GENERAL INFORMATION AND BOOKING CONDITIONS
The following booking terms and conditions form the basis of your contract.
All bookings are subject to these booking conditions. Where you make a booking directly with us, the parties to that contract are yourself and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd who shall accept legal responsibility for the proper performance of this contract as set out below. In these booking conditions, “you” and “your” means all persons named on a booking and “we”, “us”, “ourselves” and “Royal Caribbean International” means Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Please Note: If you book a Royal Caribbean International holiday via a travel agency, the travel organiser’s own booking conditions will apply to your contract. Please ensure you obtain a copy of these from your travel organiser before or at the time of booking. Please note, we do not have any contractual liability to you in these circumstances. However, in the event we are found liable to you on any basis, our liability and/or obligations to you or your organiser will be no greater or different to the liability and obligations we have under these booking conditions to consumers who have a contract with us. In any such situation, we will be fully entitled to rely on all defences, exclusions and limitations contained in the booking conditions set out below. Notwithstanding, any contract between you and your travel agent shall be deemed to incorporate these terms and any other conditions of carriage supplied by Royal Caribbean International.
- BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY
1.1 How do I make a booking?
To book your chosen holiday, contact your travel agent or book direct online at WWW.ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM. If booking through one of our authorised travel agents, the first named person on the booking (who must be at least 21 – see 4.4) must complete and sign our booking form, for your agent to keep on file. Your full name as it appears on your passport as well as your date of birth must be given at the time of reservation. For all bookings, you must pay a deposit (or full payment if booking within 60 days of departure) per person as per the schedule below:
1–5 nights $1,00.00
6–9 nights $2,50.00
10 nights or longer $4,50.00
You are also able to book a cruise whilst you are onboard with us. Please visit the Future Cruise Consultants onboard who will be able to assist. Please note that any bookings made onboard will be subject to these booking conditions.
1.2 How will my holiday be confirmed?
Providing your chosen holiday is available we will confirm it to you directly if you make the booking with us or, if you make a booking via a travel agency, we will confirm your booking to your travel agent. We will then send to you or your travel agent, as applicable, a Confirmation Invoice. A binding contract only comes into existence when we send out our Confirmation Invoice to you or your travel agent. This invoice will show the balance due on your holiday that still has to be paid.
As soon as you receive your Confirmation Invoice, tickets and any other documents from your travel agent or us, please check all the details carefully. If any details appear to be incorrect, you must tell your travel agent immediately, as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret we cannot accept any responsibility if you do not tell your travel agent or us about any mistake in any document (including our Confirmation Invoice) within 14 days of our sending it to you or your travel agent for all documents other than tickets and within 5 days for tickets.
1.3 What information must I provide to you and why?
From time to time we may be required to pass on to applicable immigration authorities, airlines and/or possibly other authorised bodies, certain personal details relating to our guests. Additionally, we will request certain information relating to you such as insurance details and emergency contact information. You must provide the relevant details, where available, at the time of booking your cruise or no later than 70 days prior to your departure, whichever is the later. We recommend you visit our website at WWW.ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM, click on “LOG IN” and submit these details via your online account. You will need to have your booking ID and date of sailing to hand or, if we have already received this information from you at the time of booking, verify that the details we are holding are complete and accurate. If you do not have access to the Internet, please see your travel agent or cruise specialist who will advise you on how this information can be provided or verified. Our procedures may change and we will inform you of any changes at the time of booking or as soon as possible thereafter. If you fail to supply the details requested, both fully and accurately, you may not be permitted to board your cruise ship and/or outward and/or return flight. We will not accept any liability in this situation and we will not pay you any compensation or make any refunds. You will be responsible for your onward/return travel arrangements. If failure to have this information results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly. Please also see Privacy Statement on page 73.
