You may have been watching the news and have some concerns about your February 7th, 2020 sailing. We appreciate the CDC’s abundance of caution and their partnership.
None of the four guests being tested by CDC showed any clinical signs or symptoms of coronavirus. One had tested positive onboard for Influenza A. Our records indicate the guests had not been in China since January 26.
We have also been cleared by authorities to depart, as usual. However, to reassure concerned guests, we will delay our departure until Saturday, February 8th, 2020, when we will receive the conclusive test results from CDC.
We know that you may be anxious about boarding the ship – we’re anxious too! So, we’ve decided to push our boarding to February 8th, 2020, at 5:00 PM EST, while we wait for the results from the CDC.
We’ve also made adjustments to our itinerary, which can be found below:
We’ll set sail from Cape Liberty at 10:00 PM on Saturday, February 8th instead of 3:00 PM on Friday, February 7th. Additionally, our visit to Port Canaveral will now be on February 11th from from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and to Perfect Day at CocoCay on February 12th from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Unfortunately, we’ll be unable to visit Nassau, Bahamas.
| DATES | DAY | ORIGINAL ITINERARY |
REVISED ITINERARY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/7 | Friday | Cape Liberty, New Jersey | - |
| 2/8 | Saturday | Cruising | Cape Liberty, New Jersey |
| 2/9 | Sunday | Cruising | Cruising |
| 2/10 | Monday | Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida | Cruising |
| 2/11 | Tuesday | Perfect Day at CocoCay | Orlando (Port Canaveral), Florida |
| 2/12 | Wednesday | Nassau, Bahamas | Perfect Day at CocoCay |
| 2/13 | Thursday | Cruising | Cruising |
| 2/14 | Friday | Cruising | Cruising |
| 2/15 | Saturday | Cape Liberty, New Jersey | Cape Liberty, New Jersey |
Given that we have shortened the sailing and modified the itinerary, you’ll receive a 2-day refund in the form of an onboard credit. Plus a pro-rated credit, in the value of 2 days, for any pre-purchased packages such as beverage, internet, or dining. Both credits will be added to your Onboard Account and can be used anywhere on the ship.
Please also take a minute to review our screening and boarding protocols. We have been working with medical experts, public health authorities, and local governments, and in alignment with new stricter CDC protocols, we are tightening our measures to protect guests and crew. These steps are intentionally conservative, and we apologize that they will inconvenience some of our guests.
Until further notice, all ships in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. fleet will adopt these health screening protocols:
Health and Travel Alerts
Updated on May 28, 2020
Royal Caribbean Announces Global Suspension Of Cruising
At Royal Caribbean International, our guests and crew's safety and well-being are always our top priorities. After further consulting with our partners at Cruise Lines International Association and in conjunction with the CDC, we have decided to extend the suspension of sailings for our global fleet for all sailings through July 31st, 2020. Our goal is to resume operations on August 1st, 2020. (China sailings will be suspended through June 30th, 2020).
Below are some options for you, including one that has been very well received by our guests, as it provides a little something extra to use when we all start cruising again!
Future Cruise Credit (Higher Value)
As a result of this change, we’re providing you with a 125% Future Cruise Credit to come back and sail with us by April 30th, 2022. Please re-book using your FCC by December 31st, 2021.
• This amount will be based on your total cruise fare paid (or Cruisetour, if applicable). And, we’re giving you a little extra, knowing that this is such a unique circumstance.
• We will automatically issue you your Future Cruise Credit (FCC) via email. So, there’s nothing for you to do!
You can expect to receive your FCC by:
◦ Monday, April 13th, 2020, if your sail date was on or before April 10th, 2020, or on Ovation of the Seas April 11th, 2020, Radiance March 14th, 2020, Jewel of the Seas March 19th – May 5th, 2020, and all April 2020 Spectrum of the Seas sailings.
◦ Monday, April 30th, 2020, if your sail date was April 11th – May 11th, 2020, including Alaska sailings departing May 12th – June 30th 2020, Empress of the Seas June 1st, 2020 & June 12th, 2020 sailings, and May 2020 Voyager of the Seas sailings (excluding May 25th, 2020 sailing).
◦ Friday, May 22nd, 2020, if your sail date was on or after May 12th, 2020.
◦ Tuesday, June 30th, 2020, if you sail date was between June 12th – July 31st, 2020 (excluding Vision of the Seas June 13th, 2020 and Anthem of the Seas June 20th, 2020 sailings).
• Please know, taxes & fees and any RoyalUp upgrades will be automatically refunded. You can expect to see these in 45 days.
