Royal Caribbean Covid change of policy Email?

[Elmer_Fudd]

Hi All,

We have a cruise booked with RC and have just been advised by our travel agents that our 14yr old Grand-daughter needs to be fully vaccinated with two Covid doses before boarding (the last one at least 14 days before boarding).  When we booked the cruise early last August we were told the policy was that she only required a negative covid test prior to boarding.  My understanding is that RC changed the policy around the 19th of August 2021, so around a week after we booked, that all over 12's had to be fully vaccinated. 

 

Our daughter does not want her to be vaccinated and had we been told after booking our cruise that RC had changed their policy we probably would've cancelled the cruise and got a refund of our deposit and booked a different holiday.  However, we were never informed by either RC or our travel agent in the UK (TUI) that the policy had changed.  My take on this is that we should definitely have been informed of this vitally important change by either RC or TUI, but we weren't.  Did  anyone on here receive any communication from either RC or their Travel Agent around the end of August 2021 advising them of this change in Covid policy via email please?  If so, would you be kind enough to perhaps post the text of any such email please - many thanks.

Edited June 6, 2022 by Elmer_Fudd
grammar

[nelblu]

No specific e-mails, but lot's of information regarding vaccine and test requirements.  I was in the same dilemma, as we had lifted and shifted a cancelled cruise to Easter 2022.  At that time, there was no requirements for vaccine for children, however, this subsequently changed.  I had one granddaughter that was 8 years old and no vaccine required, but my other 2 granddaughters are older than 12 and not vaccinated and were not planning on getting vaxxed.  I was advised that I can only take action when the H&S protocols was announced which was at the 30 days mark.

 

Called my TA and advised that we are all ready and able to sail, but because of certain requirements, Royal/CDC will not allow these individuals and parents to sail.  I asked that a refund be initiated as any FCCs would be worthless under these circumstances and expiration dates.   Got most of the refunds to my CC within 45 days.  There was a balance of approximately $1,200 in FCCs which my TA is in the process of transferring them to my name, as I have no problems cruising. 

 

Ps.  On June 1, 2022, Royal announced that any FCCs issued under the CWC will not have an expiration date.

[Sunshine3601]

Since you booked with a TA they should have advised you of the health & safety protocols.    I went thru old emails from Royal but unfortunately I do not have for when the protocols changed.     

In this every changing world, It is highly recommended that anyone traveling anywhere view the websites for how or what the requirements are for traveling/cruising, etc.        

Sorry you are just now learning that 12 and older must be fully vaccinated to cruise with Royal Caribbean.    

There may be a slim chance of getting an exception approved for her GrandDaughter to cruise without being vaccinated.    

[doppelganger2621]

You can’t even go to Royal’s website without the healthy sailing protocols plastered across the banner.

 

I agree that the TA should have provided you with the information but it’s also not like Royal has been hiding what their vaccination requirements or Cruise with Confidence policies are.

 

We booked post-vaccination for kids requirement, but I did receive an email when the mask policy was updated in a dedicated Healthy Sailing email

Edited June 6, 2022 by doppelganger2621

[Elmer_Fudd]

Thanks for the replies  - to be honest I don't expect us to get any exception from RC so we are probably going to look to get a full refund as if at any point we'd been told we probably would have cancelled.  The TA are in for a rocket tomorrow and we will be looking for a full refund plus compensation although I doubt we'll get any!

 

The reason we went with a TA was we were booking several cabins and wanted the back-up of a TA rather than us having to deal direct with RC - hence not wanting to check the RC website every other day!

 

If anyone can advise whether either RC or their TA sent out such an email I'd love to hear from them!

Edited June 6, 2022 by Elmer_Fudd

[cured]

13 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Thanks for the replies  - to be honest I don't expect us to get any exception from RC so we are probably going to look to get a full refund as if at any point we'd been told we probably would have cancelled.  The TA are in for a rocket tomorrow and we will be looking for a full refund plus compensation although I doubt we'll get any!

 

The reason we went with a TA was we were booking several cabins and wanted the back-up of a TA rather than us having to deal direct with RC - hence not wanting to check the RC website every other day!

 

If anyone can advise whether either RC or their TA sent out such an email I'd love to hear from them!

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Interesting complaint for your first post.

 

I would not be planning on any kind of compensatory measures. You might get a full refund if you have a good TA, but from what you posted, that is not the case.

 

This error in communication belongs almost all to your TA.  The other big part belongs to you. It is very hard to believe that in a year of nonstop noise from every corner of the world about covid and the various countries' restrictions that you did not pick up a phone and call your TA to ask if there were possibly any restrictions on your cruise. Or even spend 5 minutes on Royal's website. 

