RCi Definitely back to not so good old ways.

[Ret MP]

10 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

The title of this thread is very misleading, and somewhat argumentative 

I wasn't going to go there.  But, I agree.  It's mostly about a very tragic event of which I have the utmost sympathy for.  But, I was expecting a complaint about RCCL's service, food, whatever.  Not something that is upfront and spelled out. 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Ret MP

[not-enough-cruising]

2 minutes ago, rimmit said:

Common things being common, covid is more prevalent than flu right now.

And less common than a thousand other things 

[KansasK]

Pre-pandemic we were packed and set to leave on a cruise when the day before we were to leave, my husband came down wth the flu. My daughter's family had the flu and were passing it around, and we took the 6 month old baby 4 days before, all of us hoping he would not get it. He got sick and my daughter took him home. The doctor the next day told her the baby had the flu, and to have her Dad, who was coughing, go to the doctor and see if he had the flu. This was the day before we were to leave. He went to an ugent care and they tested him and told him he had the flu and should not go on the cruise.  I called that night and I canceled the cruise. We had the ship's insurance and they gave us the number to call them. I called them and they e-mailed me the forms. We filled them out and about 3 weeks later, we got our money back except for the insurance.  

[rimmit]

5 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Tragic story for sure.  I'm hoping thing get much better for you and your wife.  

 

And like you said, Policy is what it is.  I don't think the policy is a medical policy as much as it is a business decision/policy.  They can't be the arbiter of illnesses at the boarding terminal.   

Yes.

 

I apologize for a potentially misleading title.  What I meant is they had very nice policies beginning and mid pandemic and now those policies have reverted to the not as good policies.  “Good” being a relative term.  I guess reverting back to “not as friendly pre pandemic”  ways would have been a better way to say that..  

[gumshoe958]

What baffles me is why the OP paid a non refundable $2000 for a cruise knowing their travel insurance didn’t cover cancellation when, given his wife’s very sad condition, cancellation was always a strong possibility.

[rimmit]

5 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And less common than a thousand other things 

As a physician I would definitely argue against that statement.  At least in regards to upper respiratory viral illnesses.  There are many viruses,  but to say a thousand other illnesses that present this way would be quite an exaggeration.

 

the standard Respiratory viral panel that I order screens for

Flu A and B

RSV

paraflu

Human Metapneumo

rhino

adeno.

During peak times Covid is definitely front runner compared to most of those.

[rimmit]

12 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Understand, but still wouldn't have done it.

 

But that's just me

Totally understand.  

[not-enough-cruising]

7 minutes ago, rimmit said:

As a physician I would definitely argue against that statement.  At least in regards to upper respiratory viral illnesses.  There are many viruses,  but to say a thousand other illnesses that present this way would be quite an exaggeration.

 

the standard Respiratory viral panel that I order screens for

Flu A and B

RSV

paraflu

Human Metapneumo

rhino

adeno.

During peak times Covid is definitely front runner compared to most of those.

And as a physician I believe we are not at our most objective when diagnosing loved ones. 
In your initial post you never mention upper respiratory, you said  “midway through our day at Disney, my wife started feeling bad.  Just having some vomiting, h/a, muscle aches, fever chills, post nasal drainage.”  This is also proof positive of the wide divide, even still, in how Covid is viewed in all circles, medical and other. 

 

I empathize  with your plight and I hope your wife feels better and you get to cruise again very soon. 

Edited October 7, 2022 by not-enough-cruising

[rimmit]

4 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

What baffles me is why the OP paid a non refundable $2000 for a cruise knowing their travel insurance didn’t cover cancellation when, given his wife’s very sad condition, cancellation was always a strong possibility.

My wife while disabled at this point, is at no higher risk than standard.

Her foot is well healed at this point.

 

We used FCCs that we have fought tooth and nail to get from RCI from a cruise in July.

 

Don’t even get me started on FCCs and RCI’s inability to issue the correct amount.  Our TA has spent innumerable hours sorting out the FCC situation and fighting to get our taxes and fees back.   RCI keeps stating they have been paid out, or the amount is correct or some other excuse.  Our TA has almost had it with them trying to get the correct FCCs issued.  Then they issue them, and they are either “used” as in there is no value or in the wrong amount.  If I wasn’t on top of the FCC situation I can’t count how much money I would have lost.  
 

You absolutely have to stay on top of the FCCs, or you’re not getting your money back.  In reality, at this point I’m playing almost “free” money, as I had to fight for the FCCs we used to pay for this cruise, as RCI kept telling me they didn’t exist as I used them up already, until my TA kept bugging them about it and finally got them issued.