By providing us with the details requested under these booking terms and conditions, you consent to the sharing of your personal data with third party suppliers for the purpose of fulfilling your holiday. If you fail to supply full and accurate details within the time limits we specify, we shall be entitled to refuse your booking or treat such failure to provide such information within the time limits specified as a cancellation of your holiday. Further, where we do not exercise our right to cancel your booking in these circumstances, you agree to reimburse us for any fines, surcharges or other financial penalties we incur as a consequence of any failure by you to provide full and accurate details within the time limits we specified to you.
1.4 When is the balance due?
We must receive the balance of the cost of your booking (after deducting the deposit you have paid) not less than 60 days before departure unless you book 60 days or less before departure, in which case you must pay the total cost of your booking at the time you make the booking. Bookings during peak holiday periods will require full payment no less than 90 days prior to sailing. If we have not received all monies due to us in full and on time, we shall treat such as a cancellation of your booking. In this case, you will have to pay cancellation charges as set out below (see 1.10).
If you use your credit or debit card to pay us directly for your cruise, please be aware that we may process that transaction via a bank in the US and your card issuer may choose to charge you a foreign processing fee.
We advise you to check the terms and conditions of such foreign transactions with your card issuer in advance of making a payment to us.
1.5 What happens to money paid to a travel agent?
Your travel agent is responsible for paying us for your vacation and our liability to provide your vacation is subject to receipt of full payment from your travel agent. If you are unable to complete the online check-in process and print your bar-coded SetSail pass, this may be due to an outstanding balance on your booking. If you have booked via a travel agent, please speak to your travel agent so that the funds can be transferred to us to ensure full payment for your booking is received and you can then complete online check-in.
We cannot accept any liability where we do not receive full payment from your travel agent.
1.6 What does the price include?
All prices quoted in this brochure are per person in USD and are based on two people sharing the specified stateroom in the advertised stateroom category. Cruise prices include the following where applicable: full board accommodation (excluding Speciality Dining), entertainment* onboard ship, gym, fitness classes*, sauna and steam room; port charges and taxes.
*A charge may be made for certain entertainment/leisure facilities or activities onboard.
Unless otherwise agreed, the price does not include flights; transfers to/from the ship or any other transfer arrangements; shore excursions and personal expenses (for example, onboard drinks, laundry charges, health and beauty treatments, telephone calls, etc.); hotel meals onshore (unless otherwise stated); holiday insurance; tips or gratuities onboard or ashore (unless paid at the time of booking); anything else which is not specifically mentioned as being included in the price.
A cover charge is applicable in all Royal Caribbean International Speciality Restaurants.
We reserve the right to make a fuel surcharge when making a booking, to reflect the cost of fuel or other power sources. We may also increase prices to reflect changes in relevant taxes, fees or foreign exchange rates. See section 1.9 for further details relating to the limits of any price variation.
1.7 How do I obtain the lowest price per person?
The prices shown in this brochure cover our flexible pricing programme. The pricing pages show the lowest price (“Prices from”), and the lowest price is the lowest fare available on a specified sailing date (excluding Christmas, New Year & Easter departures – referred to as Festive sailings). To make sure you get the maximum savings available for your chosen departure and stateroom category, you should book early as prices may change at any time. The price will vary by ship, itinerary, sailing dates and stateroom category. To find out the price for your chosen cruise, sailing date and stateroom category, contact your travel agent.
1.8 What is a ‘Guarantee’ (GTY) Booking?
From time to time, we may offer you the option of making what we term a ‘Guarantee’ (GTY) booking. This means you may book a stateroom of a guaranteed minimum category type (specified by us prior to booking) on your chosen ship. However, the exact location of the stateroom on the ship will be allocated by us (at our discretion) and at any time up until checking in at the Port. Once your GTY stateroom has been allocated to you, we are unable to accept any changes requested by you. The benefits to you of a GTY stateroom are that after your booking has been confirmed, we may (at our discretion) upgrade your stateroom to one of a superior category to that originally booked at no extra charge to you. In any event, you are ‘guaranteed’ the minimum category of stateroom we agree to offer at the time of booking. If you have a specific requirement regarding your stateroom, or stateroom location or are travelling with family or friends you want to be near, then we suggest you do not book a GTY.
