Royal Caribbean just changed vaccination requirements for transatlantic leaving from USA

[LB_NJ]

2 hours ago, gumshoe958 said:

Cunard is VERY different to Royal so you’d be well advised to do some research if you’ve never sailed with them before.

 

On formal nights, for example, a suit and tie is the bare minimum expected for men at dinner. Most will be in a full tux.

 

And think afternoon tea with a harpist and ballroom dancing rather than hairiest chest competitions and water slides.

 

I happen to like both lines but if you’re only used to Royal, the formality of Cunard may come as a shock. You’d never, ever see anyone in shorts in the MDR there.

 

I prefer Cunard.  FYI,  Celebrity requires a supervised test for Transatlantic.  I thought last time I read the requirements Royal also required a supervised test.

 

Cunard also requires full vaccination.

[Wineaux007]

3 minutes ago, LB_NJ said:

I prefer Cunard.  FYI,  Celebrity requires a supervised test for Transatlantic.  I thought last time I read the requirements Royal also required a supervised test.

 

Cunard also requires full vaccination.

Royal did require supervised test when I took a TA last November.  Now new TA requirements for unsupervised test if you so desire.  

[Tiggerontheseas]

33 minutes ago, Wineaux007 said:

Royal did require supervised test when I took a TA last November.  Now new TA requirements for unsupervised test if you so desire.  

 

Exactly, and that’s the updated protocols in the email being sent out.  As previously mentioned, the vaccination requirements have not changed as far as I can tell.  I am booked on a Transatlantic and being fully vaccinated has always been a requirement for my sailing.  I think the OP may be mistaken about what the vaccine requirements were when it was booked.  The protocols are less stringent now, not more.  Yay!

[Sunshine3601]

2 hours ago, sibs said:

Royal Caribbean has not changed the testing requirements. They’re changing the vaccination requirements. Before I could leave from New York and take a transatlantic over to Europe without needing a vaccine. As of yesterday I was informed that I need a vaccine. You only needed a vaccine if you were going from Europe to the USA

I'm pretty sure that Spring of 2022 they had vax requirements for TA crossings from US to Europe.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I'm pretty sure that Spring of 2022 they had vax requirements for TA crossings from US to Europe.

With Celebrity Apex for Spring TAs in 2022 you need both

With RCL Voyager Fall TA in September 2022 you need both 

[easyqueasy]

15 minutes ago, Tiggerontheseas said:

 

Exactly, and that’s the updated protocols in the email being sent out.  As previously mentioned, the vaccination requirements have not changed as far as I can tell.  I am booked on a Transatlantic and being fully vaccinated has always been a requirement for my sailing.  I think the OP may be mistaken about what the vaccine requirements were when it was booked.  The protocols are less stringent now, not more.  Yay!

I disagree. The prior vaccine requirement specifically stated transatlantic sailings from Europe and transpacific sailings. After the transpacific sailing season was over, that was dropped from sailings requiring vaccination, but has recently been added back. After the fall transatlantic sailings were completed, they did not drop that from the list, but instead changed it to just say transatlantic sailings. 

[Sunshine3601]

5 minutes ago, easyqueasy said:

I disagree. The prior vaccine requirement specifically stated transatlantic sailings from Europe and transpacific sailings. After the transpacific sailing season was over, that was dropped from sailings requiring vaccination, but has recently been added back. After the fall transatlantic sailings were completed, they did not drop that from the list, but instead changed it to just say transatlantic sailings. 

While the TA announcement for Spring crossings has been made.  Grant it may change as protocols change on a regular basis everywhere in the world.

I guess Royal doesn't want to chance having a unvaxxed person get extremely sick in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

If you are not willing to accept their protocols then you will need to call them to cancel.

[sgmn]

4 hours ago, RedIguana said:

I was under the impression that they never dropped the vaccination requirement for TA's.

Same here, I thought it was always a requirement.  Also thought you had to be tested prior to travel for transatlantic 

Edited January 7, 2023 by sgmn

[Tiggerontheseas]

23 minutes ago, easyqueasy said:

I disagree. The prior vaccine requirement specifically stated transatlantic sailings from Europe and transpacific sailings. After the transpacific sailing season was over, that was dropped from sailings requiring vaccination, but has recently been added back. After the fall transatlantic sailings were completed, they did not drop that from the list, but instead changed it to just say transatlantic sailings. 

