Freedom of the Seas - sets sail for 1st Trial run with Volunteers

[coffeebean]

2 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes, I agree -- that would solve the problem without having to wear wristbands.  

I keep my Seapass card in my purse so it is not visible for anyone to see that that I am vaccinated. Who ever will be monitoring this aspect of the sail safe precautions (crew or security), needs to see at a glance who is and who is not vaccinated. Personally, I do not want to be approached at any time by the crew to verify I'm vaccinated. I want the crew and anyone else on board to see very easily that I am vaccinated as I lounge or walk around the ship. I hope there is some sort of provision to ID vaxxed passengers at a glance.

Edited June 21, 2021 by coffeebean

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, coffeebean said:

I keep my Seapass card in my purse so it is not visible for anyone to see that that I am vaccinated. Who ever will be monitoring this aspect of the sail safe precautions (crew or security), need to see at a glance who is and who is not vaccinated. Personally, I do not want to be approached at any time by the crew to verify I'm vaccinated. I want the crew and anyone else on board to see very easily that I am vaccinated as I lounge or walk the ship. I hope there is some sort of provision to ID vaxxed passengers.

 

Then what do you suggest as a means to ID vaxxed and unvaxxed?  The only rumor is that vaxxed will wear a wristband and unvaxxed will have a hole punched on their Sea Pass card.  Have you heard anything else? 

[coffeebean]

1 hour ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

We will definitely have to wait and see what happens out of Florida.  I believe the rule thus far (this is subject to change at any moment I assume) is that everyone has to wear a mask (vaccinated or not) while indoors and not eating or drinking. 

Even though I'm not a fan of the wristband idea, I would much rather wear a wristband than a mask anywhere on the ship. I'm vaxxed.

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, coffeebean said:

Even though I'm not a fan of the wristband idea, I would much rather wear a wristband than a mask anywhere on the ship. I'm vaxxed.

 

I'm also vaxxed and would prefer wristband to mask.  We'll just have to wait and see what's in store for us.  I'm on Freedom in Sept so a lot could happen in between that time. 

[coffeebean]

1 hour ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

We will definitely have to wait and see what happens out of Florida.  I believe the rule thus far (this is subject to change at any moment I assume) is that everyone has to wear a mask (vaccinated or not) while indoors and not eating or drinking. 

I am not in favor of vaccinated people having to wear a mask anywhere on the ship. This is why I will not sail on Royal out of Florida.

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, coffeebean said:

I am not in favor of vaccinated people having to wear a mask anywhere on the ship. This is why I will not sail on Royal out of Florida.

 

I understand.  But for us Floridians it is much easier to sail out of FL ports vs having to fly to another port.  I've flown many times before but now with the new Covid regulations, it's not like in the past so for now I'm sticking with PortMiami and Port Everglades and even Port Canaveral and Port of Tampa. 

[coffeebean]

7 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Then what do you suggest as a means to ID vaxxed and unvaxxed?  The only rumor is that vaxxed will wear a wristband and unvaxxed will have a hole punched on their Sea Pass card.  Have you heard anything else? 

Nope. This is what I have "heard". In fact, a few weeks ago, I posted that I thought it would be a great idea to ID vaxxed passengers with an ID band. I actually suggested a green band for vaxxed  and a red band for un-vaxxed. Thinking more about it though, I figured un-vaxxed people didn't really need to wear an ID band a all. Having their Seapass card with a hole punched in it is a great idea though.

[coffeebean]

3 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

I understand.  But for us Floridians it is much easier to sail out of FL ports vs having to fly to another port.  I've flown many times before but now with the new Covid regulations, it's not like in the past so for now I'm sticking with PortMiami and Port Everglades and even Port Canaveral and Port of Tampa. 

Tell me about it. Since we retired to Florida, we have not needed to fly to any port. Driving is so much easier. When we lived in NJ, we would embark out of Bayonne and NY. We don't like to have to fly to an embarkation city. Well, we did once on our very first cruise back in 2001. We flew to Honolulu to cruise around the Hawaiian islands on an NCL ship.

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, coffeebean said:

Tell me about it. Since we retired to Florida, we have not needed to fly to any port. Driving is so much easier. When we lived in NJ, we would embark out of Bayonne and NY. We don't like to have to fly to an embarkation city. Well, we did once on our very first cruise back in 2001. We flew to Honolulu to cruise around the Hawaiian islands on an NCL ship.

 

Was that NCL's Pride of America? Would love to go on that ship!

[coffeebean]

5 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Was that NCL's Pride of America? Would love to go on that ship!

No, it was the NCL Star. Hubby and I got hooked on cruising at the moment we boarded the ship.

 

Actually, I cruised once before when I was single. I cruised on the very first Carnival ship, the original Mardi Gras many years ago. Had an absolute blast!!!!!!

Edited June 21, 2021 by coffeebean

[livingonthebeach]

1 minute ago, coffeebean said:

No, it was the NCL Star. We got hooked on cruising at the moment we boarded.

