Royal Reveals Test Cruises-Pinnacles

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, grandgeezer said:

Pretty gutsy of RCL if in fact they plan on using Pinnacles in their test cruises. Because of the requirement requires quite a lot of sailing to qualify, the people are usually quite older and that is the category of highest risk for the virus.

 

I can take a lot of trips.😉

 

#teamwork

[Milwaukee Eight]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I can take a lot of trips.😉

 

#teamwork

You’d be a great tester. Younger than the average Pinnacle, close to the port, documents well, great photography. 
 

M8

[John&LaLa]

50 minutes ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

You’d be a great tester. Younger than the average Pinnacle, close to the port, documents well, great photography. 
 

M8

 

They may not want live reporting. 😉

[twangster]

23 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

They may not want live reporting. 😉

 

They will right up until a positive case is announced 🙂

 

No choice really.  In this day and age there is no escaping social media and live updates.  Look at the Quantum cruise.  It's pointless for any company to deny modern communications.  Better to have a plan in place for all scenarios and do their best to avoid the wrong hashtag.

[John&LaLa]

16 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

They will right up until a positive case is announced 🙂

 

No choice really.  In this day and age there is no escaping social media and live updates.  Look at the Quantum cruise.  It's pointless for any company to deny modern communications.  Better to have a plan in place for all scenarios and do their best to avoid the wrong hashtag.

 

What's up with Quantum?

[twangster]

Just now, John&LaLa said:

 

What's up with Quantum?

 

Nothing.  But she had several live trip reports going on and still does.  Royal has to be very sensitive to these because the CDC will be reading them too.  One errant blogger looking for likes and it could set Royal back months.

[HaveWeMetYet]

5 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Nothing.  But she had several live trip reports going on and still does.  Royal has to be very sensitive to these because the CDC will be reading them too.  One errant blogger looking for likes and it could set Royal back months.

I  think the CDC already has it mind made up on cruising.

See you in September, maybe.

[John&LaLa]

29 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Nothing.  But she had several live trip reports going on and still does.  Royal has to be very sensitive to these because the CDC will be reading them too.  One errant blogger looking for likes and it could set Royal back months.

 

But that one isn't a test cruise. Did you see any blogs during the testing phase?

[Biker19]

5 hours ago, twangster said:

If they thought cruises were imminent they wouldn't need to raise another billion. 

If cruises started tomorrow they still would need the money to start making payments on all the loans they already have.

[momof3cruisers]

On 12/2/2020 at 6:13 PM, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

 

momof3cruisers....are you saying the person you know got invited to one of the test sailings? Did she share any other information about the Invite? 

That is what I was told yes. I don’t recall other info. Sorry.

[twangster]

9 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

But that one isn't a test cruise. Did you see any blogs during the testing phase?

That was the test cruise in Singapore.  

[Cruise a holic]

I agree with those who say Pinnacles not the best choice for the first to cruise.  Many are super seniors and the most vulnerable to Covid.  I would only let those who want to sail in Jr. and Suites to sail first.  Perhaps balconies also- but no inside or window cabins.

[John&LaLa]

3 hours ago, twangster said:

That was the test cruise in Singapore.  

 

I've only seen the first revenue cruise

 

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

I agree with those who say Pinnacles not the best choice for the first to cruise.  Many are super seniors and the most vulnerable to Covid.  I would only let those who want to sail in Jr. and Suites to sail first.  Perhaps balconies also- but no inside or window cabins.

 

I fully expect to be put up in a suite during the first test cruise 😁

[Cruise a holic]

4 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I fully expect to be put up in a suite during the first test cruise 😁

If you pay, you can stay!  Since many of ushave missed so many cruises why not?  Life is getting shorter!

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

If you pay, you can stay!  Since many of ushave missed so many cruises why not?  Life is getting shorter!

 

I don't think you understand the purpose of this thread. 

 

BTW, my last cruise (March 2020) was in STAR Class😉🧞‍♂️

[Cruise a holic]

28 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I don't think you understand the purpose of this thread. 

 

BTW, my last cruise (March 2020) was in STAR Class😉🧞‍♂️

But others not.  

[orville99]

21 hours ago, HaveWeMetYet said:

CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield warns that worsening COVID outbreaks in the months of January and February could create the worst public health crisis we have ever seen.

 

Do any of you really think the CDC is going to allow test cruises to take place after reading this statement he just made?

I think a new No Sail Order is in the works that would cover through May 31 2021 and will be rolled out late January.

 

21 hours ago, twangster said:

 

He also said that we won't be able to hold large gatherings until the fall of 2021.  

 

If he is right about the situation through February there won't be test cruises in the spring and possibly not the summer.  Probably why Royal just raised another billion in a stock offer.  They already stated they have enough to survive most of 2021 without revenue.  If they thought cruises were imminent they wouldn't need to raise another billion.  They know.

