Testing Positive - without Cruise w Confidence Program

[robmtx]

If I understand the language, cruises booked after March 31 are not eligible for cruise w/ confidence. I booked a cruise today, it's for Sep 4 2022. We are still required to test 2 days before the cruise. If we test positive 2 days before the cruise, we aren't allowed to go on the cruise - but without the Cruise w/ confidence program, am I on the hook for the cost of the cruise? Or is there still language somewhere that says we'd get FCC or something?

 

It seems extremely high risk now to book a cruise where mandatory testing may sideline you, even if one party member tests positive.

 

[renza]

19 minutes ago, robmtx said:

If I understand the language, cruises booked after March 31 are not eligible for cruise w/ confidence. I booked a cruise today, it's for Sep 4 2022. We are still required to test 2 days before the cruise. If we test positive 2 days before the cruise, we aren't allowed to go on the cruise - but without the Cruise w/ confidence program, am I on the hook for the cost of the cruise? Or is there still language somewhere that says we'd get FCC or something?

 

It seems extremely high risk now to book a cruise where mandatory testing may sideline you, even if one party member tests positive.

 

Even without cruise with confidence you can get your money back if any of you test positive 10 days before cruise. This runs through March 31,2023 bookings. 

[poocher]

CWC allowed cancellations up to 48 hours prior to your cruise with full FCC/refund.  Testing positive is a totally different animal.  As posted just before me, if you test positive, you can get your money back irrespective of CWC.  Believe me, they don’t want you on board under those circumstances!

Edited June 12, 2022 by poocher

[johnjen]

27 minutes ago, robmtx said:

If I understand the language, cruises booked after March 31 are not eligible for cruise w/ confidence. I booked a cruise today, it's for Sep 4 2022. We are still required to test 2 days before the cruise. If we test positive 2 days before the cruise, we aren't allowed to go on the cruise - but without the Cruise w/ confidence program, am I on the hook for the cost of the cruise? Or is there still language somewhere that says we'd get FCC or something?

 

It seems extremely high risk now to book a cruise where mandatory testing may sideline you, even if one party member tests positive.

 

Hoping that, with the recent doing away with mandatory testing for travelers entering the US, the cruise industry will also ditch this nerve-wracking "insipid" nonsense about having to take a covid test two days before cruising.

[robmtx]

Ok thank you. I agree they wouldn't want me onboard with Covid, and also feel if they had a "touch luck" attitude toward the 48 Positive test, there would be a huge decrease in bookings.

[nelblu]

5 minutes ago, johnjen said:

Hoping that, with the recent doing away with mandatory testing for travelers entering the US, the cruise industry will also ditch this nerve-wracking "insipid" nonsense about having to take a covid test two days before cruising.

It's not the cruise industry, but the primary culprit is the CDC.

[orville99]

8 minutes ago, nelblu said:

It's not the cruise industry, but the primary culprit is the CDC.

And the ports of call that the cruise line visits. Even if the CDC disappeared from the equation, the ports of call (i.e. Bermuda) would still hold sway on testing/vaccination.

[robmtx]

Ok I had my coffee and did some reading.

 

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

 

Answers my question I suppose!

 

[cured]

1 hour ago, orville99 said:

And the ports of call that the cruise line visits. Even if the CDC disappeared from the equation, the ports of call (i.e. Bermuda) would still hold sway on testing/vaccination.

Not to mention the Bahamas. Since the preponderance of Royal Caribbean US Caribbean sailings stop at Coco Cay and other lines stop at their private islands, as long as the Bahamas have their negative test requirement the testing requirement is not going away. 

Edited June 12, 2022 by cured

[orville99]

13 minutes ago, cured said:

Not to mention the Bahamas. Since the preponderance of Royal Caribbean US Caribbean sailings stop at Coco Cay and other lines stop at their private islands, as long as the Bahamas have their negative test requirement the testing requirement is not going away. 

True. In fact, the CDC pre cruise testing protocol is only a recommendation, not a requirement, and it is still at three days, not two.

