IMPORTANT for RCCL cruisers with infants under 1

[crusinmama06]

Just announced today (thanks to the family who is trying to get media attention against RCCL because they didn't have cruise insurance or passports :mad: )

 

For any bookings created on or after 4/22/08, infants sailing on a cruise must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour. For transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South American and other selected cruises/cruisetours, the infant (as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour) must be at least 12 months old.

[CruizinMom2c]

What was the age rule before? I know Carnival has the same rule too.

[crusinmama06]

What was the age rule before? I know Carnival has the same rule too.

 

RCCL had no minimum age before this was released.

 

Carnival's minimum was raised from 4 months to 6 months.

 

And Disney is still 12 weeks.

[khm1]

What about the 9 night from Norfolk on the Grandeur (07/24/08 sailing)? I booked before 04/22 but my DD will turn 1 on the cruise. I don't want any trouble at the pier!

[wrp96]

What about the 9 night from Norfolk on the Grandeur (07/24/08 sailing)? I booked before 04/22 but my DD will turn 1 on the cruise. I don't want any trouble at the pier!

 

 

You are fine. It is not a transatlantic, transpacific, or Hawaii cruise or one of the other select cruises (Mariner South America repo, and a Legend sailing and a Splendour sailing).

[Two if by Sea]

Just announced today (thanks to the family who is trying to get media attention against RCCL because they didn't have cruise insurance or passports :mad: )

 

Okay, I found the new story.

 

Not sure I understand why this issue has to do with the age of the child. Could have happened to anyone at any age.

[boulders]

Not sure I understand why this issue has to do with the age of the child. Could have happened to anyone at any age.

 

Yes, anyone can become dehydrated due to vomiting and diarrhea. But, for infants, it happens much faster because of their little bodies. They don't have much fluid to lose to begin with.

 

Also, they have tiny veins which makes it almost impossible for someone without a good amount of training in pediatric phlebotomy to get an IV in. Without the ability to get an IV in, medical personnel wouldn't be able to replace the lost fluids. A dehydrated infant could die within a short time, again much faster than an adult in the same situation.

 

Good decision by RCCL imho.

[sas80]

Just announced today (thanks to the family who is trying to get media attention against RCCL because they didn't have cruise insurance or passports :mad: )

 

For any bookings created on or after 4/22/08, infants sailing on a cruise must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour. For transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South American and other selected cruises/cruisetours, the infant (as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour) must be at least 12 months old.

 

 

Actually, this is NOT how the policy is worded. this was never how the policy was worded on the RCCL website. There was never any phrase "For any bookings created on or after 4/22/08".

 

I posted the exact policy from the RCCL website below.

 

And the phrase "As of April 22, 2008" is not meant to be interpreted as "Bookings made on or before April 22, 2008"

 

RCCL legal is just stating that April 22, 2008 is the date that they created the following listing of sailings. Also, please note that the policy also contains the statement "in addition to all Transatlantic, Transpacific, and Hawaii cruises" which CAN be interpreted to mean "besides the list below, our policy applies to all of the sailings we didn't cover in the list below"

 

INFANT POLICY

Infants sailing on a cruise must be at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour. However, for Transatlantic, Transpacific, Hawaii, select South American cruises/cruisetours and other selected cruises/cruisetours, the infant (as of the first day of the cruise/cruisetour) must be at least 12 months old.

 

As of April 22, 2008, the list of cruises to which the 12 month minimum age requirement applies (in addition to all Transatlantic, Transpacific, and Hawaii cruises) is as follows:

• Mariner of the Seas - January 4, 19, February 3, 2009;
  
• Splendour of the Seas - March 30, 2009;
  
• Legend of the Seas - October 23, 2009.
  
• Legend of the Seas - November 4, 2009.

Any cruisetours associated with these cruises are also subject to the 12 month minimum age requirement.

 

Denial of boarding for infants who do not satisfy these minimum age requirements may also result in the denial of boarding for one or more guests sailing with that infant. No refunds or other compensation shall be due from the cruise line to anyone as a result of the denial of boarding to an underage infant or other accompanying guests.

 

Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to ask for proof of age. Royal Caribbean International's age policy for gambling and consumption of alcoholic beverages is as follows: Please note: An individual's age on the date of sailing determines his or her status for the entire cruise vacation.

 

BUT I am going to check the website periodically for updates to this policy as I cant see how they are not going to suffer some fall out from this situation. If they do end up leaving cruisers behind at a port, think of the PR nightmare that will ensue!

[sas80]

Also, for anyone that thinks that RCCL's system does not accept reservations for infants under 6 months or 12 months, as applicable, I can tell you that you are (most likely) incorrect.

 

RCCL's reservation system is a HUGE entity that they have had in place for a very long time. there is no way that they can change the reservation acceptance part of the system to determine if a person is old enough to sail on said reservation without going through system wide regression testing. I would predict that code changes alone would take up to a month and regression testing itself would take a month. Interface changes would have to be approved, code changes would entail not only age checking, but the ability of the person entering information into the system about the "new cruise listing" to be able to identify that this was a sailing that would restrict age to 12 months. (6 months would be the default) Then, that 12 months info would have to be added to a database (added database changes) and that piece of database info would have to be queried every time an age of a passenger was entered into a reservation. Then, if there was an age discrepancy, do we throw a pop up, or flash an error message, or kick the user out, or what? (it's just not "simple") Providing that there are no bugs, and the new system passes regression testing, RCCL would then have to determine when the "right" time would be to bring down the entire reservation system in order to roll out the new, updated version. Since the earth is a 24 hour "place" and RCCL deploys ships all over the world, there is no ideal time to do this.

 

Based on the situation they just had with that family in the Bahamas, if this policy decision was made as a result of that, there is no way they were able to make code changes and deploy them in the short amount of time.

 

Bottom line, don't trust that there wont be reservations accepted in error.

 

I'm bankin on the fallout to change the policy! :D