• A few additional considerations on Future Cruise Credit program:
◦ If you opted into the Cruise with Confidence 100% Future Cruise Credit, you do not qualify for this offer.
◦ If you used a Cruise with Confidence certificate on this sailing, you’ll receive a new Future Cruise Certificate for 125% of your total cruise fare value paid, including the value of your original certificate.
◦ If you used a Future Cruise Certificate on this sailing, you’ll receive a new Future Cruise Certificate. This will be for 125% of any new monetary funds paid on this sailing, plus the reactivated value of your original certificate at 100% of its worth, with an expiration date of December 31st, 2021 and a sail by date of April 30th, 2022.
What happens if the global cruise suspension already impacted you?
- Sailings through April 10th, 2020, and paid additional monetary funds on a new booking within this extended suspension period, you’ll receive two 125% Future Cruise Credits: one for the original booking and another equal to 125% of any monies paid towards cruise fare on the new booking. You are able to opt in to refund one or both via the process below.
- Sailings departing March 13th – July 31st, and paid additional monetary funds on a new booking within this extended suspension period, your original FCC’s will be reissued at the original amount, and then you’ll receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit for any new amount paid towards cruise fare for your cancelled booking. You are able to opt in to refund one or both via the process below.
What happens if you want to move your cruise?
Lift and Shift (Only available for sailings cancelled as part of our global suspension on May 20th, 2020) : If you prefer to move your existing booking to a 2021 sailing – we’re happy to move you! We will price protect the original pricing and/or promotion on the same itinerary, length, product, and stateroom category as your original sailing within 4 weeks (before or after) of the original sail date in 2021. For example, if you are moving from a July 30th, 2020 sailing, you can move to a sailing that is the same itinerary, length, product, and stateroom category, and the sail date between June 30th, 2021 – August 30th, 2021.
Please contact your Travel Advisor or call us by June 10th to move to a new sailing. If we don’t hear from you, we will automatically issue your Future Cruise Credit.
Full Refund Option (Lower Value)
If you prefer the lower value in a full refund instead of the 125% Future Cruise Credit, we’re happy to process this for you. Given how fluid this situation is, and the opportunity to use the extra credit being offered:
• You may request a refund and your certificate will be deactivated. You must request your refund by:
◦ December 31st, 2021 for sailings departing March 13th – May 11th, 2020, plus Alaska sailings departing May 12th – June 30th 2020, Empress of the Seas June 1st, 2020 & June 12th, 2020 sailings, and May 2020 Voyager of the Seas sailings (excluding May 25th, 2020 sailing).
◦ December 31st, 2020 for sailing departing May 12th – July 31st, 2020.
• We’ll then deactivate your Future Cruise Credit and process your refund to your original form(s) of payment, which will include any non-refundable deposits.
• To avoid waiting on the phone to cancel, please click here and we will get the process started for you.
• You can expect to receive your refund 45 days after you submit your request.
• Please note: If you used a Cruise with Confidence certificate on this sailing, and you request a refund instead, we’ll refund any NEW funds paid above the certificate amount, and we’ll reinstate your original Cruise with Confidence certificate.
Cruise Planner Purchases
If you purchased Cruise Planner items and were booked on a sailing departing between June 12th – July 31st, 2020 and your sailing was canceled on May 20th due to the global suspension:
• You can opt-in to receive an Onboard Credit in the value of 125% of the total Cruise Planner purchases on your reservation.
◦ Click here by June 10th, 2020 to request your higher value credit and we’ll email it to you by June 30th, 2020.
• If we don’t hear from you by June 10th, 2020, your Cruise Planner purchases will be automatically refunded. You’ll receive your refund within 45 days of June 10th. We are working as quickly as possible and we appreciate your patience during these unprecedented times.
• Also, if you opt for a cruise fare refund or for Lift and Shift before June 10th, you are not be eligible for this Cruise Planner Onboard Credit offer.
• Questions about the 125% Cruise Planner credit? Click here for more details.
If you purchased Cruise Planner items and were booked on a cruise departing on or before June 12th, 2020 (and Vision of the Seas’ June 13th, 2020 and Anthem of the Seas’ June 20th, 2020 sailings):
• Click here for more details about your refunds.
Air and Hotel Purchases
Cancellations for sailings on or before April 10th, 2020:
• If you purchased refundable air or hotel accommodations through Royal Caribbean, they will be automatically refunded to you.
• If you booked on your own, please contact the service provider directly for your options with them.
