Extending Protocols for Flying Passengers Home?

[ilovetotravel1977]

I am wondering if you all think Royal "might" extend their covid protocols for passengers testing positive on board and flying them home after October 31?  It doesn't appear that this is happening frequently.  I really want to book a cruise for February 2022, but being Canadian, the risk of having to quarantine in the US for 2 weeks from testing positive is definitely holding me back from booking.  

 

I know LOTS can happen between now and then (heck, next week!).

[Biker19]

53 minutes ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

I am wondering if you all think Royal "might" extend their covid protocols for passengers testing positive on board and flying them home after October 31?

Unless you are on Adventure, unlikely they would fly anyone home. 

[ilovetotravel1977]

1 minute ago, Biker19 said:

Unless you are on Adventure, unlikely they would fly anyone home. 

Oh, really? It's right in their protocols on their website though and doesn't say only Bahamas.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

[smokeybandit]

8 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Unless you are on Adventure, unlikely they would fly anyone home. 

They would if you tested positive prior to a stop at a foreign port of call.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

They would if you tested positive prior to a stop at a foreign port of call.

Maybe, but they may also quarantine you till they get back to home port. I haven’t read reporting one way or another. 

[Biker19]

 

1 hour ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

Oh, really? It's right in their protocols on their website though and doesn't say only Bahamas.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

Right, but, that eliminates most folks sailing out of Florida most of the time, expires in two months and what happens in real life may be different from their stated policy. 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Biker19

[ilovetotravel1977]

Just now, Biker19 said:

 

Right, but, that eliminates most folks sailing out of Florida most of the time, expires in two months and what happens in real life may be different from their stated policy. 

 

Thanks for the helpful reply lol

 

 

 

 

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Unless you are on Adventure, unlikely they would fly anyone home. 

Suite concierge here on Serenade just told me this morning the one child passenger who developed COVID two weeks ago was flown home, with his family, on a private jet from Alaska. 

[kearney]

I would look into travel insurance policies that include Covid to see what they will cover... squaremouth.com and insuremytrip.com are two companies that sell plans from a number of providers...they should be able to help you find a policy that might help...

[shellunderwater]

I dont know about the international aspect of cruising now.  So not sure I can help. 

 

But either way, I'll have my vaccine and my trip insurance with primary medical and evacuation coverages. It allows me to not worry.  Makes it more relaxing. 

 

Now, where do I get my rapid test......  🤔   lol

[DallasGuy75219]

2 hours ago, kearney said:

I would look into travel insurance policies that include Covid to see what they will cover... squaremouth.com and insuremytrip.com are two companies that sell plans from a number of providers...they should be able to help you find a policy that might help...

The problem is most (all?) travel insurance only pays for medical evacuation when medically necessary (i.e., you can't get the level of care you need where you are).  If you're getting the necessary level of care in the foreign port where you got kicked off the ship for testing positive, travel insurance isn't going to pay for an evacuation flight home just because you'd prefer to be in a hospital there.

 

 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, shellunderwater said:

I dont know about the international aspect of cruising now.  So not sure I can help. 

 

But either way, I'll have my vaccine and my trip insurance with primary medical and evacuation coverages. It allows me to not worry.  Makes it more relaxing. 

 

Now, where do I get my rapid test......  🤔   lol

Make sure you understand what your insurance covers. Most travel insurance "medical evacuation" will transport you from your current location to the nearest hospital. If you get disembarked in Cozumel, most insurance ensures that you get to a Mexican hospital. They do not fly you anywhere in the world that you want. 

[AshleyDillo]

8 hours ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

Oh, really? It's right in their protocols on their website though and doesn't say only Bahamas.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

 

Click on the link from that page that says " COVID-19 Refund and Cancellations Policy"

The below policies are effective June 28, 2021 and apply to all RCI cruises
scheduled to sail between August 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, inclusive: 

 

So is the policy through only October 31 or through December 31?

 

Consistently inconsistent, as usual! 🙂

[libbismom]

9 hours ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

I am wondering if you all think Royal "might" extend their covid protocols for passengers testing positive on board and flying them home after October 31?  

