Sailing as an unvaccinated passenger

[7680]

We have one person in our party of six who is unvaccinated. I see that you may do cruises from FL without a vaccine (as long as there is not a stop in Bahamas). Wondering what the on-board experience is like, from anyone who may have sailed in this manner. Thank you 

[Biker19]

Just now, 7680 said:

 I see that you may do cruises from FL without a vaccine

Not without a very difficult to get exception from RCI.

[BND]

2 minutes ago, 7680 said:

We have one person in our party of six who is unvaccinated. I see that you may do cruises from FL without a vaccine (as long as there is not a stop in Bahamas). Wondering what the on-board experience is like, from anyone who may have sailed in this manner. Thank you 

Where did you see that?  

[mscinmia]

11 minutes ago, 7680 said:

We have one person in our party of six who is unvaccinated. I see that you may do cruises from FL without a vaccine (as long as there is not a stop in Bahamas). Wondering what the on-board experience is like, from anyone who may have sailed in this manner. Thank you 

That changed back in Sept 2021.  Everyone 12+ must be vaccinated or get a vaccine exemption, which is very hard to get.  

[Cigar King]

You're likely a party of five now...

 

[CruisingHogFan]

41 minutes ago, 7680 said:

We have one person in our party of six who is unvaccinated. I see that you may do cruises from FL without a vaccine (as long as there is not a stop in Bahamas). Wondering what the on-board experience is like, from anyone who may have sailed in this manner. Thank you 

better tell that person to get vaccinated if sailing soon or they will be staying home!! 

[brillohead]

Is the unvaccinated person a child?

[RCLcruiser2012]

49 minutes ago, 7680 said:

We have one person in our party of six who is unvaccinated. I see that you may do cruises from FL without a vaccine (as long as there is not a stop in Bahamas). Wondering what the on-board experience is like, from anyone who may have sailed in this manner. Thank you 

Not sure how they will board? Is this person a child? Cruiselines are still requiring all passengers vaxxed unless under 12. 😤

[MommaBear55]

If that one person is under 12, all you have to do is do the appropriate testing. If 12 or over, they need to apply for a vaccine exemption, which is granted very rarely and only for certain reasons

[Flipchild32]

Yup the vaccine exemptions I have read are not being granted if at all. Since RCI is in the CDC's voluntary COVID-19 protocols they need a ship 95% vaxxed... Which others have been told is being reserved for those that are kids and unable to get vaxxed. 

[kpgibbs]

Eager to see the OP's response.   I have a cruise booked in January.  My cabin mate backed out.  Asked my niece to go.  She refuses to get vaxed.  So I guess I will be solo.

 

[crzndeb]

29 minutes ago, kpgibbs said:

Eager to see the OP's response.   I have a cruise booked in January.  My cabin mate backed out.  Asked my niece to go.  She refuses to get vaxed.  So I guess I will be solo.

 

Personally, as a solo traveler, it’s the only way to go….😂

[kpgibbs]

23 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Personally, as a solo traveler, it’s the only way to go….😂

I won't actually be solo.  I will have my 25 year old son and his girlfriend.  But it will be just me in the cabin.  Which I am OK with.  Just don't like having to pay double.  

[crzndeb]

1 hour ago, kpgibbs said:

I won't actually be solo.  I will have my 25 year old son and his girlfriend.  But it will be just me in the cabin.  Which I am OK with.  Just don't like having to pay double.  

I think of it as a daily rate. What would a hotel, food, entertainment, cost a night if you went alone on a land vaca. Cruising, for me, always wins. 
But I totally understand for those that don’t normally travel alone.

[7680]

Hello All,

 

I posted this same question on the Celebrity forum. This was most of my response to the feedback received:

 

 

Thank you for the many who have provided constructive feedback. MBP1’s post re the FL law which would not allow cruise lines to require vaccines, but is now blocked (with ongoing legal battles) is where my question originated from. I saw another post alluding to this, but it did not state that it was currently blocked. Yes, it is challenging to be 💯 sure of every detail of what is transpiring at any given time. We just returned from a fantastic cruise on the Edge with two other couples. All vaccinated of course. I have been dealing with a very challenging situation in trying to book a trip for my husband and I, our two young adult children and their significant others. Our son’s GF is not vaccinated. The rest of us are. Our son will not get a booster, as he was very ill after both vaccines. ‘Our first choice was to go to the Med….but boosters are required in Spain and France. I am spending a great deal of time, trying to come up with a happy solution for all. 
 

Thanks!

[Coralc]

Okay. Then son and GF will probably not be going with you. Europe has some booster requirements too. So that is out. Maybe Hawaii? 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Coralc

[pcur]

Interesting discussion ................

 

I just got off a b2b on the Vision.  The passengers on board no longer wore "vaccination wristbands", and masking was voluntary for VACCINATED passengers. All children under 5 were wearing masks.  There were a few venues that were for vaccinated only passengers.  

