Is my cruise "cancelled" if vaccinations are required and my kids can't be vaccinated?

[BeachyBrowns]

OK, let's say Royal follows Norwegian's lead and requires that its first cruises be entirely vaccinated with no exceptions.  Let's also say Royal and Norwegian's combined influence sways the CDC to such an extent that my early August sailing actually sails.  My booking includes my 2 children, who cannot be vaccinated, though my wife and I are.  Knowing Royal as you do, do you think Royal will consider my booking "cancelled" by Royal, so that I can take advantage of 125% FCC or Lift & Shift?  Let's hope so, but I'm not feeling confident about that.

[PelicanBill]

Valid question. I would hope it would be treated as if the line canceled and you would get some consideration of FCC/discount choices as we have seen.  But not sure anyone has reported a specific case as we wait for start dates and challenges to vaccine requirements to play out.

[Ourusualbeach]

45 minutes ago, BeachyBrowns said:

OK, let's say Royal follows Norwegian's lead and requires that its first cruises be entirely vaccinated with no exceptions.  Let's also say Royal and Norwegian's combined influence sways the CDC to such an extent that my early August sailing actually sails.  My booking includes my 2 children, who cannot be vaccinated, though my wife and I are.  Knowing Royal as you do, do you think Royal will consider my booking "cancelled" by Royal, so that I can take advantage of 125% FCC or Lift & Shift?  Let's hope so, but I'm not feeling confident about that.

So far all of Royals planned cruises allow kids as long as they have a negative PCR test.

 

Why not just wait until the cruise line releases the required information.

[harkinmr]

55 minutes ago, BeachyBrowns said:

OK, let's say Royal follows Norwegian's lead and requires that its first cruises be entirely vaccinated with no exceptions.  Let's also say Royal and Norwegian's combined influence sways the CDC to such an extent that my early August sailing actually sails.  My booking includes my 2 children, who cannot be vaccinated, though my wife and I are.  Knowing Royal as you do, do you think Royal will consider my booking "cancelled" by Royal, so that I can take advantage of 125% FCC or Lift & Shift?  Let's hope so, but I'm not feeling confident about that.

If you look at the FAQ that Royal put out for their sailings outside the US, it says that if you are unable to meet the vaccine requirement by the time of your voyage you can cancel but will only receive FCC, not a full refund.  But of course those cruises allow for unvaccinated children under 16 AND people booking understand what the rules are before making a decision to book.  IF Royal starts in the US requiring all vaccinated crew and passengers (no exceptions; no unvaccinated children) then anyone booked on a cruise before that decision is made it could be handled the same way.  They may take a hardline and say that they have the right to change terms and conditions of sailing, but that will obviously NOT go over well with customers who booked BEFORE the decision date.  Maybe they will do what NCL is doing by offering a full cash refund for anyone who booked any of their cruises before the date they put out their vaccine announcement.  That would seem to be a fair approach.

[BeachyBrowns]

1 hour ago, harkinmr said:

If you look at the FAQ that Royal put out for their sailings outside the US, it says that if you are unable to meet the vaccine requirement by the time of your voyage you can cancel but will only receive FCC, not a full refund.  But of course those cruises allow for unvaccinated children under 16 AND people booking understand what the rules are before making a decision to book.  IF Royal starts in the US requiring all vaccinated crew and passengers (no exceptions; no unvaccinated children) then anyone booked on a cruise before that decision is made it could be handled the same way.  They may take a hardline and say that they have the right to change terms and conditions of sailing, but that will obviously NOT go over well with customers who booked BEFORE the decision date.  Maybe they will do what NCL is doing by offering a full cash refund for anyone who booked any of their cruises before the date they put out their vaccine announcement.  That would seem to be a fair approach.

You’re right—that hard line approach would not go down well with us.  
Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

[jean87510]

best thing to do is just wait to see what the requirements are like the rest of us.  Maybe start researching non cruise vacations while you wait.

[BeachyBrowns]

13 minutes ago, mek said:

I don't think that's totally true.  I think there are many like me who think that the first ships should be sailing only with vaccinated passengers and crew - no exceptions because that is the quickest way the CDC will finally let cruises restart from US ports.

 

 

FTR, I agree with you, and I don't have a problem with the cruise line telling me my kids can't cruise at first--I just want to be given the same options as others who are prevented from cruising by Royal's decision, not theirs.

[mek]

4 hours ago, BeachyBrowns said:

 

FTR, I agree with you, and I don't have a problem with the cruise line telling me my kids can't cruise at first--I just want to be given the same options as others who are prevented from cruising by Royal's decision, not theirs.

Yes, anyone who is prohibited from cruising because of established protocols should definitely be given a full refund, credit, or anything that is acceptable to the people involved.

[broadwaybaby123]

The best course of action is to just wait and see.  I'm in the same situation: my niece is too young to take any of the vaccines.  We're taking her on a cruise in November, and all the adults (myself included) have all been vaccinated already.  We're just paying close attention to what RC has in place for the sailings out of Nassau and St. Martin/Maartin (one is RC the other is Celebrity but both are owned by the same company).  Chances are, what they have in place now, will be very similar to the guidelines we'll have in November.

 

[firefly333]

The 12 and up age range is likely to be approved before any cruises from the USA. It's already asking for approval which could come at any time.

 

Who knows by sail time more age ranges of kids might have completed trials. I wouldnt assume because kids vaccines arent approved now they wouldnt be approved by nov. Unless you have babies. Theres more progress on the vaccine front than the resuming cruises front.

[Jenjer]

I would not worry about it...yet. They will most likely just require a negative test before boarding. My guess is boarding will be done by fully vaccinated parties go one way and not fully vaccinated be it because of age, choice or allergy will go one way and the unvaccinated will have to have a negative test. 

