LadyBeBop

When will Royal Caribbean announce the itinerary for Summer 2025 for the Caribbean?  I’m looking into a family cruise to celebrate my retirement. Hopefully first or second week of August, out of Galveston. 
 

Thanks in advance. 

Thanks for the responses. 
 

Looks like it’s a no-go. We were looking at the round trip from Baltimore in 2024. But, due to my granddaughter’s natural-born father, we don’t want to get her a passport until she turns 16. And she doesn’t turn 16 until October 2024. 
 

Maybe 2025. 

Closed loop cruise that starts and ends in the same American port. Travels up the East Coasts of the US and Canada and makes several stops in Greenland before heading back south. Do you need a passport for this?

I have a similar question. We set sail on Monday. Hopefully no rain. We plan to be there for our check-in. However, if there is a line, is there a place to sit?  I have knee problems, and I can’t stand for more than about 5-10 minutes. I don’t want to rent a wheelchair or scooter. 

12 minutes ago, sandebeach said:

@LadyBeBop

 

https://twitter.com/JamesVanFleet

Try this link. He posted three videos this morning to describe what may happen, for each ship in the area. 

I got it. I still have a Twitter account. I only use it in emergencies. 
 

This is an emergency. 
 

After watching his videos, I have a question. Appears our cruise, leaving Monday, is safe. Some in my Facebook group is doing a B2B, leaving Friday. Same ports, Nassau and CocoCay. Friday should be fine for embarkation. However, he mentions a probable cruise to nowhere. Knowing the chances of not making either ports are pretty good, would they still set sail?

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Agatha is getting gender reasignment?

Alex Wilson of the Weather Channel will disagree. 

7 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

I was thinking on you flying in on Friday. 3-day pre-stay before your cruise.

Nah. One night at the Intercontinental is expensive. Even with using all our IHG points. Three nights…well I’m not going there. 

14 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

People aren't reporting symptoms and isolating though, which is leading to a lot of the issues.  Very, very few of the people that have tested positive on my recent sailing actually followed cruise line and CDC policy.  Many flew home and then tested once they got home so they didn't get stuck in the port city in isolation.  These people are infecting the crew who are then infecting the next sailings passengers.  People need to use common sense and act responsibly.

Common sense is also mitigated by $$$$. I heard about a couple who has thousands of dollars of post-cruise expenses. They tested positive and was stuck in a quarantine hotel for a week. They had insurance, but insurance is fighting it. If they would have waited until they got home to test, they wouldn’t be out that ridiculous amount. But, of course, you’re infecting everyone around you. 

On 5/31/2022 at 8:51 PM, cruisingator2 said:

The other poster is correct. Have you looked on the Walgreens website to see where the nearest location is that offers the rapid antigen test? In my area of southern Cal there is currently zero stores within a 100 mile radius that offers them. They’re becoming less and less available as more people are moving to home tests. I suggest doing a Google search to see if anyone in your area or nearby is offering the rapid tests. We will test in the morning using the emed proctored tests here at home. Easy to use. 

Someone in my Facebook group couldn’t book Walgreens for her cruise. We sail out this Monday, meaning we could only test on Saturday or Sunday. Her Walgreens doesn’t test on weekends, and the next closest Walgreens is an hour away. 

8 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Fly in earlier

I think it will be worst on Saturday. Looks like Sunday will be better. And I don’t want to fly in the day of the cruise (Monday). 

Does James Van Fleet have a Facebook presence?  I know he’s on Instagram and Twitter, but I’m not on those platforms. 

We fly in on Sunday to sail out on Monday. Freedom of the Seas out of Miami.
Getting nervous.  

Traveling with my daughter who has had the worst luck with cruises. Since 2018:
 

April 2018: Entire family, including me. Ship was delayed several hours due to a false alarm. A sniffer dog smelled contraband that wasn’t there. 
 

August-September 2019: With her husband. 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise turned into an 11-night Western Caribbean due to Hurricane Dorian. 
 

