royalnewbie

40 minutes ago, glendroid23 said:

We are hoping to get invited to submit a Royal Up... We're on the Oct 8 Ovation Alaska cruise and haven't had invite via email or on the royal up page yet.

Currently in a balcony room and hoping to bid on some suites. Has anyone been invited in close to their cruise date or are we out of luck?

No need to wait for an invite.....

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/booked/cruise-room-upgrade

I recently removed a 3rd person off a room and the reservation was going to have to be repriced and a room change.  We left them on as the price was more then the WOW sale came out and we went ahead and went down to 2 and changed rooms.  

3 hours ago, Oceansaway17 said:

No you missed my point, Not talking about testing positive I am talking about a cancelled test within the 48 hour window while the request for an FCC is prior to the 48 hour window.  folks are still using CVS or Walgreens or Urgent care.

 

If I sail on Friday and have to now test on Wed but the rules say request for FCC on Tues for any reason no longer works.  Requesting an FCC on Wed due to testing positive is only reason then.  The defined ANY reason ended at 11:59pm on TUES.  

 

RCI moved the testing up on day but left the window for requesting FCC alone.

Seriously, why stress it.  Spend the money on the at home proctored tests that the recommend.  It is not hard at all and not sure why people are stressing.  Where there is a will there is a way.  

Safe travels home and thanks for all you shared with us.  Looks like an amazing vacation and I will be onboard in just 3 short weeks!  

21 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

and so what about the CWC then????

If 48 hours out we are testing and it gets cancelled or whatever, then what happens if under 48 hours we need to cancel under CWC?

 

pay attention if your appointments get cancelled and you are under 48 hours.  Now what?

Next week say for a Sept 9th cruise you have to test on the 7th, but you have too also notify RCI before midnight of the 6th in order to get your CWC.     

 

Me thinks RCI owes us the REST of the STORY

Seems like it is taken care of and you will not lose any money....through Dec 31, 2021

Just now, ticketsunlimited said:

Get them on your own.  there is going to be a huge run on them now.  You never know.

Sad thing is I ordered mine Yesterday afternoon and had the six pack by 10:30 this morning.  I could have walked to the place the make then her in Scarborough Maine but they don't sell them out of the plant.

I can tell you this my sons best friend is a supervisor at this facility and the are EXTREMELY short on help to manufacture test strips.  They laid off so many workers prematurely and cannot hire the workers they need to keep up with demand.  GET YOUR TESTS ASAP if you need them.  

Agreed, I have my 8 needed tests already.  Our county library gives them out for free and yes they are the proctored AG Card tests by Abbott.

3 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

They better offer some sort of testing at the pier.

online store opening Sept 8 to order the at home proctored test kits.  

Yes, each must have create a profile and do their own testing session.  

6 hours ago, rj59 said:

 A lot of people drive to the port, so they'd just drive home to quarantine, and if I test positive at the port then I know I'll get my cruise refund and and I simply spend the money on a hotel instead. Yep, it will be inconvenient, but I'd rather do that than cause an outbreak on a ship, which creates much more harm, or face an expensive and traumatic evacuation if at sea or a foreign port. 

A lot of people do drive to the port but I would be willing to bet that amount is less than 10% of the ship.  

I would rather test at home and if positive stay home.  

16 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

Carnival's start 09/13, and will be at the port, which is the same as NCL is doing now. I would think Royal would do the same, even if they don't want to just to stay competitive with the other lines.

They are charging for the tests at the port.  I would be willing to bet that the expense is more than $50 each.  Easier to buy an at home proctored test from emed

I am (im)patiently waiting on the next vlog.  We are avid Disney Cruise peeps (32 cruises) and would love to see their take on their cruise but I can't find it.  

7 hours ago, rj59 said:

Even Don from Don's Family Vacations on youtube is having fears about his Princess b2b out of Seattle leaving soon, afraid that Princess will switch to the CDC's 2-day window recommendation for testing, and evidently his local Canadian testing options are limited to two days a week now, so he's afraid he'll have to spend his short time in Seattle hunting down a test, and then do the same in reverse, when he needs a PCR test results within 72 hours to get back in Canada. He's already been stuck in the US after a Celebrity cruise because they lost his on-board test, and had to cancel the Mardi Gras because they wouldn't give him a test to fly home afterwards. So if a professional TA and the most-watched cruise blogger on youtube is freaking out over changing protocols and testing requirements, then maybe cruise lines should start paying attention to the distress and confusion of passengers and offering them the same comfort that NCL is providing with pre-cruise free testing, which RCL and MSC both provided until they decided to shove the responsibility onto cruisers, at a time when many are afraid to cruise at all because of Delta and breakthrough cases. It's a stupid, stupid move, especially when NCL is offering free testing and the reassurance of 100% vaccination over lost revenue from kids. 