My guess is that the October 31 date was in conjunction with the CDC’s Conditional Sail Order. As a way to assure the CDC that they will limit the exposure of the positive passenger to the general public.
 

A lot has changed since Royal first put that out. I don’t think Royal will be quite as generous if the CSO is not extended beyond Oct 31. 

[ilovetotravel1977]

1 hour ago, AshleyDillo said:

 

Click on the link from that page that says " COVID-19 Refund and Cancellations Policy"

The below policies are effective June 28, 2021 and apply to all RCI cruises
scheduled to sail between August 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, inclusive: 

 

So is the policy through only October 31 or through December 31?

 

Consistently inconsistent, as usual! 🙂

The October 31 deadline has to do with anything pertaining to the CSO/Covid, I believe. 

 

Their cancellation/refund policy could be a different deadline (i.e., Dec 31) as that has nothing to do with the CSO.

[LindaO]

Purchase Travel Insurance that includes trip interruption.   Also know that Royal CAN NOT just put an infected person off the ship in a foreign port without arranged transportation through that country and back to the US.   The port will not accept the person or allow them to be 'left' in port.  There are protocols.   This is why Royal has insisted that un-vaccinated carry insurance that will reimburse Royal in the event they have to fly that person to their home.   It is complicated.   There are no precedents here and it is an evolving situation.   I suggest that if this is a real concern of yours, you discuss with your insurance carrier and choose a policy that will cover expenses.   Or, just do not cruise until all of this is resolved.      

[DallasGuy75219]

13 minutes ago, LindaO said:

Also know that Royal CAN NOT just put an infected person off the ship in a foreign port without arranged transportation through that country and back to the US.   The port will not accept the person or allow them to be 'left' in port.  There are protocols. 

There are protocols for passengers to get medical care for COVID if disembarked in a foreign port but after October 31 paying for that care and evacuation home becomes the issue.  Take the vaccinated Carnival passenger who was disembarked with severe COVID in Belize and later died... Carnival doesn't have a guarantee like Royal to pay for quarantine, medical care, and/or transportation home if you test positive and have to disembark in a foreign port. 

 

The Carnival passenger didn't have insurance so couldn't get hospital care in Belize and then couldn't get evacuated to the US until her family fronted that money.  After October 31, Royal passengers without the appropriate insurance could find themselves in the same situation if they get disembarked with COVID in a foreign port. 

[DirtyDawg]

17 hours ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

I am wondering if you all think Royal "might" extend their covid protocols for passengers testing positive on board and flying them home after October 31?  It doesn't appear that this is happening frequently.  I really want to book a cruise for February 2022, but being Canadian, the risk of having to quarantine in the US for 2 weeks from testing positive is definitely holding me back from booking.  

 

I know LOTS can happen between now and then (heck, next week!).

I would put a low probability on Royal extending their flying people home policy into 2022. So you will likely need to find a travel insurance policy which would provide a similar benefit. There is a Canadian Cruisers forum on CC where there have been a couple of threads about Canadian travel insurance for cruising. Check those out.

[shellunderwater]

9 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Make sure you understand what your insurance covers. Most travel insurance "medical evacuation" will transport you from your current location to the nearest hospital. If you get disembarked in Cozumel, most insurance ensures that you get to a Mexican hospital. They do not fly you anywhere in the world that you want. 

My policy states:  

Accidental Injury or Sickness warrants Your Emergency Evacuation.
Emergency Evacuation means:
(a) the Insured's medical condition warrants immediate transportation from the place where the Insured is injured or 
sick to the nearest Hospital where appropriate medical treatment can be obtained;
(b) after being treated at a local Hospital, Your medical condition warrants transportation to the United States where the 
Insured resides, to obtain further medical treatment or to recover; or
(c) both (a) and (b), above.

[LuCruise]

10 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

 

Click on the link from that page that says " COVID-19 Refund and Cancellations Policy"

The below policies are effective June 28, 2021 and apply to all RCI cruises
scheduled to sail between August 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021, inclusive: 

 

So is the policy through only October 31 or through December 31?