Both the requirement and the timing are dictated by the ports of call.

Edited June 12, 2022 by orville99

[johnjen]

8 hours ago, robmtx said:

Ok I had my coffee and did some reading.

 

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

 

Answers my question I suppose!

 

My interpretation of the "pro-rating" refund bit - includes if, say, you're booked in a lovely suite, you test positive, and they stuff you in the hold in an inside or port-hole "steerage" cabin for the remainder of the cruise, feeding you coffee in a cardboard cup, cold food covered on a paper plate, etc.

[ARandomTraveler]

3 hours ago, johnjen said:

feeding you coffee in a cardboard cup

Or worse, a soup container 😂

[happy cruzer]

14 hours ago, johnjen said:

Hoping that, with the recent doing away with mandatory testing for travelers entering the US, the cruise industry will also ditch this nerve-wracking "insipid" nonsense about having to take a covid test two days before cruising.

Wonder if they will ever treat it like other illnesses that they cover in the health questions pre-boarding?  They always have had the option to deny boarding with refund for health issues.  Sure some people will lie just like they might with noro or flu.  But many if they knew they were going to get a refund would choose not to cruise if ill.  One would still have the option to self test before a cruise vs. proctored and having to carry proof at boarding.  If you turned up positive, answer the health question truthfully and get refund (could even at that point get a proctored test as proof for refund).

[johnjen]

On 6/13/2022 at 1:57 AM, happy cruzer said:

Wonder if they will ever treat it like other illnesses that they cover in the health questions pre-boarding?  They always have had the option to deny boarding with refund for health issues.  Sure some people will lie just like they might with noro or flu.  But many if they knew they were going to get a refund would choose not to cruise if ill.  One would still have the option to self test before a cruise vs. proctored and having to carry proof at boarding.  If you turned up positive, answer the health question truthfully and get refund (could even at that point get a proctored test as proof for refund).

The entire COVID process requirements for cruising turned into a nightmare for a LOT of people and I felt it was overrated, panic-driven. I'm glad things are letting up, this two year period of idiocy and inconveniences was getting so ten minutes ago.

[MommaBear55]

6 hours ago, johnjen said:

The entire COVID process requirements for cruising turned into a nightmare for a LOT of people and I felt it was overrated, panic-driven. I'm glad things are letting up, this two year period of idiocy and inconveniences was getting so ten minutes ago.

I'm sure the families and friends of the million Americans who died of Covid or the 16,000,000 who are still struggling with long Covid would disagree that it's an "inconvenience"

[rudeney]

4 hours ago, MommaBear55 said:

I'm sure the families and friends of the million Americans who died of Covid or the 16,000,000 who are still struggling with long Covid would disagree that it's an "inconvenience"

 

You can count me as one of those 16M with "long COVID" as I have a partial loss of smell that is permanent.  While I wish that were not the case, it is just an inconvenience. 

Edited June 16, 2022 by rudeney
spelling

[poocher]

Sorry, but many are suffering much worse than partial loss of smell.  So it’s just an inconvenience for you.  But for my father-in-law who died from it and my mother-in-law who is now confined to a (very nice clean) nursing facility because she needs 24/7 care, it’s more than that.  I do not disagree that we have to try to get back to some level of normalcy but the steps taken were, IMHO, out of an abundance of caution.  Yes sometimes an over abundance but not just to inconvenience us.

[rudeney]

45 minutes ago, poocher said:

Sorry, but many are suffering much worse than partial loss of smell.  So it’s just an inconvenience for you.  But for my father-in-law who died from it and my mother-in-law who is now confined to a (very nice clean) nursing facility because she needs 24/7 care, it’s more than that.  I do not disagree that we have to try to get back to some level of normalcy but the steps taken were, IMHO, out of an abundance of caution.  Yes sometimes an over abundance but not just to inconvenience us.

 

I am sorry for your loss and your mother-in-law's struggles.  I am blessed that no one in my family has experienced anything like that.  I do have friends who lost family members to COVID and although all of them were elderly and with serious comorbidities, it is still sad.