Royal Caribbean & Coronavirus

UPDATE 2-8: This email was concerning a Caribbean cruise leaving from Tampa, not a cruise in China or anywhere near Asia.

I don't know how RC and other cruise lines can keep anyone with a Chinese, Hong Kong, or Macau passport from boarding a ship without taking into consideration where they live. A US Green Card holder, permanent resident, or student might not have been to China in years, but will be kept off a ship because of their passport.

This seems discriminatory to me.

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I just received the following email from Royal Caribbean about an upcoming cruise and I would like to hear what you think about it.

Tiffani

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ABOUT YOUR UPCOMING TRAVELS

Dear Guest,

We hope this email finds you well and looking forward to your upcoming cruise departing this month. We recently shared our new travel protocols in place and with the fluidity of this situation, we have an update to share.

We continue to closely monitor global developments regarding the coronavirus, and we are fully focused on protecting the health and safety of our guests and crew. Our ultimate goal is to provide a great vacation experience while we maintain your health, safety and comfort. Throughout this situation, we have been in consultation with medical experts and public health authorities. Now, in alignment with new, stricter CDC protocols, plus changes in various countries’ requirements and regulations – we are implementing the following changes.

Until further notice, all ships in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. fleet will adopt these health screening protocols:
1. Regardless of nationality, any guest or crewmember traveling from, to, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau less than 15 days prior to their sailing will be unable to board any of our ships.
2. Any guests holding a Chinese, Hong Kong, or Macau passport, regardless of residency or when they were there last, will not be allowed to board our ships.
3. Any guest or crewmember that has been in contact (which the CDC defines as 6 feet or 2 meters) with someone that has traveled from, to, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau less than 15 days prior to their sailing, will also be unable to board any of our ships.
4. Additionally, there will be mandatory specialized health screenings performed on:
o Guests who are unsure if they have been in contact with individuals who have traveled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau in the past 15 days;
o Guests who report feeling unwell or demonstrate any flu-like symptoms;
o Any guest presenting with fever or low blood oximetry in the specialized health screening will be denied boarding.

We know that these steps are very conservative, and we apologize that they will inconvenience some of our guests. We regret to have to do this, but it is our responsibility to maintain a safe and healthy environment onboard our ships, as well as in the ports we visit.

If you or someone in your stateroom holds a Chinese, Hong Kong, or Macau passport, or has traveled or been in close contact with someone that has traveled from, to, or through mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau, please contact your Travel Advisor immediately, or contact us at 1-800-256-6649 or visit

www.RoyalCaribbean.com/contactus for your local Royal Caribbean International office phone number.

Onboard our ships, we continue to take numerous proactive steps to maintain high health standards. This includes:
• Thoroughly sanitizing the cruise ship terminal before and after every sailing,
• Special sanitizing of high traffic areas onboard multiple times a day,
• Adding extra medical staff on each sailing,
• Providing complimentary consultations with medical experts for all guests & crew,
• Plus, the Captain will make two daily announcements during your cruise reminding everyone of how to stay healthy onboard.
And, you can do your part too! Here are some important tips to help keep you healthy and prevent colds, flus, and stomach viruses – both onboard and on land.
• After using the bathroom and before any meal or snack (it’s a cruise; we know there’s lots of that), make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• If you happen to sneeze, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue (or with your upper sleeve). Avoid sneezing or coughing into your hands or without covering your nose and mouth.
• Use hand sanitizer as often as possible. Rub the gel thoroughly, and in-between your fingers, until your hands are dry.
And remember, if you don’t feel well while you’re onboard, it’s imperative that you immediately visit our medical facility for a complimentary checkup. Our onboard doctors and nurses are always ready to assist. Your safety and wellbeing are always our top priorities, but we also want you to have an amazing time. Stay clean, stay healthy, stay happy!
Lastly, should we have to make any changes to our newly implemented travel regulation, we will let you and your Travel Advisor know immediately. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Sincerely,

©2020 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships' registry: The Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean International
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132 USA