[rimmit]

1 minute ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And as a physician I believe we are not at our most objective when diagnosing loved ones. 
In your initial post you never mention upper respiratory, you said  “midway through our day at Disney, my wife started feeling bad.  Just having some vomiting, h/a, muscle aches, fever chills, post nasal drainage.”  This is also proof positive of the wide divide, even still, in how Covid is viewed in all circles, medical and other. 

 

I empathize  with your plight and I hope your wife feels better and you get to cruise again very soon. 

I am so sorry for the misleading rants.  I really am.  Just so frustrated over the last several months.  I know this complaint has no basis, I knew it when I posted it.  I was just angry and frustrated and I apologize to the forum for my anger at our current plight and what has happened over the last 3.5 months.  
 

I have built up anger at travel insurance companies right now as well as I have four different claims that are outstanding for 3 months now and none have been reviewed even yet for large sums of money. 
 

I also feel RCI has tried to give me the run around with FCCs and it has been an exhausting battle to get those issues and used.

 

again, I apologize for the rant.  It has no basis, and I knew that when I posted it.

[CanHardlyWait4NextYear]

1 minute ago, rimmit said:

I am so sorry for the misleading rants.  I really am.  Just so frustrated over the last several months.  I know this complaint has no basis, I knew it when I posted it.  I was just angry and frustrated and I apologize to the forum for my anger at our current plight and what has happened over the last 3.5 months.  
 

I have built up anger at travel insurance companies right now as well as I have four different claims that are outstanding for 3 months now and none have been reviewed even yet for large sums of money. 
 

I also feel RCI has tried to give me the run around with FCCs and it has been an exhausting battle to get those issues and used.

 

again, I apologize for the rant.  It has no basis, and I knew that when I posted it.

Look at it this way. If your wife doesn't feel that great. There's nothing better then your own bed. And now you have the fun of planning the next trip. Bigger and better. Maybe time to add a surprise or two for her. 

[Ret MP]

27 minutes ago, rimmit said:

Yes.

 

I apologize for a potentially misleading title.  What I meant is they had very nice policies beginning and mid pandemic and now those policies have reverted to the not as good policies.  “Good” being a relative term.  I guess reverting back to “not as friendly pre pandemic”  ways would have been a better way to say that..  

I don't want to put this into the "dead horse" category.  It's too tragic and sensitive.   So, my last comment on this is:  The cruise industry had to do what they had to do to stay in business, one of which was to comply with the CDC's mandates, real and implies.  And to insure that the start up, for an unspecified period of time would go off without a hitch, normal policies were adjusted just for COVID.  We, are just now coming to the realization that COVID is the new flu and people can cruise with the flu, there is not now or ever has been a pre-boarding test for the flu or, to the best of my knowledge, any other illness.  Right now you can cruise with COVID if you have no symptoms (in other words, you don't know you have it, my first bout with COVID, I had no symptoms, I just had a reason to be tested at my Dr.'s office for reasons other than cruising and I came up positive), or hide the symptoms from the terminal staff.  No testing required.  Hell, the 7 day average of COVID deaths (and we know that is a joke) is down to 429.  One is too many but that is wayyyyyyy down and 0 unrealistic.  

 

 

Edited October 7, 2022 by Ret MP

[smokeybandit]

Travel insurance, people.

[Ret MP]

2 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Travel insurance, people.

Yessssssss!  Don't leave home without it!

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, rimmit said:

I have dealt a lot with travel insurance lately due to the accident in zimbabwe filing claims with them.  They will consider this a cancellation and not interruption as we never started the trip.  
 

Trip cancellation was not an offered option for some reason, likely because we booked so close to the actual sailing date that they did not think cancellation was a realistic benefit.  

Did you use a CC as many have trip cancellations, interruptions, etc. benefits.

 

A few years ago, my wife was in the hospital and had to cancel our Easter cruise on the Harmony.

Other than the hassle of providing documentation, I was reimbursed for the lost amounts thru my Chase Sapphire CC.  

[rimmit]

Just now, Ret MP said:

Yessssssss!  Don't leave home without it!

I agree!   Maybe they will count when we left our house as the start of the trip so we got interrupted since we didn’t fly this time.  I am not sure if that will count,  but we did leave our house. 
 

I have 4 different travel insurance claims waiting to be reviewed right now, some for VERY large amounts.

[rimmit]

1 minute ago, nelblu said:

Did you use a CC as many have trip cancellations, interruptions, etc. benefits.

 

A few years ago, my wife was in the hospital and had to cancel our Easter cruise on the Harmony.

Other than the hassle of providing documentation, I was reimbursed for the lost amounts thru my Chase Sapphire CC.  

