Test Cruise Question

[brenderlou]

Seeing that RCCL has announced test cruises and dates, have they reached out to people who have signed up for a test cruise yet?

[firefly333]

Not that's been posted. News suggests crew may be used.

[smokeybandit]

I think the whole Volunteer of the Seas thing was a PR stunt (and a good one) to keep positive attention on cruising.

[Kokomo91165]

My TA received an invite to FR in June out of Miami. So invites are definitely going out. I bet though ordinary pax like ourselves aren’t invited. 

[John&LaLa]

Anthem in UK invites are out

Several UK Pinnacles invited

Edited June 6, 2021 by John&LaLa

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, Kokomo91165 said:

My TA received an invite to FR in June out of Miami. So invites are definitely going out. I bet though ordinary pax like ourselves aren’t invited. 

I would imagine all the test cruises end up being TAs, industry VIPs and pinnacles

[kearney]

People need to remember... that these cruises may not be as much fun as you think. It sounds like there will be role playing involved... example... at some point you may be told you tested positive for Covid and then have to go into quarantine for the rest of the cruise...so that they can test their protocols..like testing... making sure you don't leave the cabin...etc.   They will likely be testing social distancing measures... reduced capacity at venues... so even though test passengers may be vaccinated...they may have to act like they are not...  From what I have read the idea is to make sure the crew is properly trained and can effectively implement procedures.

[kearney]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I would imagine all the test cruises end up being TAs, industry VIPs and pinnacles

Frankly I doubt it... this is not a pleasure cruise like the maiden voyage of a new ship

[smokeybandit]

4 minutes ago, kearney said:

Frankly I doubt it... this is not a pleasure cruise like the maiden voyage of a new ship

Not at all a pleasure cruise. But still enough demand for them to fill them with people that didn't sign up via that volunteer link (many of them thinking it's a free pleasure cruise)

[molly361]

13 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Anthem in UK invites are out

Several UK Pinnacles invited

Maybe you will get invited to the Mariner one

[kearney]

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Not at all a pleasure cruise. But still enough demand for them to fill them with people that didn't sign up via that volunteer link (many of them thinking it's a free pleasure cruise)

I understand... I was so desperate to go someplace...any place..we signed up for one of the Nassau sailings... with two days on Coco Cay... I could care less about a beach/waterpark.. I did not know what the protocols would be ...but figured it was a way to test things to see if cruising is still fun... at the cruise approaches... I am now more concerned about protocols.. cause I do want it to be fun. If I lived in Florida..I might try this.... but man I sure would hate to end up staying in my cabin with someone guarding the door...or monitoring my exit from the cabin...which is what I suspect would be part of the procedure....

[smokeybandit]

4 minutes ago, kearney said:

but man I sure would hate to end up staying in my cabin with someone guarding the door...or monitoring my exit from the cabin...which is what I suspect would be part of the procedure....

 

I believe the CSO calls for at least 5% of passengers to be "quarantined" for the cruise. 

[kearney]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

 

I believe the CSO calls for at least 5% of passengers to be "quarantined" for the cruise. 

Can you imagine signing up for this thinking of it as a free cruise and then end up quarantined so they can test their procedures.... just hope they can stay in a balcony cabin...vs get moved to an inside cabin. We were quarantined with Norovirus and it was not fun... but at least we had a nice view of Cabo, and Acapulco and a few other ports......:(

[HicksRA]

I wonder what happens if the test cruise fails……..

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, molly361 said:

Maybe you will get invited to the Mariner one

 

Rather have Allure

[Wilson]

Most think it's going to be a vacation. I am not using my annual leave time for test cruises. 

[garywatson]

1 hour ago, kearney said:

I understand... I was so desperate to go someplace...any place..we signed up for one of the Nassau sailings... with two days on Coco Cay... I could care less about a beach/waterpark.. I did not know what the protocols would be ...but figured it was a way to test things to see if cruising is still fun... at the cruise approaches... I am now more concerned about protocols.. cause I do want it to be fun. If I lived in Florida..I might try this.... but man I sure would hate to end up staying in my cabin with someone guarding the door...or monitoring my exit from the cabin...which is what I suspect would be part of the procedure....

 

It's also possible that things you take for granted on a paid cruise like live entertainment and good quality food could be missing.  I don't see why they would give away lobster and top shelf liquor to non revenue passnegers.  Could be canned Spaghetti-O's and Tang, and your cabin porter role-playing as a cabaret singer in the showroom.  If they decide to invite only VIPs then maybe they bust out the crab legs at the buffet, but since this is non-revenue they possibly have to use simulated money in the casino and reduce or eliminate all the stuff they sell onboard.

[kearney]

11 minutes ago, garywatson said:

 

It's also possible that things you take for granted on a paid cruise like live entertainment and good quality food could be missing.  I don't see why they would give away lobster and top shelf liquor to non revenue passnegers.  Could be canned Spaghetti-O's and Tang, and your cabin porter role-playing as a cabaret singer in the showroom.  If they decide to invite only VIPs then maybe they bust out the crab legs at the buffet, but since this is non-revenue they possibly have to use simulated money in the casino and reduce or eliminate all the stuff they sell onboard.

Nah... since the house generally wins... likely real money it the casino 🙂 

[footzz]

Keep in mind that the odds of being selected for a "test" cruise are minuscule. The CDC mandates that 10% of the ship's maximum number of passengers are required for compliance. The IOS has been confirmed for a test cruise and has a passenger capacity of 4650, so RCCL will only need 460 volunteers for that cruise. Over 250,000 people have signed up so far and I've never been lucky with the LOTTO. I ain't holding my breath.

Edited June 6, 2021 by footzz

[kearney]

1 hour ago, HicksRA said:

I wonder what happens if the test cruise fails……..

I doubt one would fail...but they may find areas that require either protocol changes or further training.

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, HicksRA said:

I wonder what happens if the test cruise fails……..

The criteria for a test cruise is so basic it would be like asking a surgeon to demonstrate his ability to do a heart transplant by asking him to show he can use a scalpel and sutures

Edited June 6, 2021 by smokeybandit

[little britain]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Anthem in UK invites are out

Several UK Pinnacles invited

Several UK Pinnacles have not yet been invited  which seems pretty sloppy!   They have even invited me. Lol! 
 

LB > Pinnacle Junior 

[John&LaLa]

Just now, little britain said:

Several UK Pinnacles have not yet been invited  which seems pretty sloppy!   They have even invited me. Lol! 
 

LB > Pinnacle Junior 

 

Sloppy is their MO.

 

And I never said they all got invited. I guess some are more important than others. You must be on the A list

[molly361]

Have there been reports of people getting invited on that Volunteers FB page?  Was that page set up by Royal?

[rtazz17]

11 hours ago, kearney said:

People need to remember... that these cruises may not be as much fun as you think. It sounds like there will be role playing involved... example... at some point you may be told you tested positive for Covid and then have to go into quarantine for the rest of the cruise...so that they can test their protocols..like testing... making sure you don't leave the cabin...etc.   They will likely be testing social distancing measures... reduced capacity at venues... so even though test passengers may be vaccinated...they may have to act like they are not...  From what I have read the idea is to make sure the crew is properly trained and can effectively implement procedures.

Highly doubt that. This isnt as technical as you may think. Its all theater.. Putting on a show. Then cdc auto rubber stamps your ship when you get back. Its a “we did something”…. Cdc has created this fiasco and now they are ending it. Politics as usual.