At times, we may offer promotional GTY offers. Such promotional GTY categories are defined as follows:
XB – Balcony Stateroom YO – Outside Stateroom
ZI – Inside Stateroom WS – Suite / Deluxe
1.9 Will the price change?
We may increase or decrease the prices of unsold cruises at any time. The price of your chosen cruise will be confirmed at the time of booking. After your booking is confirmed but no later than 30 days prior to your sail date, we will only vary the price if there is a variation in the cost of any transport included in the price (including fuel) and/or in any dues, taxes or fees payable for any services (for example, port taxes or charges of any sort). Even in the above cases, only if the amount of the increase in our costs exceeds 2% of the total cost of your holiday (excluding any amendment charges), will we levy a surcharge. If any surcharge is greater than 8% of the cost of your holiday (excluding any amendment charges) and we advise you in writing no later than 20 days prior to the start of your holiday, you will be entitled to choose one of options (a), (b) and (c) as set out in section 4.6 below.
We will tell you about any increase in the cost of your cruise by sending your travel agent a surcharge invoice. You will have 14 days from the issue date printed on that invoice to tell your travel agent in writing that you want to cancel if the additional amount you are being asked to pay is more than 8% as set out above, failing which we shall deem you to have accepted the change and will invoice you accordingly for such additional costs and indicate the time period to make such additional payment. If you do not tell your travel agent in writing that you wish to cancel within 14 days, we are entitled to assume you do not wish to and are prepared to pay the additional amount. Any such additional amount must be paid with the balance of the cost of the cruise or within 14 days of the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice, whichever comes first. We guarantee that these are the only circumstances in which our prices will be increased after confirmation and that in any event we will not ask you to pay more within 30 days of departure.
Please note, changes and errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking.
1.10 If I have to cancel my cruise, will I receive a refund?
If you or anybody travelling with you wishes to cancel your/their cruise, you must immediately give notice in writing to your travel agent or us, as applicable. The cruise will only be cancelled from the date we actually receive written notice of cancellation from you or your travel agent, as applicable. Please note where your booking has been made via a travel agent, we can only accept their cancellation of the booking. Insurance premiums and amendment charges cannot be refunded in the event of cancellation.
The following cancellation charges as set out below will apply to cancelled bookings:
3 – 5 night sailings:
90 days or more prior to sailing = no charge per person*
89 – 60 days prior to sailing = $3,5 per person
59 – 30 days prior to sailing = $1,00 per person
29 – 8 days prior to sailing = 50% of the total price (taxes/fees excluded)
7 days or less prior to sailing = 100% of total price (taxes/fees excluded)
6 nights and longer sailings:
90 days or more prior to sailing = no charge per person*
89 – 60 days prior to sailing = $7,0 per person
59 – 45 days prior to sailing = Full Deposit Amount
44 – 30 days prior to sailing = 25% of total price (taxes/fees excluded)
29 – 8 days prior to sailing = 50% of the total price (taxes/fees excluded)
7 days or less prior to sailing = 100% of total price (taxes/fees excluded
Cruise Tours:
75 days or more prior to sailing = no charge per person*
74 – 57 days prior to cruise tour departure = Full Deposit Amount
56 – 29 days prior to cruise tour departure = 50% of total price (taxes/fees excluded)
28 – 15 days prior to cruise tour departure = 75% of total price (taxes/fees excluded)
14 or less days prior to cruise tour departure = No refund (except for taxes/fees)
Festive Sailings cancellation charges will begin 89 days prior to the sail date however timings and circumstances may differ so please contact us or your travel agent for details.
*Please note that certain advertised fares may be offered on a non – refundable basis meaning that irrespective of when you cancel the booking, the minimum cancellation charge will always be the loss of the deposit payment per person. Other terms may also apply to such bookings including, but not limited to, the application of change fees. Marketing literature will indicate where a booking is subject to a non – refundable deposit.
Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned.
Where any cancellation reduces the number of full paying party members below the number on which the price, number of free places and/ or any concessions agreed for your booking were based, we will recalculate these items and re-invoice you accordingly.