March 2020: With husband’s family. Their Carnival cruise was one of the first to cancel due to Covid.  That has not been rescheduled. 
 

June 2021: With her daughter and me. Our Coco Cay cruise was one of the last to be canceled due to Covid. 
 

June 2022:  Five more days until we cruise. Assuming this storm doesn’t get in the way. And we have to pass our Covid tests. 
 

Thanks for your response. 🙂

So they will drop off and pick up from the cabin?  Under the circumstances, both will be easier. 

This is going to be lengthy. I don’t know what to do. 
I have knee problems, and I take steroid shots in my right knee. I’m a candidate for knee replacement surgery, but I’m hoping to put it off for another couple of years. 
Last Saturday, the 21st, I fell in concrete and hurt my knee. I took a steroid shot that Monday. But it’s still painful to walk, a week later. We leave for a 4-night cruise next Monday, the 6th. Freedom of the Seas out of Miami. And I’m thinking about renting a scooter. 
But I cringe at the logistics. 
We fly into FLL on Sunday, and we will Uber to the Intercontinental Hotels. The following day, we will Uber from the Intercontinental to the ship. I’m not worried about our ports of call, CocoCay (which is pretty assessable) and Nassau (if I venture out, I’ll stay near the ship). I’m just worried about disembarking. We have a (to me) too-close-for-comfort flight out of FLL on Friday morning. (My adult daughter made the reservations, and she said it’s makeable.) We will take a taxi from the pier to FLL. 

I know I can reserve a scooter and they’ll deliver it to me on the ship. But they give a delivery time of 2 PM. We have an early check-in time of 10:30. I’m hoping to be on my third Pina Colada by 2. 
And where do we drop off the scooter. We are doing early disembarkation, and we want to be on our way to the airport as early as possible. 
I think I can manage without the scooter. But it would be easier with it. As always, many thanks. 

You should have no problem scheduling an appointment at Walgreens for a Saturday. I’m getting a test next Saturday for our cruise next Monday. You can sign up the Saturday before your test. 

28 minutes ago, Hutcha said:

My Walgreens only allows scheduling 1 week out. Is this what others are seeing?

Yes. 
 

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I just made reservations for our first cruise since all the Covid madness began, and I am trying to get my head around just what's expected in terms of testing.  This thread looks like a good resource -- especially the video on the first page. 

 

But I have questions -- thanks for helping someone new to boarding in a pandemic: 

 

- We're vaxxed and boosted.  Have cards to show.  No problem on that front.  

 

- I have a supply of at-home tests.  I have government tests, and my insurance gives me 8 tests per month.  Being a teacher to teenagers who largely aren't worried about Covid, I've tested myself more times than I'd like to recall over the last year and a half.  I was only positive once, and that was just after our school went mask-optional.  My adult daughter had to test just last week.  Anyway, I HAVE TESTS in the linen closet.  Several name brands.  

 

- I understand I need to test within 2 days of boarding the ship.  Okay, so common sense says we should be very careful in the weeks before the cruise.  Mask protocol 101.  

 

- The woman on the video signed up for an account with NAVICA -- but she also bought $60+ tests.  I don't want to pay for more tests, when I already have them.  If you use this online proctor thing, MUST YOU buy their tests?  I'm unapologetically cheap, and I'd like to pay nothing for this process.  

 

- Going to Walgreen's is appealing ... I know my insurance will pay for the test (I pay hundreds a month for this insurance, and most months I get zip in return; I will not feel guilty in the least at using their services for a vacation test), and of course I'm going to go out to the grocery store just before a vacation.  Obviously I need to pick up snacks for the car ride, bottled water, sunscreen, etc.  

 

- If I go to Walgreen's, they email the results to me?  And then I upload it as a part of my ahead-of-time check-in?  

 

- Anything I, as a new-to-Covid-cruising person, am not anticipating?  I'd really like to feel on top of this new requirement.  THANKS.  

 

 

 

This time next week, I’ll be in Miami, waiting to set sail on my first cruise in nearly 3 years. Covid allowing, of course. 
 