 

The cruise rules are very well published. Because of this, I don't think you will be able to get any kind of compensation at this point.  Hopefully you might get a refund back.

 

Good luck! I hope you can cruise with your granddaughter in the future.

[Sunshine3601]

Highly unlikely your TA will give you any type of compensation.     They will most likely offer you a FCC (future cruise credit) but be insistent that you want a full cash refund since your TA never notified you that someone 12+ must be vaccinated. 

Good luck!

[long4acruise]

This is a screenshot excerpt from multiple RC emails we received prior to our booked Jan/Feb 2022 cruises.  

[icsys]

FYI

We booked a cruise through TUI on 9th October 21 sailing this April 22 on Anthem out of Bayonne NJ

 

We received an email on 10th November 21 directly from RCI advising of protocols for U.S. sailings which stated that 'All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before sailing'.

 

We received an email on 3rd December 21 directly from RCI advising a change to testing protocols for North American sailings.

We received the same email on 8th December 21 from TUI advising a change to testing protocols for North American sailings.

 

Are you sure emails did not go to 'Junk' and you missed them?

[Elmer_Fudd]

23 minutes ago, cured said:

Welcome to Cruise Critic. Interesting complaint for your first post.

 

I would not be planning on any kind of compensatory measures. You might get a full refund if you have a good TA, but from what you posted, that is not the case.

 

This error in communication belongs almost all to your TA.  The other big part belongs to you. It is very hard to believe that in a year of nonstop noise from every corner of the world about covid and the various countries' restrictions that you did not pick up a phone and call your TA to ask if there were possibly any restrictions on your cruise. Or even spend 5 minutes on Royal's website. 

 

The cruise rules are very well published. Because of this, I don't think you will be able to get any kind of compensation at this point.  Hopefully you might get a refund back.

 

Good luck! I hope you can cruise with your granddaughter in the future.

Thanks for your post but I'm afraid with all due respect, I have to disagree that this is partly our fault.  If you own a car and there is a major recall due to a potentially dangerous fault would you expect the manufacturer to contact you to advise you or do you check the manufacturers website weekly just in case there is a recall?  No of course you don't, you expect them to tell you of the change!

 

We booked this Cruise last August through a local TA in order to have their back-up and support.  After booking we got a booking confirmation from the TA and then no emails from them until April when we got the demand for the balance!  We lead very busy lives and once we booked our Cruise we just wanted to get on with things and not have to worry about it.  We have not received a single email from RC since booking,  but then we didn't expect to as we booked through a TA.

 

Interestingly, we booked a Cruise with P & O a couple of years ago and received very regular email communication from them after booking right up until we boarded - not so with TUI!

[Elmer_Fudd]

Thanks long4acruise & particularly icsys as you booked with TUI - very useful information.  We do regularly check junk but nothing there from either TUI or RC.

 

icsys the fact that you booked with TUI and then were contacted by RC is really interesting as it points to the problem being with RC and not TUI.  We are expecting a call from TUI tomorrow having been in to see them today so I will advise how it goes - wish me luck!

[Ashland]

6 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Thanks for your post but I'm afraid with all due respect, I have to disagree that this is partly our fault.  If you own a car and there is a major recall due to a potentially dangerous fault would you expect the manufacturer to contact you to advise you or do you check the manufacturers website weekly just in case there is a recall?  No of course you don't, you expect them to tell you of the change!

 

We booked this Cruise last August through a local TA in order to have their back-up and support.  After booking we got a booking confirmation from the TA and then no emails from them until April when we got the demand for the balance!  We lead very busy lives and once we booked our Cruise we just wanted to get on with things and not have to worry about it.  We have not received a single email from RC since booking,  but then we didn't expect to as we booked through a TA.

 

Interestingly, we booked a Cruise with P & O a couple of years ago and received very regular email communication from them after booking right up until we boarded - not so with TUI!

Automotive recall notices are sent out by the mfg all the time...Their also broadcasted heavily about on the news when there is a potentially dangerous element to them.

 

Sorry but your TA and yourself should have been very aware of the ongoing policy and changes regarding covid and cruising. Everyone leads busy lives but that's no excuse....especially since you booked way back in Aug 2021...hard to believe you had no idea what's going on in the world.

[poocher]

I booked through a TA and received a constant stream of healthy sail updates from both RCCL and my TA prior to our March 2022 cruise.  I would certainly be asking my TA why he/she neglected to inform me of this important change.  But it still behooves you to pay attention during these unprecedented times. 

[cured]

35 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Thanks for your post but I'm afraid with all due respect, I have to disagree that this is partly our fault.  If you own a car and there is a major recall due to a potentially dangerous fault would you expect the manufacturer to contact you to advise you or do you check the manufacturers website weekly just in case there is a recall?  No of course you don't, you expect them to tell you of the change!