For guests making bookings onboard any of our ships different deposit, payment terms and cancellation policies may apply. Full details will be provided at the time of booking onboard.
1.11 Can I make changes to my booking after it has been confirmed?
Subject to availability, yes, you can. No charge will be made to change any details if you notify your travel agent of the change before the date shown on the Acceptance Slip provided to your travel agent. After this date, you may request changes via your travel agent up to 89 days before departure. We will make every effort to meet your change request; however, we cannot promise that we will be able to make any requested change. Up to 89 days before departure an administration fee of $6,0.00 per booking will be payable.
If you request a change within 89 days of departure, this will be treated as a cancellation of your original booking and cancellation charges as set out in these terms and conditions will be payable. The changed arrangements will then be treated as a new booking. Save where prohibited by applicable law, if you or any of the persons travelling with you is prevented from taking the holiday, such as due to medical reasons, you/they may give your/their place on the booking to someone else (suggested by you). In this situation, we will permit the name change. You must produce documentary proof of the reason for the transfer of your/their booking with the request (e.g., a letter from a doctor etc.). Both the person who was originally due to take the holiday and the person who actually does so must make sure that the administration fee and any additional charges/costs (see below) arising from such a change as well as any amount which is still due to be paid for the holiday is paid as required before any change can be made.
1.12 Will I need travel insurance?
Yes. All guests must have appropriate personal travel insurance before departure, which includes a minimum cover for the cost of cancellation by yourself and the cost of medical treatment and assistance including repatriation in the event of an accident or illness. We would recommend that you contact us, your travel agent or an independent insurance broker for details of suitable policies.
1.13 When should I schedule my flight home?
Give yourself several hours between the time you get off the ship and the time you need to board your flight home. Baggage porters will be on hand to direct you to taxicabs, buses and cars.
- BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
2.1 What about valuable or important items?
Please make sure that all valuable and important items (for example, medicines, jewellery, fragile items, important travel and other documents, video/camera/laptop/mobile phone, etc.) are carried by hand and not packed in your luggage or left unsecured in your stateroom or elsewhere onboard ship. Special care must be taken of such items. For your protection once onboard, all valuable and important items should be deposited with the Guest Relations Desk or, where available, in your stateroom mini-safe. You are also strongly advised to take out appropriate and adequate insurance to protect such items. We cannot accept any responsibility or liability for any valuable or important items which are not deposited with the Guest Relations Desk for safekeeping. For items which are so deposited, the most we will have to pay you if any item(s) is lost or damaged (for any reason) whilst in our care is the most we have to pay under The Athens Convention in this situation.
So that we may assist as much as possible, you must tell us about the problem as soon as possible. If you discover the loss, delay or damage when on board, you must immediately report it to the Guest Relations Desk. The time limits for notifying any loss, delay or damage, are as follows:
Any damage or delay, which is apparent, must be notified to ourselves and the supplier of the service concerned (if it is not us) before or, at latest, at the time of departure from the ship or, for other services, whilst using or at the end of using those services. Any loss, damage or delay, which is not apparent, must be notified to ourselves and the supplier of the service concerned (if it is not us) within 15 days of departure from the ship or the end of your using the service in question.
In the event that you do not notify us within these time limits, this may affect our ability to investigate the loss, delay or damage and may impact on the way the complaint is dealt with.
In all cases, you must give credit for payments received from any airline and/or other supplier in connection with your claim. You must also give us details of any relevant insurance coverage you hold. In appropriate cases, we are entitled to ask you to reduce your claim by the amount received from any/all insurance companies.
2.2 What must I not take with me?
You must not pack in any luggage or bring onboard any item specified as dangerous or illegal (e.g. guns, knives, ceremonial or other, explosives, drugs, animals, flammable items, etc.). In addition, we may specify other items which you must not bring with you and may also refuse to allow you to take onboard any item which we consider to be inappropriate. If we or the Master of the ship have reason to believe that any stateroom may contain any item or substance which should not have been brought onboard, the Master or an authorised officer has the right to enter and search the stateroom concerned and seize any such item or substance.
