Cruises to nowhere have been an enormous hit for the reason that pandemic began, however do you have to select to sail with Royal Caribbean (RCI) anytime quickly, chances are you’ll wish to be ready for the next situations to keep away from disappointment.
1. Be ready to be denied boarding, even in the event you’re licensed match for journey.
Up to now yr, there have been a number of incidents of passengers in Singapore who have been denied boarding on the port for the next causes:
In a few of these circumstances, the passenger(s) have been in a position to produce medical paperwork exhibiting that they have been licensed match to journey, with some even having a detrimental PCR check consequence from the day prior – which has a 99% accuracy charge vs. the 82% of ART exams.So what was the one factor these denied company had in widespread?
See #3 beneath.
2. Don’t count on a good medical screening on the port.
Most of us would count on a sure degree of professionalism in terms of any screening performed by a health care provider.
However in Royal Caribbean’s case, we’ve seen their physician conclude for a sore throat primarily based solely on a 98% oximeter studying and a 36.4C temperature. Besides that this isn’t the way you assess for a sore throat?
In case you’re hoping for a good medical analysis on the port, chances are you’ll wish to handle your expectations once more.
This was precisely what occurred in our case, and even after we escalated it for investigation, RCI repeatedly averted our questions as to how this might be medically correct. For extra background context, you possibly can read my story here.
3. Watch out with what you reply on the Well being Questionnaire.
The one factor that all the above denied circumstances had in widespread was that they’d answered a “sure” to one of many questions on the well being questionnaire.
24 hours earlier than you board, you’ll be requested to crammed up a well being questionnaire on the Royal Caribbean app which is able to look one thing like this:
Be aware how the language used is in previous tense, that means that even if you’re at present properly however have skilled any of the listed signs up to now 10 days, you’re purported to declare it in full honesty – whether or not or not your signs have been because of COVID-19 or one thing else.
Besides that when you do, you’ll possible be denied boarding. I’ve raised this to RCI’s government administration staff (and that of different circumstances, apart from mine) too, however whereas RCI averted this query after we requested, the Singapore Tourism Board has since confirmed it as RCI’s coverage:
The issue is, this isn’t being communicated on-line. Be aware how that is in stark distinction to what Royal Caribbean communicates as an alternative:
So in the end, it’s as much as you as to whose phrases you want to imagine.
In fact, whereas I don’t advocate mendacity in your well being questionnaire, there have been many incidents that present of us with a “sure” – whatever the trigger – have been flatly denied.
You seldom see me complain about stuff right here on this weblog except there’s a transparent PSA assertion to be made, which is why I’ve left my story out (you can read it on Instagram here if you’re curious about the specific details). And on this case, as a lot as we have been upset by the dearth of professionalism we encountered with Royal Caribbean, subsequent conversations with readers confirmed that this has been ongoing for over a yr, which isn’t proper.
That’s why I’ve chosen to make this public, as a result of I feel anybody who’s crusing with them quickly deserves to know upfront that that is how RCI operates.
That means, you’ll know what to do to keep away from having your vacation plans go up in smoke.
P.S. Royal Caribbean has denied to reply the next questions:
- Is it Royal Caribbean Singapore’s coverage to not permit recovered sufferers (not from COVID19) to board?
- Is it Royal Caribbean’s commonplace follow to disclaim passengers on medical grounds with out a related medical analysis, even when they can produce medical paperwork exhibiting that they’re licensed match to journey?
- Is it true that every one frontline healthcare employees usually are not welcome aboard your ships?
Personally, I discover their lack of response to be relatively telling, however you possibly can choose for your self too.