 

Ah, okay. The OP was referring to a Transatlantic sailing so those were the protocols I was focusing on. and didn't take into account Transpacific differences.

[MJSailors]

In my view, a passenger  planning on a TA has two choices.

Vax and test according to ship’s guidelines 

Decide that those kind of voyages are not for you- KISS ( keep it simple Sam)

Something else to consider- 

 Covid case numbers are on the rise in parts of Connecticut, New Jersey and NYC.

The Patterson ,NJ school district has announced a mask mandate for students and staff attending schools in the district due to a rise in Covid cases and other infectious diseases.

Not intending to be a Debbie Downer, but issues to consider in choosing to take a cruise vacation this winter.

Also , I agree with the poster noting the differences between RCCL shipboard experiences and those of Cunard. Anyone switching from RCCL to Cunard needs to be aware of dress codes, shipboard activities and policies.They are very different cruiseines.

MJ🙋🏻

[pcur]

I think we all should be prepared to make vaccination and/or testing part of our cruise research before we go.  It's an ebb-and-flow (pardon the "sea" pun) situation.  It will change according to the health requirements of where the ship is embarking passengers, and what ports are on the itineraries.  

 

My travel agent said the whole reason he and his wife got vaccinated was they didn't want to mess with all the changing requirements, and went with the highest standard to save themselves the trouble every cruise.

Edited January 7, 2023 by pcur

[HappyTexan44]

The question is though, What will Royal do for the unvaccinated guests booked on that cruise? (assuming that they really dad add a vaccinated requirement).  

[Ex-Airbalancer]

43 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

The question is though, What will Royal do for the unvaccinated guests booked on that cruise? (assuming that they really dad add a vaccinated requirement).  

Nothing , either refund their deposit or let them change the cruise 

Edited January 7, 2023 by Ex-Airbalancer

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, HappyTexan44 said:

The question is though, What will Royal do for the unvaccinated guests booked on that cruise? (assuming that they really dad add a vaccinated requirement).  

 

What do you expect them to do? 

 

The vaccination requirement doesn’t actually seem to have been changed, as in officially rescinded and then re-added. The protocols have always been subject to change, and in fact were at short notice as I recall for TA’s in 2022. 
 

I, for one, booked assuming vaccinations would be required, also possibly/probably testing. If any of those requirements were rescinded it would have been a bonus. This “reminder” of requirements has been issued prior to final payment, which I realize is OK for US guests, not so good for overseas guests who were perhaps hoping/expecting restrictions to be lifted.

[LB_NJ]

53 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

 

What do you expect them to do? 

 

The vaccination requirement doesn’t actually seem to have been changed, as in officially rescinded and then re-added. The protocols have always been subject to change, and in fact were at short notice as I recall for TA’s in 2022. 
 

I, for one, booked assuming vaccinations would be required, also possibly/probably testing. If any of those requirements were rescinded it would have been a bonus. This “reminder” of requirements has been issued prior to final payment, which I realize is OK for US guests, not so good for overseas guests who were perhaps hoping/expecting restrictions to be lifted.

If it really was not changed then I see no reason for a complete refund.

 

Whatever the standard cancellation and/or transfer policies apply.

[Kim S.]

I booked my transatlantic cruise on Royal Caribbean on November 17, 2022. At that time, they stated the the vaccine requirements were lifted and no longer required. I also checked with Royal Caribbean to verify that. I spent time researching our entry point (Barcelona) to make sure they didn't have any covid requirements.

Yesterday, Jan. 6, 2023, Royal Caribbean sent out an update email (already listed in previous comments). Now, vaccines are required for all passengers 12 and up. No vaccine is required for passengers under 12. 

I called Royal Caribbean yesterday to cancel our transatlantic and we booked a different cruise in its place (US). In the process, I spoke to two separate representatives that told me we did not need to be vaccinated for the transatlantic cruise we were booked on. Both representatives had not yet been advised of the new update. The email update was sent to me at 3pm (CST). I was on the phone with them at 3:45. 

I worked with very kind representatives that worked hard to help us change our cruise itinerary. I called and nicely explained that we would need to change our cruise and they were very helpful.

So, I am simply commenting to clarify that they had indeed lifted the vaccine requirements for many transatlantic sailings, but with the update yesterday, have reinstated vaccine requirements for all transatlantic and transpacific sailings.

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, Kim S. said:

So, I am simply commenting to clarify that they had indeed lifted the vaccine requirements for many transatlantic sailings, but with the update yesterday, have reinstated vaccine requirements for all transatlantic and transpacific sailings.