 

Consistently inconsistent, as usual! 🙂

We're in the same boat as OP (no pun intended).  We're trying to decide whether to keep our December cruise out of NJ or wait for next year to cruise and go to an AI in December.  Pros and cons of each.  I took a look at the policy above.  Does that mean in the chance that someone in our party tests positive, that Royal will fly us to our home city, which includes Canada (Toronto for us)?  Or is it to US location only?  If we keep our cruise and borders open, then figuring out if driving or flying is better.  If they fly you home, then better to fly as our car would be stuck in New Jersey if that were to happen.

[AshleyDillo]

10 hours ago, ilovetotravel1977 said:

The October 31 deadline has to do with anything pertaining to the CSO/Covid, I believe. 

 

Their cancellation/refund policy could be a different deadline (i.e., Dec 31) as that has nothing to do with the CSO.

But if you actually read that pdf file at the link, it addresses testing positive on the ship. So I would assume they will cover costs through the end of the year.

 

• If you are fully vaccinated or unable to be vaccinated and you test positive for COVID-19 during 
the voyage, the cruise line will: 
• cover the cost of necessary COVID-19 related medical treatment onboard the ship;
• coordinate and cover the costs of any required land-based quarantine for you and members of your Traveling Party; and
• coordinate and cover the costs of travel arrangements to get you and members of your Traveling Party back home.

 

If I'm not mistaken you were asking about this specifically in your original post?  It won't cover a February 2022 cruise the way it is written, but looks like through the end of December it will, not October.

[LuCruise]

Did Royal's policy just change for the above where they refund you if you test positive and cover any quarantine or getting you home?  I could have sworn when the poster put the link up the other day it said Dec 31.  Now it says Oct 31.

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/if-i-test-positive-for-sars-cov-2-what-is-your-refund-policy-and-costs-covered

[SRF]

On 8/28/2021 at 9:44 PM, BirdTravels said:

Make sure you understand what your insurance covers. Most travel insurance "medical evacuation" will transport you from your current location to the nearest hospital. If you get disembarked in Cozumel, most insurance ensures that you get to a Mexican hospital. They do not fly you anywhere in the world that you want. 

 

Back in 2014, my Mother had a medical issue in Halifax.  After about 3 - 4 days in the hospital there, the insurance paid for a med evac flight back to DC.

 

This was the RCI insurance, as my parents were 87, and the normal insurance venues were EXPENSIVE

[Babr]

To address the question of whether Royal will fly you home, please note the language of the policy.

 

First, it says it will pay for cost of treatment on board, assuming you have symptoms that need attention.

 

Then it says it will arrange and pay for land-based quarantine if it is required. It would be necessary if you flew to the port and could not board a flight immediately because of your Covid diagnosis.

 

Finally, it says that it will cover the costs of travel arrangements to get you home. Assuming you flew to the port, that means helping to rebook your return flight and paying any fees associated with that.

 

It does not say it will fly you home in a chartered jet because you test positive. Royal did that for some passengers who tested positive on cruises out of the Bahamas because it was part of the port agreement in conjunction with their health visa and insurance. It could also be part of the port agreement with Alaska, but other cruise lines have arrangements for quarantine in Seattle. 
 

I’m not so sure you can expect the private jet in every case.

[Babr]

On 8/29/2021 at 6:29 AM, shellunderwater said:

My policy states:  

Accidental Injury or Sickness warrants Your Emergency Evacuation.
Emergency Evacuation means:
(a) the Insured's medical condition warrants immediate transportation from the place where the Insured is injured or 
sick to the nearest Hospital where appropriate medical treatment can be obtained;
(b) after being treated at a local Hospital, Your medical condition warrants transportation to the United States where the 
Insured resides, to obtain further medical treatment or to recover; or
(c) both (a) and (b), above.

Yes it does say it will transport you to the US - if your condition warrants. Therein lies the problem. Such a transfer is hospital to hospital and requires the approval of the attending physician, the receiving physician, and the insurance company. If it is determined that you are being cared for adequately, you will stay where you are. The transfer is not at your discretion.

That is true for any kind of medical emergency; but if you are thinking about Covid, know that for a moderate case which could be managed at the nearest facility, you might have to recover in a Mexican hospital and return home by commercial air when you are clear to fly.