 

Actually, I cruised once before when I was single. I cruised on the very first Carnival ship, the original Mardi Gras many years ago. Had an absolute blast!!!!!!

 

Yes Carnival is known for its party atmosphere.  I can imagine you were very young at the time and for sure had a great time partying on the party ship!

[coffeebean]

6 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes Carnival is known for its party atmosphere.  I can imagine you were very young at the time and for sure had a great time partying on the party ship!

I was in college and shared a cabin with 3 other girls. There were two bunk beds in an inside cabin. The sink was in the room. The bathroom was a toilet and a hand held shower head all in one tiny space. You could shower and pee at the same time. LOL. We girls dried our hair up on deck with the wind blowing through our hair. We couldn't use the hair dryers we brought. Who knew? What a great time we had.

[notmyrealnameoremail]

8 hours ago, mauraoel said:

I truely can see them marking the seapass somehow since they have said you have to show it to enter venues but I just can't see wristbands.

They don't need to physically mark your sea pass, they just put a flag on your account that will pop up when your card is swiped

[livingonthebeach]

Freedom has returned to PortMiami.  It docked early this morning.  The first test cruise is now complete.  

https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/06/22/royal-caribbeans-freedom-of-the-seas-simulated-cruise-portmiami/

[Jimbo]

10 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

Freedom has returned to PortMiami.  It docked early this morning.  The first test cruise is now complete.  

https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/06/22/royal-caribbeans-freedom-of-the-seas-simulated-cruise-portmiami/

The ship had 650 employees and their guests onboard. As required by the Centers for Disease Control, all were over 18 and fully vaccinated.

 

Probably told to keep their mouths shut and don't say a word about the cruise to anyone, or else they would lose their jobs.    lol

 

I guess we won't be seeing any you tube videos on this one will we?

Edited June 22, 2021 by Jimbo

[livingonthebeach]

5 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

The ship had 650 employees and their guests onboard. As required by the Centers for Disease Control, all were over 18 and fully vaccinated.

 

Probably told to keep their mouths shut and don't say a word about the cruise to anyone, or else they would lose their jobs.    lol

 

Well this guy talked to the media:  (edited - that was on AOTS out of the Bahamas) article starts talking about the test cruise so I thought they were quoting a test cruise passenger -- turns out they quoted a passenger on AOTS. 

 

https://www.wesh.com/article/enjoying-the-heck-out-of-it-florida-resident-back-on-cruise-ship-after-pandemic-pause/36794676

Edited June 22, 2021 by livingonthebeach

[Plum Happy]

5 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Well this guy talked to the media:

 

https://www.wesh.com/article/enjoying-the-heck-out-of-it-florida-resident-back-on-cruise-ship-after-pandemic-pause/36794676

The video says Adventure of the Seas, Not Freedom.

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, Plum Happy said:

The video says Adventure of the Seas, Not Freedom.

 

Yes, you're right.  I went back and edited my post.  The article starts out reporting on the test cruise on Freedom then switches gears and interviews a passenger on AOTS out of the Bahamas. 

[Plum Happy]

1 minute ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Yes, you're right.  I went back and edited my post.  The article starts out reporting on the test cruise on Freedom then switches gears and interviews a passenger on AOTS out of the Bahamas. 

I couldn't find anything on YouTube from anyone that sailed on it since leaving port.

[livingonthebeach]

3 minutes ago, Plum Happy said:

I couldn't find anything on YouTube from anyone that sailed on it since leaving port.

 

No -- only news channels.  Since the passengers are employees, very few are posting and talking to news media.  

 

 

[Jimbo]

Was weird about it though it suppose to be similated what a cruiseship will look like sailing out of Florida which is where it is sailing from BUT  as of now there will be unvaccinated passengers on those sailings.

 

I don't get it?

[BecciBoo]

14 hours ago, coffeebean said:

I am not in favor of vaccinated people having to wear a mask anywhere on the ship. This is why I will not sail on Royal out of Florida.

but bean, you won't be!

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Was weird about it though it suppose to be similated what a cruiseship will look like sailing out of Florida which is where it is sailing from BUT  as of now there will be unvaccinated passengers on those sailings.

 

I don't get it?

The whole concept of the importance of test cruises was blown up when the vaccine was introduced.  

[Jimbo]

BecciBoo has not been reading the current protocols for sailing out of Florida with vaccinated and unvaccinated cruiser's on same cruise I guess.

Edited June 22, 2021 by Jimbo

[BecciBoo]

Vaccinated and unvaccinated guests are required to wear masks indoors unless seated and actively eating or drinking. Masks are not required in your stateroom, when you are with your traveling party, outdoors, or at Perfect Day at CocoCay, unless in a crowded setting.

Masks won’t be required for vaccinated guests when in venues (bars, lounges, restaurants and entertainment) or at events designated for vaccinated guests only.

In the coming days, we are expecting updated guidance from the CDC on mask policies for vaccinated guests and will update you at that time.

Guests under the age of 2 do not need to wear a mask.

Edited June 22, 2021 by BecciBoo