Welcome to CC.

 

As was the case during the COVID era, requirements can change at any time and the RCI CSRs could be the last to find out.

[emeraldcity]

Kim S. - I'm glad they worked with you to change to a different itinerary. For those who are under the impression that the Spring TA's are not inside of final payment, that may be the case for most of them. The Symphony will however set sail in 60 days.

 

For me, vaccination requirements are a non-issue. I got my fourth shot this past October. I'm not trying to convince anyone to do the same, as that is a matter of personal choice. For me, it makes me feel a greater sense of ease in social situations.

 

As mentioned earlier in this thread, there are undoubtedly concerns on the part of the cruise line about the risk of a mid-ocean medical evacuation. We experienced that very situation on the March TA 2020 on the Allure. Four hours north west to meet a helicopter from the Azores. We were very fortunate that the seas were calm.

 

I hope they work with those unvaxxed folks who are booked on the Symphony to find a suitable alternate. A cruise should be something to happily anticipate ... not something to stress over.

[cruisin from florida]

Keep in mind that besides any port rules, etc. Royal has to have sufficient healthy employees to staff the cruise. Recent variants are highly contagious, and while vaccination isn't a guarantee that folks won't get infected and pass it on (case in point, our whole vaxxed-to-the-max family came home with Covid after our December cruise on Oasis) it can reduce transmission and severity.

As with travel since the beginning of the pandemic, everyone has to be ready to be a bit flexible.

Edited January 8, 2023 by cruisin from florida

[Kim S.]

We were booked on the Symphony of the Seas with the departure date of March 9th. 

Royal Caribbean kindly worked with us. 

[pstone1]

I just looked at the protocols for our October 25, 2022 TA sailing on Jewel. Everyone 5 and older had to be fully vaccinated with the last dose more than 14 days before the sailing, and a supervised negative Covid test was required.  Which Fall TA did not require the same protocols?

[c-leg5]

2 hours ago, emeraldcity said:

Kim S. - I'm glad they worked with you to change to a different itinerary. For those who are under the impression that the Spring TA's are not inside of final payment, that may be the case for most of them. The Symphony will however set sail in 60 days.

 

For me, vaccination requirements are a non-issue. I got my fourth shot this past October. I'm not trying to convince anyone to do the same, as that is a matter of personal choice. For me, it makes me feel a greater sense of ease in social situations.

 

As mentioned earlier in this thread, there are undoubtedly concerns on the part of the cruise line about the risk of a mid-ocean medical evacuation. We experienced that very situation on the March TA 2020 on the Allure. Four hours north west to meet a helicopter from the Azores. We were very fortunate that the seas were calm.

 

I hope they work with those unvaxxed folks who are booked on the Symphony to find a suitable alternate. A cruise should be something to happily anticipate ... not something to stress over.

Sorry didn’t realize Symphony was so early. I have never taken one that early in the year.

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by c-leg5

[topnole]

12 hours ago, sibs said:

Royal Caribbean has not changed the testing requirements. They’re changing the vaccination requirements. Before I could leave from New York and take a transatlantic over to Europe without needing a vaccine. As of yesterday I was informed that I need a vaccine. You only needed a vaccine if you were going from Europe to the USA

This is 100% accurate.   

[topnole]

3 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

 

What do you expect them to do? 

 

The vaccination requirement doesn’t actually seem to have been changed, as in officially rescinded and then re-added. The protocols have always been subject to change, and in fact were at short notice as I recall for TA’s in 2022. 
 

I, for one, booked assuming vaccinations would be required, also possibly/probably testing. If any of those requirements were rescinded it would have been a bonus. This “reminder” of requirements has been issued prior to final payment, which I realize is OK for US guests, not so good for overseas guests who were perhaps hoping/expecting restrictions to be lifted.

It was not required previously and now it is.   You don’t call that a change?   

[topnole]

9 hours ago, Tiggerontheseas said:

 

Exactly, and that’s the updated protocols in the email being sent out.  As previously mentioned, the vaccination requirements have not changed as far as I can tell.  I am booked on a Transatlantic and being fully vaccinated has always been a requirement for my sailing.  I think the OP may be mistaken about what the vaccine requirements were when it was booked.  The protocols are less stringent now, not more.  Yay!

There was no vaccine required for spring TAs until this change.  I called royal several times on this and my question went up the ladder.   This is definitely a change.