Just my opinion, but I doubt that the simulated cruises mandated by the CDC will resemble any cruise any of us has ever been on. The only purpose is to prove to the CDC that a cruise lines policies, procedures, safety, and mitigation practices meet the CDC’s requirements. The people who are looking at these simulated cruises as somehow free 7-night Caribbean cruises are going to be significantly disappointed. The cruise line probably only needs 2-3 day sailing to nowhere “cruises” to run through all of the permutations and scenarios presented by the CDC. I expect that at the conclusion of each simulated cruise, both the CDC and the cruise line will meet for an “after action” assessment of what went right, what went wrong, what the cruise line needs to retrain/retest, etc. Then rinse and repeat until they get it right. RCL has already gone through the drill in Singapore, so they already know what to expect and what they need to do better.

 

I expect that when a volunteer gets to their cabin there will be a packet waiting for each person with their “scripts” to follow. For example, some volunteers may be contacted prior to the cruise with a script that says get to the port and present themselves to the checkin counter with a “fever” or other Covid symptoms to test the process for refusing a passenger, and that their cruises will end right there at the dock.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Cruise a holic said:

But others not.  

 

That generalized statement is laughable.

What's your point?

 

Honestly, way less than half of the pins I know sail in less than balcony cabins. It doesn't make sense with the generous balcony discount

[twangster]

Just now, orville99 said:

 

Just my opinion, but I doubt that the simulated cruises mandated by the CDC will resemble any cruise any of us has ever been on. The only purpose is to prove to the CDC that a cruise lines policies, procedures, safety, and mitigation practices meet the CDC’s requirements. The people who are looking at these simulated cruises as somehow free 7-night Caribbean cruises are going to be significantly disappointed. The cruise line probably only needs 2-3 day sailing to nowhere “cruises” to run through all of the permutations and scenarios presented by the CDC. I expect that at the conclusion of each simulated cruise, both the CDC and the cruise line will meet for an “after action” assessment of what went right, what went wrong, what the cruise line needs to retrain/retest, etc. Then rinse and repeat until they get it right. RCL has already gone through the drill in Singapore, so they already know what to expect and what they need to do better.

 

I expect that when a volunteer gets to their cabin there will be a packet waiting for each person with their “scripts” to follow. For example, some volunteers may be contacted prior to the cruise with a script that says get to the port and present themselves to the checkin counter with a “fever” or other Covid symptoms to test the process for refusing a passenger, and that their cruises will end right there at the dock.

 

The simulated cruises are nothing more than another roadblock so the CDC can stop ships from sailing until they want ships sailing.  "Sorry, not good enough, try again in a month".

[orville99]

9 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

The simulated cruises are nothing more than another roadblock so the CDC can stop ships from sailing until they want ships sailing.  "Sorry, not good enough, try again in a month".

No doubt that they will set a very high hurdle rate. Motivation aside, these aren’t gonna be like any cruise any of us hav ever experienced. Volunteer = Lab Rat.

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

. For example, some volunteers may be contacted prior to the cruise with a script that says get to the port and present themselves to the checkin counter with a “fever” or other Covid symptoms to test the process for refusing a passenger, and that their cruises will end right there at the dock.

In other words, if that scenario shows up in your mailbox don't bother packing a suitcase.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

That generalized statement is laughable.

What's your point?

 

Honestly, way less than half of the pins I know sail in less than balcony cabins. It doesn't make sense with the generous balcony discount

 

 Generous??  On a couple of recently booked cruises Balcony Discount wasn't available due to a "promotion". The "promotion" was less than the Balcony Discount and RCI wouldn't allow opting out of the promotion to get the balcony discount. TA escalated and I emailed Laly's office about it. No go...

[orville99]

25 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

In other words, if that scenario shows up in your mailbox don't bother packing a suitcase.

Those volunteers will probably be RCL shoreside staff, but that scenario has to be tested along with dropping off “luggage” and testing what the porter hs been instructed to do/say. I can see a scenario where the volunteer’s script is to pull up, drop off luggage, enter the terminal, present to the agent with a fever, and then they test whether the luggage can be found/returned or whether it finds its way onboard. 

 

The richness of disaster drills is that any and every conceivable permutation of issues will be tested at some time during the drill. The responders just don’t know how, when, or how often they will be stress-tested

[Ourusualbeach]

11 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

 Generous??  On a couple of recently booked cruises Balcony Discount wasn't available due to a "promotion". The "promotion" was less than the Balcony Discount and RCI wouldn't allow opting out of the promotion to get the balcony discount. TA escalated and I emailed Laly's office about it. No go...

Unless you are booking suites find a TA with group space.  Cheaper, refundable deposits and 100% of the balcony discount always applied.