Special Notice: Please ensure that any sharp items, including but not limited to scissors, razor blades, nail clippers, tweezers and knitting needles, are packed in your check-in luggage and not in your hand luggage due to security measures.
2.3 What should I do if my property is lost, delayed or damaged during my cruise?
This clause applies in relation to any loss, delay or damage to property which occurs during your cruise or whilst getting on or off the ship or whilst using any services provided or arranged by us except for any claims in relation to any valuable or important items (see clause 2.1)
It is our guest’s responsibility to remove all of their belongings from their stateroom when they depart their cruise. If an item is left onboard, whilst we will assist you in trying to recover the item, if we are unable to do so, then we cannot be held responsible and we will refer you to your travel insurance to make a claim for the item. Please note that items left behind may be destroyed. You must tell us about the problem as soon as possible. If you discover the loss, delay or damage when onboard, you must immediately report it to the Guest Relations Desk. The time limits for notifying any loss, delay or damage, and the maximum amount which will be payable by us or the supplier concerned, are as follows:
Any damage or delay, which is apparent, must be notified to ourselves and the supplier of the service concerned (if it is not us) before or, at latest, at the time of departure from the ship or, for other services, whilst using or at the end of using those services. Any loss, damage or delay, which is not apparent, must be notified to ourselves and the supplier of the service concerned (if it is not us) within 15 days of departure from the ship or the end of your using the service in question. If you can prove that the damage, delay or loss was our fault or the fault of the supplier of a service that we agreed to arrange as part of your holiday, we will compensate you for the loss or damage you can prove you have suffered as a result, subject to and in accordance with The Athens Convention. However, the maximum we will have to pay you for any damage, delay or loss in these circumstances is the maximum which is payable in respect of stateroom luggage under The Athens Convention.
This will also be the case where any property is damaged, delayed or lost whilst not on board or getting on or off the ship but using other services (apart from air travel) which form part of the holiday we have contractually agreed to provide.
In all cases, you must give credit for payments received from any airline and/or other supplier in connection with your claim. You must also give us details of any relevant insurance coverage you hold. In appropriate cases, we are entitled to ask you to reduce your claim by the amount received from any/all insurance companies.
2.4 What is my luggage allowance?
The maximum luggage allowance for guests boarding our ships is 90 kgs per guest, however, airlines also impose their own baggage allowance, with which you must also comply, this is usually less than the cruise allowance. There are always restrictions on the amount, size and weight of the luggage you may take on any flight, in particular where we are using non-scheduled services. We strongly recommend that you check with your airline directly for confirmation of your baggage allowance as allowances vary from airline to airline and excess luggage fees may apply. In some instances, baggage allowance can be limited to as little as 15 kgs. All luggage allowances are subject to variation by the airline concerned and you may be charged additional costs by the airline for excess luggage.
2.5 What are the passport and visa requirements for my holiday?
All guests onboard Royal Caribbean ships are required to carry a valid passport and have valid visas for travel to each of the destinations on their itinerary where applicable. Guests who do not possess the proper documentation will be prevented from boarding the ship. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any flight or into any country, or otherwise suffer any difficulties or incur any costs as a result of not having the correct passport and/or any required visa(s).
For your protection, we recommend that your passport expiration date not occur within 6 months of the voyage termination date and we recommend that you check the applicable passport and visa requirements with the embassies of the countries you will be visiting during your cruise at the time of booking and check the up to date position either yourself or via your travel agent in good time before departure.
US Travel: Please be advised that if you are travelling to the US, unless you are a US national, you will always need a visa unless you are eligible under the visa waiver program. For full details of the visa waiver program, eligibility requirements and to apply visit https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/.
Please be advised that visas and new passport applications can take several weeks to process so we recommend you check the position and apply early.