Yes.  I have an outstanding claim with them right now from when we had to cancel stuff when my wife was run over.  They are painfully inefficient.  I will see if it covers cruises.  It covered airfare but we have none for this trip.

[Ret MP]

Isn't there a clause in all, if not most, travel plans that stipulate that if the plan is purchased within the last XX hours before the covered travel (cruise embarkation) certain things aren't covered?  

[PolicromaSol]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

Not sure I would have gone to Disney prior to cruise. Need to pace yourself. Good luck

True. Disney is a hell of a "busy" trip even under the quietest of times, while a cruise could be considered a pure "chill" trip. I know a recovered cancer patient that still has issues with energy levels years later. She could probably never handle something like an amusement park these days.

 

That said, personally I don't mind if someone boards with a minor illness, so long as they wash their hands.

 

To the OP, I suggest that if you try again, just pick the calmest cruise you can. Not a lot of activities or port excursions. Just relaxing and maybe a spa visit.

[Airbear232]

43 minutes ago, rimmit said:

As a physician I would definitely argue against that statement.  At least in regards to upper respiratory viral illnesses.  There are many viruses,  but to say a thousand other illnesses that present this way would be quite an exaggeration.

 

the standard Respiratory viral panel that I order screens for

Flu A and B

RSV

paraflu

Human Metapneumo

rhino

adeno.

During peak times Covid is definitely front runner compared to most of those.

I am truly sorry for your wife’s previous accident and hope she soon recuperates fully.  However, your words “as a physician” - did you not evaluate your wife’s condition prior to going on a long drive, spending a day at Disney and expecting to get on a cruise for a few days with no issues?  Royal’s present policy is well documented.  Any culpability lies with you, an intelligent rational being. 

[Jerseygirl1416]

1 hour ago, rimmit said:

That is a good idea.  I guess I felt it was socially not responsible to go to the port if she was sick.  I am not judging anyone that does do that, just saying given the circumstances and the high probability she would turn positive soon, I felt it wasn’t a good idea.  Probably shoulda done it though.

Just for the future the new health screening is done on the app up to 24hrs before embarkation. 

[LadyZolt]

To the OP:  I am so sorry for you and your wife and all that you went through with this tragic event and I am so glad that she is reaching the point where she is able to venture out a bit.  I hope she can rest and that one day she will be able to travel whenever she wants.

 

I read the OP's link about what happened, and I would recommend that people going on overseas trips look into medevac insurance, such as Medjet Assist.  Many travel insurance policies are very limited in the kind of medevac that they will cover.  Medjet Assist will take you from anywhere in the world back to your own hospital in the town where you live as soon as you are stable enough to make the trip.  Had the OP had Medjet Assist, his wife would have been stabilized in the first hospital and they would have flown her directly home without the OP having to pay anything at all or fight with people about cash / credit cards, etc.  I know it's too late for OP,  but for the rest of us, we can learn from their experience and not have to endure that same stressful situation of wondering how to arrange a medical transport from a facility that cannot handle the patient's needs. 

 

My husband and I are booked on the upcoming Royal Caribbean "Ultimate World Cruise" and have a policy with Medjet Assist in addition to a travel insurance policy.  We hope we don't need to use either one, but the price we paid for them gives us peace of mind.  

[not-enough-cruising]

53 minutes ago, rimmit said:

I am so sorry for the misleading rants.  I really am.  Just so frustrated over the last several months.  I know this complaint has no basis, I knew it when I posted it.  I was just angry and frustrated and I apologize to the forum for my anger at our current plight and what has happened over the last 3.5 months.  
 

I have built up anger at travel insurance companies right now as well as I have four different claims that are outstanding for 3 months now and none have been reviewed even yet for large sums of money. 
 

I also feel RCI has tried to give me the run around with FCCs and it has been an exhausting battle to get those issues and used.

 

again, I apologize for the rant.  It has no basis, and I knew that when I posted it.

Rant away my brother, we are all willing ears and shoulders. 
Insurance companies can bring out the worst in anyone, and the FCC policies at the cruise line are less than clear, no doubt. 
At the end of the day, you have your wife on the mend, and a bright future right around the corner, I am sure. 

[mek]

10 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

Just for the future the new health screening is done on the app up to 24hrs before embarkation. 

 

10 minutes ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

Just for the future the new health screening is done on the app up to 24hrs before embarkation. 

I didn't know that - so thanks!  Haven't cruised since Feb, 2020, so everything seems to new to us.

[rimmit]

Third times a charm!   Positive covid at Urgent care!  Sadly the test was run after 1700 and the ship had already sailed, and per RCI policy it needs to be a positive test at the pier…. Or ten days prior to embarkation.. So we’ll see what they say…