose the $80 paid for the Royal Up since it is handled by a different company (as others have said)?

A poster who canceled due to covid protocols have reported his refund included the RoyalUp money, so I think you will get it back.  Sorry about your cruise, though.

[tbo]

This really stinks -sorry to everyone who is losing their cruise. We are scheduled on 1/29 and now I'm wondering if we should just cancel and reschedule and save the hassle of dealing with it later down the road.