It is the sole responsibility of the guest to have all travel documentation with them and available for inspection when required by relevant authorities or transport personnel. These appropriate valid travel documents such as passports, visas, inoculation certificates and family legal documents are required for boarding and re-entry into any country on your ship itinerary. Guests who do not possess the proper documentation may be prevented from boarding their flight or ship or from entering a country and may be subject to fines. No refunds will be given to individuals who fail to bring proper documentation.
You must ensure that exactly the same name (including initials) appears on your ticket as in your passport. If there is any difference, you may be refused entry onto your flight/cruise. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any flight or into any country or otherwise suffer any difficulties or incur any costs as a result of not having an acceptable passport or any required visa(s).
Certain Port Authorities may from time to time ask to see photo identification when you depart the ship during the cruise. We strongly suggest that you take a photocopy of your passport in addition to your passport itself with you on holiday and carry the photocopy with you each time you depart the ship in order to minimise any inconvenience this may cause and to help with any situation where a passport is lost or stolen.
Important: These requirements should act as a guide only and are subject to change at any time. For updated advice please contact us or your travel agent.
2.6 Are there any formal health requirements?
Please contact your doctor for advice and the most up-to-date health requirements for all destinations featured in this brochure. Royal Caribbean International welcomes pregnant guests but will not accept guests who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy by the beginning of, or at any time during their cruise vacation. Please check our website for full details. To ensure a healthy sailing, we may request that guests complete a questionnaire at the port to confirm if they are suffering from or showing symptoms of gastrointestinal type illness or other illnesses that spread easily from person to person.
We have a medical facility and ship doctor onboard all our sailings to assist you if you feel unwell on your cruise. We strongly recommend you visit the ship doctor if you are feeling unwell on your cruise especially in the event of any gastrointestinal illness, such as diarrhea or vomiting. In such circumstances please contact the ship doctor immediately and follow any advice or instructions given to you by medical personnel. Where necessary, if your condition is deemed contagious, you may be confined to your cabin to avoid the spreading of your illness. Non – compliance with the instructions of the ship doctor or medical staff is contrary to our Guest Conduct Policy and could lead to your removal from the ship at the next port of call in accordance with that policy.
For full details of the Guest Conduct Policy which is incorporated into these terms and conditions see WWW.ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM.
2.7 Check-in
If you have checked in online, bring your signed SetSail Pass and identification documents with you to the cruise terminal. Proceed to the SetSail area where one of our guest assistance agents will verify your identification documents and issue your SeaPass® card to board the ship. If you have not checked in online, bring your completed Guest Information Forms, Charge Account & Cruise Ticket Form and identification documents to the cruise terminal where one of our guest assistance agents will process your cruise documents, verify identification documents, check you in for your cruise and direct you to the ship.
To check in online, go to WWW.ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM, click on “Already Booked”, then “Online Check-in.”
- ONBOARD SHIP
3.1 What about dining?
There are several seating times for meals in the main dining room. If you have a preference, you should make this known at the time of booking. Please note: that dining times and seating requests cannot be guaranteed and are on a request basis. Dining requests are subject to availability; however, we will do all that we can to accommodate requests for guests with specific medical issues. The normal times for meals in the dining room are as follows although these may alter depending on the itinerary:
Breakfast – Open sitting
Lunch – Open sitting
Dinner – Early Seating 18:00/18:15 / Late Seating 20:00/20:30
If you wish to be more flexible and in casual dress, breakfast, lunch and dinner are also served in alternative locations. The main dining room may not always be available at breakfast and lunch times. Please check your Cruise Compass for times and locations.