 

We booked this Cruise last August through a local TA in order to have their back-up and support.  After booking we got a booking confirmation from the TA and then no emails from them until April when we got the demand for the balance!  We lead very busy lives and once we booked our Cruise we just wanted to get on with things and not have to worry about it.  We have not received a single email from RC since booking,  but then we didn't expect to as we booked through a TA.

 

Interestingly, we booked a Cruise with P & O a couple of years ago and received very regular email communication from them after booking right up until we boarded - not so with TUI!

Apples to Oranges.

Car recalls are small incidents contained to one manufacturer and usually just a subset of their models and years.  Although the manufacturer does send out numerous letters via snail mail and the news reports on it also.

 

A global pandemic, on which the news reports absolutely non-stop, is far different. The news about vaccine mandates have been talked about in every country ad nauseum.  You would have to be living under a rock to not realize there were covid restrictions in different places.

 

Did you know about the testing requirements?

 

Didn't this at least pique your curiosity that after a long absence, the return of cruising might have some covid protocols in place.

 

It is just your word that you didn't get any information. But since the information is easily available for you to find, you won't be receiving any compensation. .  Personal responsibility for something so worldwide is a valid reason to deny additional compensation. You will be lucky to get a full cash refund. Hope you have good travel insurance

 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by cured

[Another_Critic]

24 minutes ago, poocher said:

I booked through a TA and received a constant stream of healthy sail updates from both RCCL and my TA prior to our March 2022 cruise.  

Same for my Oct 2021, Dec 2021, Dec 2021 cruises.

 

Also from RCCL for my booked direct March 2022 and May 2022 cruises.

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by Another_Critic

[cured]

Today's www.royalcaribbean.com home page. Note the banner on the top routing you to current health protocols.

 

5 seconds to type in www.royalcaribbean.com. Nobody is going to take anyone seriously when they try to pass off they did not believe enough that in today's world that there would be any kind of restrictions, so made no effort to check themselves, even out of curiosity.

 

Only Rip Van Winkle, awakening from a long sleep, could pull off the fact that they had no idea about covid.

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by cured

[icsys]

I am sure the OP is FULLY AWARE of covid and has already stated that at time of booking a child aged 14 only required a negative covid test prior to boarding.

 

The OP seems to suggest a lack of notification of policy changes rather than no knowledge of any policies at all.

[Weim]

The rules on covid have changed so much and been up and down for the last few years. But, I do believe if you book with a reputable travel agent then it is up to them to inform you of the current changes in policies. Sounds like this is either down to the travel agents in question or Royal Caribbean themselves.  Strange how they decided on an age of 12 and above for vaccinations on ‘children’ yet under 16’s can’t go in the ‘adult’ section of the cruise ships! 

[poocher]

True but at the time of booking, vaccines for 12-17 year olds were not yet widely available or recommended.  That changed.  It was widely reported to have changed.  That should have led to at least some curiosity about what affect that would have on an already booked cruise.  Enough curiosity to take a few minutes to check.

[poocher]

Just now, Weim said:

The rules on covid have changed so much and been up and down for the last few years. But, I do believe if you book with a reputable travel agent then it is up to them to inform you of the current changes in policies. Sounds like this is either down to the travel agents in question or Royal Caribbean themselves.  Strange how they decided on an age of 12 and above for vaccinations on ‘children’ yet under 16’s can’t go in the ‘adult’ section of the cruise ships! 

Vaccination age and adults only areas have absolutely nothing to do with each other.  

[Biker19]

3 hours ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

If so, would you be kind enough to perhaps post the text of any such email please - many thanks.

Curious, what good would such an email do at this point? You know the policy and good luck with getting a refund but rehashing the very poor communications on RCI's and TA's part won't solve your problem. You, like many others before you, have figured out that RCI sucks at messaging - as the saying goes, let it go, get your refund and move on.

[Jarmo]

As is often the case, user error.

[Weim]

Maybe? But things have changed quickly re covid and luckily are a lot better now .  At the end of the day it is still the responsibly of the travel agent to inform their customers of any changes in their booking whether it is a changed/delayed flight or a change in the circumstances.  I have booked direct and have been well informed, maybe the agents haven’t been keeping on top of things with the rush of  bookings for holidays, but it’s no excuse. 
 

[Cigar King]

Elmer is a cartoon character.  Perhaps Covid isn't a thing in Toon Town?

[pcur]

I do know that vaccinations for 12 and over were approved in May 2021.  RCCL usually modifies their policies within a few weeks, sometimes less, whenever the CDC changes the requirements.

 

I do know that I have received COVID health protocol emails from my travel agent for everyone of my booked cruises, starting last year.  I didn't keep these emails, because I was tracking these protocols on my own.