Anyway, to answer your questions. 
 

1). Don’t know about the NAVICA account. But there are several online proctors who’ll allow you to use your tests. They do cost though; about $20 per session. RCCL allows them. Do a Google search for the proctors. 
 

2). That said, I’m going to Walgreens for testing. They are free and convenient.  I’ll be out and about next Saturday anyway, so I’m not wasting gas or time. And there are many open appointments, so it doesn’t seem like I’m stealing a slot from someone who needs one. 

2 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Just spoke to a cruising buddy (and his family) who are cruising today.  The family had to make separate appointments.  They only allowed one drive through test at a time.  So, one would take the test, submit it.  They made them leave the drive through and comeback when the next appointment was scheduled.  Ended up spending about an hour driving back and forth through the Walgreens drive through.

 

Pharmacist gave the reasoning as to not hold up anyone who may also come to the drive through.

Augh!!!  And you’re close to me (I’m in Northern Kentucky). It would be impossible in my case, since one of us three is a minor. 

I hope the Walgreens in question isn’t on my side of the Ohio River. 

Update. We are scheduled for 12:00, 12:15 and 12:30 next Saturday. 
 

Fingers crossed for three negative tests. 

Looks like we can schedule our Covid tests tomorrow. We’re testing on June 4th for our cruise, June 6th. 
 

I know it’s a drive-thru test  There are three in our cruising party; all living close to each other. Can we all make the appointments for the same time, and can all three travel in one car?  Or do we need two cars?

It depends. 
 

On our last RCCL cruise (7-day Alaska in 2019), my husband and I got it on a Black Friday sale for $125. Well worth it. 
 

This time, my husband isn’t coming; just my daughter and granddaughter. 4-night Bahamas cruise. I think the BF price was about $100. My daughter didn’t want it. 
 

If you’re paying about $25/night, I’d go for it. More than that, no. 

On 5/18/2022 at 6:53 PM, donaldsc said:

 

One of the problems w 3d party hotel booking sites is that the sites have rigged their Google listing so that their site comes up before the real hotel site and the 3d party site looks very much like the hotel site.  It is very easy to make a mistake and book on one of the 3d party sites.  I did it once and have almost done it several times.  They are tricky SOBs.

 

DON

Happened to me. I booked a week stay at a Holiday Inn. I thought it was the actual IHG site, but it turned out to be a third party. Then Covid happened and I had to cancel several weeks ahead of time. Lost a so-called nom-refundable booking fee. Even though I booked a refundable room. 

Even though I have a card, I also downloaded my vaccination record to my iPhone. Took a snapshot of that, and RCCL accepted it. 
 

When I get to the dock, I want to show the vaccination record with QR code instead of my card. For some reason, my second booster wasn’t notated on the card. I have my two shots plus two boosters, but only one booster is on the card. 

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

I live in SW OH.  But, as of this a.m. (Saturday), Walgreens was scheduling COVID tests (both NAAT Rapid tests and PCR) several days out in the Northern KY and eastern IN areas, too.

 

LIke others, I could get a test today if I wanted to.

 

No charge!

 

Interesting. I’m in Northern Kentucky. Three days out. 
 

I don’t think I’m ordering the proctored tests. I’m confident they’ll have plenty of tests for us when we sign up on Wednesday. 

I’m now a little worried. The Walgreens around me show appointments three days out. Down from a week. 
 

I’m thinking maybe I should order the proctored tests as a backup. I talked to insurance, and they’ll reimburse me, 100%. But Walgreens is so much easier. 
 

I’d also have to order soon. We have to test June 4th. We fly out early on the 5th for our cruise on the 6th. 

1 hour ago, Sunshine3601 said:

That's awful.   

I thought quarantine was reduced to 7 days in Spain.   

Doesn't sound like the river cruiseline assisted.  I hope insurance reimburses them.

I heard this secondhand from my husband. At first he thought he said 7 days apiece. But he also said they were gone a month. Maybe that included the cruise. 
 

I think they tested at the airport to fly home. By that time, they had long disembarked.