A Room Service menu is available 24 hours a day, continental breakfast is complimentary, otherwise all room service requests will be charged a $7,.95 service charge per delivery. An 18% gratuity is additional and will automatically be added to your account. Guests in suites can request a full menu for each meal to be served in their suite, this will be complimentary for Grand Suites and above. All other suites will have a service charge of $7,.95 per stateroom delivery. A cover charge is applicable to all speciality dining restaurants. Reservations for speciality restaurants can be made on our website: WWW.ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM or onboard the ship. My Time Dining (open seating) is now offered fleet-wide offering guests flexibility with their evening dining. You can decide when you would like to dine between the hours of 18:00 and 21:30 each evening, much like a regular restaurant, so reservations are recommended to be made once onboard or preferably before your cruise through our website. Service charges/tips are mandatory when My Time Dining is selected and it is subject to availability. In addition, My Family Time Dining is available onboard selected sailings for the earliest dining time only (varies by ship and sailing). This offers children an expedited service during first dining seating and then they are transferred to Adventure Ocean. Only available for guests aged between 3 to 11 years at the date of sailing. Service Charges/tips are not mandatory for My Family Time Dining. Should you wish to book either of these options, then please contact your travel agent or if booked directly with us then please call our reservations service team on +1 305 341 0204 who will be happy to help you.
3.2 What about special services/requests?
We seek to assist those guests with disability and reduced mobility by making reasonable endeavours to cater for those with special services/assistance requirements. For those with disability or reduced mobility we will seek to ensure comfortable travel through airports, piers and on board by liaising with airlines, port agents, hotels, transport companies and of course our ships to make any reasonable and necessary arrangements for assistance for genuine medical reasons. Royal Caribbean International can accommodate the following special diets onboard: vegetarian, diabetic, low fat, low-sodium, low cholesterol diets. Other special diets such as kosher meals and lactose-free may be available upon advanced request.
Note: Our kosher meals are similar to airline food and are pre-packaged.
Please note that kosher food and other special meal requests may not be the same standard and offer the same range as the food provided under the general menu and must be requested in advance of sailing. Please note: that dining requests for specific dietary requirements or food intolerances cannot be accepted for any onboard eatery other than the main restaurant. Please submit your dietary request in writing giving as much detail as possible as to your particular requirements. We will endeavour to accommodate reasonable requests, although we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet requirements. Please ask your Travel Agent for further information. The request / information should be emailed to special_needs@rccl.com no later than 90 days prior to sailing.
Please note: that whilst we are able to take requests for specific dietary requirements and take note of food intolerances, this is confined to the main restaurant on each ship. We are unable to guarantee or accept responsibility that the food served in any other food establishment onboard ship will be able to cater for specific dietary requirements and food intolerances. Royal Caribbean International does not provide baby food, but it can be bought in advance through our website “Already Booked” / “Royal Gifts” section and then delivered to you onboard.
Please advise us of any special requirements you may have at the time of booking e.g. the carrying of any special medical equipment, assistance animals, wheelchairs, assistance at the airport/port/on board or relating to ship or hotel accommodation at the time of making a booking. We will also provide with your first Confirmation Invoice a “Guest Special Needs” form (also available from our website) which we ask you to complete and return to us no later than 90 days before travel as this gives you the opportunity to consider and advise us in detail of any special requirements you may have in writing. Where we cannot provide appropriate support or the services as requested we will advise you as soon as possible.
3.3 Can a special request be guaranteed?
Regrettably, no. If you have a special request, please give details in writing to your travel agent at the time of booking. Whilst we and our suppliers will endeavour to meet reasonable special requests, we regret we cannot guarantee that we/the supplier will be able to do so.
Not meeting any special request for any reason will not be a breach of contract. If a special request can only be met at an additional cost, that cost will either be invoiced prior to departure or will be payable locally. Unless specifically agreed by us in writing at the time of booking, we cannot accept any booking which is conditional on a special request being satisfied. Such bookings will be treated as “normal” bookings subject to the above comments on special requests.
3.4 Consumption of alcohol onboard
The minimum drinking age for all alcoholic beverages on all Royal Caribbean International ships depends on the location of the ship at the start of the cruise itinerary. For ships originating in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South America, the minimum drinking age limit is eighteen (18). For ships originating in North America and Canada, the minimum drinking age is twenty-one (21). At private shore-side resorts such as Labadee and CocoCay and when in U.S. & Canadian ports and waters, the minimum drinking age is twenty-one (21). We reserve the right to vary minimum age limits without notice where local laws require or where deemed desirable or necessary.