 

My real question is that as of right now my understand is they are requiring a negative test to re enter the US and as long as that rule is in place no way they disembark a ship efficiently.   

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Jenjer said:

I would not worry about it...yet. They will most likely just require a negative test before boarding. My guess is boarding will be done by fully vaccinated parties go one way and not fully vaccinated be it because of age, choice or allergy will go one way and the unvaccinated will have to have a negative test. 

 

My real question is that as of right now my understand is they are requiring a negative test to re enter the US and as long as that rule is in place no way they disembark a ship efficiently.   

The  rcl cruises from Bermuda and nassau are giving the test. Could be the day before. The test only has to be from within 3 days of re entering the usa. 

[Jenjer]

Can I ask who is paying for this testing? is it included? is it a charge? and how is it working as in do you spend hours in line? I think of the Oasis class ship and I have flashbacks to getting ice tickets on Freedom a decade ago. 

[ArthurUSCG]

15 minutes ago, Jenjer said:

Can I ask who is paying for this testing? is it included? is it a charge? and how is it working as in do you spend hours in line? I think of the Oasis class ship and I have flashbacks to getting ice tickets on Freedom a decade ago. 

For Bahamas, it's included as part of the travel visa costs.

[ArthurUSCG]

2 hours ago, Jenjer said:

I would not worry about it...yet. They will most likely just require a negative test before boarding. My guess is boarding will be done by fully vaccinated parties go one way and not fully vaccinated be it because of age, choice or allergy will go one way and the unvaccinated will have to have a negative test. 

 

My real question is that as of right now my understand is they are requiring a negative test to re enter the US and as long as that rule is in place no way they disembark a ship efficiently.   

I suspect people will have to sign up for an onboard test appointment.

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, ArthurUSCG said:

For Bahamas, it's included as part of the travel visa costs.

No it is not, pre cruise testing is out of your pocket, post cruise test to return to US is included in cruise fare. 

[Joseph2017China]

tips, booze and covid tests are just part of vacation now.......include it in your total cost

 

[Candleonwater]

I have a cruise booked for November, that was switched from last November.  I have no interest in going on a cruise any time soon, specifically not until a greater percentage of the world is vaccinated.

 

Am I wrong with this line of thinking, I could get tested today with a sail date of 2 days from now, and I could contract COVID tomorrow?  If so, how are people on the ship protected?  I have absolutely no interest in walking around the ship in a mask.  The idea of sitting in the Schooner Bar, masked up, socially distanced, with strangers walking around, just isn't appealing.

 

Is it wrong to feel like, if they require vaccination to sail, and I booked before all this went down, that I should be able to get a full refund, not a FCC?

[BeachyBrowns]

I posted the above a while ago, but we have final payment looming for our August 7 cruise, and the circumstances have changed.  

 

Will the cruise be cancelled?  Depends on which route Royal goes with it.  If they go the test sailing route, it will surely not go, because there is not enough time to staff the ship, run the test sailings, and jump through the other hoops required.  No worries there.  If they go the 95% vaccinated route, the sailing might go, but our kids won't be able to be vaccinated.  I am very concerned about that possibility, so I called Royal's customer service and spoke to an agent.  She did her best to be reassuring, but I am not very reassured.

 

At first, the agent didn't understand what I was saying when I described our situation--she thought I was saying we didn't want to be vaccinated.  (My wife and I are, and I wish our children were.)  Then, when I made it clear that we wouldn't have the option of having our kids vaccinated, however we might wish to, she said that Royal would give us "every accommodation" in the event that our sailing goes but we can't go on it.  She was not able to tell me what "every accommodation" meant, specifically (nor would I expect her to, but I was hoping for something more specific than that).

 

Now we are deciding whether to make final payment and possibly be stuck with nothing better than the Cruise with Confidence 100% FCC, which of course devalues with the passage of time, or just to cancel now and get our deposit refunded.

[Coochuck]

1 hour ago, BeachyBrowns said:

I posted the above a while ago, but we have final payment looming for our August 7 cruise, and the circumstances have changed.  

 

Will the cruise be cancelled?  Depends on which route Royal goes with it.  If they go the test sailing route, it will surely not go, because there is not enough time to staff the ship, run the test sailings, and jump through the other hoops required.  No worries there.  If they go the 95% vaccinated route, the sailing might go, but our kids won't be able to be vaccinated.  I am very concerned about that possibility, so I called Royal's customer service and spoke to an agent.  She did her best to be reassuring, but I am not very reassured.

 

At first, the agent didn't understand what I was saying when I described our situation--she thought I was saying we didn't want to be vaccinated.  (My wife and I are, and I wish our children were.)  Then, when I made it clear that we wouldn't have the option of having our kids vaccinated, however we might wish to, she said that Royal would give us "every accommodation" in the event that our sailing goes but we can't go on it.  She was not able to tell me what "every accommodation" meant, specifically (nor would I expect her to, but I was hoping for something more specific than that).

 

Now we are deciding whether to make final payment and possibly be stuck with nothing better than the Cruise with Confidence 100% FCC, which of course devalues with the passage of time, or just to cancel now and get our deposit refunded.

 Kind of the same situation.  I have 3 cabins booked for my family.  One child is 11 years old.  If she can't go, I don't want to go at all.  Cruise is July 9 out of Bayonne.  I made final payment a few weeks ago.  I'm pretty sure cruise will be canceled, in which case I'll opt for a full refund.  No biggie.  I expect our cruise to be canceled in the next week or so.  Royal can't give any more information than what you got on your call.  I heard just about the same thing from their Crown & Anchor Rep.  Right now we are in a wait and see pattern.