There are risks for people coming to the US from other countries and as a TA he should be aware of the issues and have back up plans tbh.  Right now he is making more of his negative videos than he is off being a TA.  The obvious easy solution would be an Abbott BianaxNOW AG Card tests, these are approved for travel back to the US (used one to get home from Puerto Vallarta) but not sure about Canada but that would be for him to investigate.  Instead of playing on peoples fears he should be sharing useful information that can help others but I suspect that wouldn't get him paid from Youtube as much.

2 minutes ago, reney313 said:

I agree. There is something refreshing about their reviews.  It's a little comical because they don't seem to drink much normally and they are having a blast trying out all the drinks with the package. 

When she was talking about the ship moving so much and being a little sick....then she zip lines and keeps drinking.  I have so enjoyed them.  We are also huge disney fans and have never watched them before.

We stumbled upon them a few days ago and love their adventure so far.  We feel they are common folk like us.

I have never rented but here is a pic of the bed.  

Wait El Loco Fresh isn't open for breakfast?  Darn thats a bummer as I love breakfast there.  None of us will go hungry though  LOL

Awesome photos, thanks for sharing.  Have a fantastic day. 

Congrats on the upgrade.  Enjoying the reading and journey so far.  I board her on Sept 25 🙂

Just now, ryano said:

 

First, I never said it was Royals fault.

 

Fifth- "What happened Oh I will do anything to get on a ship, I miss it so much.  How quickly you all forgot."
 

Please search my entire history here and show me where I said anything even remotely close to that.

 

Some of us are in a situation that we have to sail this time or lose thousands of dollars and we're tired of the goalposts continuously being moved and the stress involved.

 

Pull your own pants up. 

That's cute you think I replied to only you....it was a general reply to the entire thread.  

Peace

First- this is not Royals fault

Second- Royal hasn't even announced a policy change to align with the CDC (yet?)

Third- It is possible to get a rapid test (CVS or buy) and complete within 2 days prior

Fourth- Non Vaccinated people would have to test 3 days prior and at the terminal- IF this is adopted.

Fifth- What happened Oh I will do anything to get on a ship, I miss it so much.  How quickly you all forgot.

Tip in this COVID era, we have all learned to roll with the punches so pull up your big boy pants and if that is too much then maybe cruising during a pandemic isn't right for you.

As much as I want to sail on Harmony I am worried it will be cancelled shortly.  This is after a TA cruise and arrives in Port Canaveral on the 14th to start Caribbean cruises.  If the CSO expires on October 31 then there is no issue, but with the Delta variant now flaring up across the entire US I do believe it will be extending in some form.  Right now it says no passengers onboard for 14 days when not US based and a test cruise.  So either they cancel a few sailings and the TA or the first 3 minimum cruises from the US will be cancelled.  Do we try and be proactive and try to move to another ship now or wait?

Thoughts and suggestions?

Now through December 2021

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/will-i-have-to-take-a-test-before-i-cruise?fbclid=IwAR3_YH8Gia3_BUa4rJlBGYhhZYq0uDIltu3oNmeOWrR32VnYFEWrY5xkae4#florida

On our last Oasis of the Seas cruise we were in a balcony across the hall from Playmakers.  I booked a guaranteed cabin and this is what was assigned so I was worried that it would be loud and a horrible location.  We loved this location and it was never loud.  We booked 6688 across from the Dog House for our next Symphony cruise in September.  Love being on Deck 6 and walking to the Boardwalk, down one flight of stairs to the Promenade and up 2 fights to Central Park.  

I hope you enjoy your cruise and the cabin location.

We had a guarantee cabin on our first Oasis cruise and was assigned deck 6 and loved it.  Just paid for an upgrade from a central park balcony to an ocean view balcony and opted for deck 6 again.  Love being so near the promenade, boardwalk and central park casino as well if thats your thing.

I emailed the hotel and received this response from the Hilton GM.