 

We did stop in St. Lucia, which is strict about it's COVID protocols.  Shore excursions were only allowed through the cruise ships, and I took one to see the whole island.  I noticed as we came back to the ship there were a lot of passengers walking around the local area near the dock.  So, I don't think everyone took the "stay inside the terminal / port shopping area, please" very seriously.  However, at all our ports passengers were wearing masks where required:  in the terminal, on the dock, and in virtually all indoor businesses in port.

 

Social distancing was not done by most passengers, and elevators were sometimes packed.

 

So, things were pretty relaxed on both cruises.

 

The crew wore masks if they were in work areas around a lot of passengers. Most food in the Windjammer was plated for you by the crew.

 

The interesting part was I wore a mask everywhere unless I was eating or dinking.  This is to keep my exposure minimal for my family, 4 yo grandson, and a friend with an immune-compromised son. Lots of passengers noticed my masks, but no one said anything.  

 

I tested negative yesterday, 2 days after getting home.

 

To summarize:  people are pretty relaxed around the ship, and unless RCCL makes a point of identifying a non-vaccinated passenger, it would be hard to notice.  BUT, I think this is because we all knew the ship was 95% + vaccinated.

[brillohead]

11 hours ago, kpgibbs said:

I won't actually be solo.  I will have my 25 year old son and his girlfriend.  But it will be just me in the cabin.  Which I am OK with.  Just don't like having to pay double.  

I don't think of it as "paying double" -- think of it as not having an extra person with whom to split the price of the room.

When you go to a hotel, if the room is $100/night, you pay the $100/night whether there's one or two people in the room.  If you have someone else with you in the room, you're paying $50 each, but if you're solo, you're paying $100.  

[cured]

8 hours ago, 7680 said:

Hello All,

 

I posted this same question on the Celebrity forum. This was most of my response to the feedback received:

 

 

 

Thank you for the many who have provided constructive feedback. MBP1’s post re the FL law which would not allow cruise lines to require vaccines, but is now blocked (with ongoing legal battles) is where my question originated from. I saw another post alluding to this, but it did not state that it was currently blocked. Yes, it is challenging to be 💯 sure of every detail of what is transpiring at any given time. We just returned from a fantastic cruise on the Edge with two other couples. All vaccinated of course. I have been dealing with a very challenging situation in trying to book a trip for my husband and I, our two young adult children and their significant others. Our son’s GF is not vaccinated. The rest of us are. Our son will not get a booster, as he was very ill after both vaccines. ‘Our first choice was to go to the Med….but boosters are required in Spain and France. I am spending a great deal of time, trying to come up with a happy solution for all. 
 

Thanks!

I am sorry you are having to go through this all. Planning such a generous vacation for all involved should not be so stressful!  It is sad that the choice of a GF is controlling the whole situation.  It really narrows your choices of where you can go.  

 

If everyone really would like to go on a cruise, I would just book it.  The GF made a choice. The other 5 have made different choices which allows them  much broader choices of vacations. One person should not be limiting the choices of 5 others.  The GF can then make the choice of either joining the family or staying home. 

 

As much as I love my adult children's SOs, I certainly would not let one of them dictate the rest of the family's vacation. But that is me. I am a firm believer of respecting choices as long as the other understands that they have to respect our choices too and that we have more options as a vaccinated family.

 

Much luck finding a vacation everyone can love.

[SRF]

6 hours ago, brillohead said:

I don't think of it as "paying double" -- think of it as not having an extra person with whom to split the price of the room.

When you go to a hotel, if the room is $100/night, you pay the $100/night whether there's one or two people in the room.  If you have someone else with you in the room, you're paying $50 each, but if you're solo, you're paying $100.  

 

FYI, there still hotels in the world that charge extra for a second person.

 

I even ran into that in Reno.

[brillohead]

5 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

FYI, there still hotels in the world that charge extra for a second person.

 

I even ran into that in Reno.

Yes, but it's not typically double the original rate... just a slightly higher rate for extra towels/utilities.

[SRF]

17 minutes ago, brillohead said:

Yes, but it's not typically double the original rate... just a slightly higher rate for extra towels/utilities.

 

True.

 

But then again, you are actually paying for double occupancy to start.  So the room rate of $100 is really $50 per person, but with only one person, a 100 single supplement. 😄

 

 

[John&LaLa]

27 minutes ago, brillohead said:

Yes, but it's not typically double the original rate... just a slightly higher rate for extra towels/utilities.

 

Do you still get double points

[John&LaLa]

8 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

True.

 

But then again, you are actually paying for double occupancy to start.  So the room rate of $100 is really $50 per person, but with only one person, a 100 single supplement. 😄

 

 

 

Surprised to see you using the D word😇

[kpgibbs]

7 hours ago, brillohead said:

I don't think of it as "paying double" -- think of it as not having an extra person with whom to split the price of the room.

When you go to a hotel, if the room is $100/night, you pay the $100/night whether there's one or two people in the room.  If you have someone else with you in the room, you're paying $50 each, but if you're solo, you're paying $100.  

I guess that is one way to look at it.  For the first time in my life, I have booked an inside cabin.  I just can't afford a balcony since I am paying for my son and his GF.  With that said, I think being by myself in an inside cabin will be the best.  And to be fair, it's not like it's a huge amount of money that I am having to pay since my friend backed out.