Cancellations for sailings between April 11th – July 31st, 2020:
• If you purchased refundable air or hotel accommodations through Royal Caribbean, they will be automatically refunded to you within 45 days after we process the cancellation.
• If you booked non-refundable air through Royal Caribbean or booked on your own, please contact the service provider directly for your options with them.
We know, this too shall pass, and we are optimistic that very soon you’ll be excited about planning your next cruise vacation. As always, the most important thing to us will always be the safety of our guests and crew. In the meantime, we’ll continue to monitor the global situation. We wish you good health and truly appreciate your continued loyalty.
For the most current U.S. government travel advisories, be sure to visit these sites:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control
Gesundheitsrichtlinien zum Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Gegenwärtig konzentrieren wir uns auf zusätzliche Sicherheitsverbesserungen für die Zeit nach der Suspendierung. Bei der Entwicklung unseres zukünftigen Screening-Verfahrens und der aktualisierten Gesundheitsrichtlinien arbeiten wir mit staatlichen Gesundheitsbehörden, der Cruise Lines International Association CLIA und unserem eigenen Team von medizinischen Experten zusammen. Diese sind noch nicht abgeschlossen, aber wenn sie es sind, werden wir Sie und Ihr Reisebüro per E-Mail darüber informieren.
Wir wissen, dass unsere Gäste über 70 und diejenigen mit chronischen Krankheiten besonders daran interessiert sind, zu verstehen, wie Kreuzfahrten in Zukunft aussehen werden. Obwohl Änderungen vorbehalten sind, haben wir über die Cruise Lines International Association bestätigt, dass die früheren Beschränkungen Anfang April aufgehoben wurden, nachdem die Kreuzfahrtgesellschaften den Betrieb eingestellt hatten. Bei jeder Entscheidung, die wir treffen, und bei allen Feinabstimmungen, die wir vornehmen, steht Ihr Wohlbefinden im Vordergrund. Wir vermissen Sie - und können es kaum erwarten, Sie wieder an Bord willkommen zu heißen.
Verzögerung der Rückerstattung nach der Suspendierung
Als wir unsere weltweite Suspendierung der Abfahrten begannen, schätzten wir zunächst, dass die Rückerstattungen 30 Tage dauern würden. Leider verzögern sich die Rückerstattungen und Gutschriften in einem noch nie dagewesenen Umfang. Wir haben gewissenhaft daran gearbeitet, die meisten Probleme mit dem Auftragsvolumen zu lösen, und arbeiten rund um die Uhr daran, den Rückstand aufzuarbeiten, damit Sie Ihre Rückerstattung so schnell wie möglich erhalten. Gegenwärtig dauern einige Rückerstattungen bis zu 45 Tage ab dem beantragten Datum.
Bitte beachten Sie, dass jeder einzelne Antrag mit der gleichen Sorgfalt und Genauigkeit bearbeitet wird. Und seien Sie versichert, Ihre Rückerstattung wird honoriert, und sie kommt - es dauert nur etwas länger als erwartet, und das tut uns sehr leid. Wir danken Ihnen für Ihre Geduld und Ihr Verständnis während dieser Zeit.
OUR RESPONSE PLAN
THE ROYAL WAY TO KEEPING YOU HEALTHY
The health, safety, and comfort of our guests and crew remain our highest priority.
ENHANCED BOARDING SCREENING
At the pier, all guests participate in mandatory screenings that include exclusion due to travel based on temporary restrictions and even a thermal scan to check everyone's temperature.
HAND SANITIZER EVERYWHERE
We’ve increased the availability of hand sanitizer stations and continue to enforce hand cleansing at all food venues onboard.
ENHANCED MEDICAL PROTOCOLS
We have rigorous medical protocols in place to help those who aren’t feeling well.
Doing Your Part
Tips For Preventing Illness
• After bathroom visits and before meals and snacks (it’s a cruise, there’s lots of that), make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If you happen to sneeze or cough, cover your nose and mouth with tissue (or your upper sleeve) – never your hands or without covering your nose and mouth. It’s the polite thing to do.
• Use hand sanitizer often. Rub the gel thoroughly and in between your fingers, until your hands are dry.
• For more information, you can also visit U.S. Center for Disease Control’s website here.
See Something? Say Something!
Our crew members are required to report illness immediately, and our guests are encouraged to do the same! If at any time you experience flu-like symptoms, such as chills, cough, runny nose, fever, congestion, or a sore throat – visit our Medical Facility immediately for a complimentary check-up. Our doctors and nurses are always ready to assist with careful evaluation and treatment. They also do house calls and can evaluate you in your stateroom.