If a guest reaches a birthday that will change their adherence to our alcohol policy, they may visit the Guest Relations Desk and on showing their passport as proof of age, their records will be updated to allow them to purchase and consume alcohol. Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to limit or refuse alcoholic beverages to be brought aboard the ship.
Please note that within the territorial waters of some countries on your itinerary or based on your embarkation port, the onboard shops may be closed or alternatively restrictions may be imposed on some items available for purchase or additional VAT added dependent on that country’s VAT rules. Guests are allowed to bring aboard, on embarkation day only, 2 bottles (75cl) of wine or champagne for consumption within their stateroom. When consumed in any public space: shipboard restaurant, bar or dining venue, there will be a corkage fee of $1,5. Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports of call or from onboard shops will be stored by the ship and delivered to guest staterooms on the last day of the sailing. Security may inspect containers (water bottles, soda bottles, mouthwash, luggage etc.) and will dispose of containers holding alcohol. Royal Caribbean International Guest Conduct Policy may be enforced, up to and including disembarkation, if a guest violates any alcohol policy. Guests under the age limits above will not have alcohol returned to them. Guests who violate any alcohol policies, (over consume, provide alcohol to people under stated age above, demonstrate irresponsible behaviour, or attempt to conceal alcoholic items at security and or luggage check points or any other time), may be disembarked or not allowed to board, at their own expense, in accordance with our Guest Conduct Policy. Royal Caribbean International reserves the right to revoke or otherwise restrict drinking privileges of any guest, regardless of age. Additional policies for groups are located in the Appendices of the Travel Agent Guide and are enforced without exception. Applicable regulatory age restrictions apply while the ship is in port and until the vessel enters International waters.
3.5 What are onboard service charges/gratuities?
Royal Caribbean‘s onboard staff and crew await our guests with personalized Gold Anchor Service. Royal Caribbean will add a daily US$1,4.50 gratuity (US$1,7.50 for suite guests) to each guest’s onboard SeaPass® account. The gratuities will be shared by the Dining Services Staff (waiter, assistant waiter and head waiter), Stateroom Attendants and Other Housekeeping Services Personnel who work to enhance your cruise. Alternatively, guests may prepay gratuities prior to boarding by calling Royal Caribbean or your travel agent. Guests who prepay gratuities will not have an automatic daily gratuity added to their SeaPass® account. An 18% gratuity is also automatically added to beverages, mini-bar items, spa & salon purchases. Many of our guests wish to reward exceptional service during their cruise by providing additional gratuities. Guests may do so by providing an additional gratuity to their SeaPass® onboard account or a cash gratuity at their discretion.
Please note: that some of our cruise vacations call exclusively upon EU ports of call and for such cruises we are required to charge VAT (value added tax) on certain onboard goods and services depending on the VAT regulations of the home port country. Such VAT is charged on goods and services at the point of sale and is subsequently paid over to the home port country. Non-EU residents may be able to reclaim VAT paid on physical goods when they depart from the EU, normally at the departure airport.
3.6 What do I need to do on the last night of the cruise?
Pack your bags and place them outside your stateroom door by midnight. Your stateroom attendant will give you coloured tags for each piece of luggage. Please put your name and home address on each tag and remove all loose straps from your bags. Carry fragile and valuable items (such as jewellery, cameras, medication, etc.) with you.
It is our guests’ responsibility to remove all of their belongings from their stateroom when they depart their cruise. If an item is left onboard, whilst we will assist you in trying to recover the item, if we are unable to do so, then we cannot be held responsible and we will refer you to your travel insurance to make a claim for the item. Please note that items left behind may be destroyed.
3.7 What is your smoking policy?
For the comfort and enjoyment of our guests, our ships are designated as non-smoking; however, we recognise that some of our guests do smoke. Therefore, to provide an onboard environment that also satisfies smokers, we have designated certain areas of the ship as smoking areas. Cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette and pipe smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas. To assist in locating areas where smoking is permitted, guests will find visible signage posted within all smoking areas and ashtrays that are provided for use. Outdoor areas near restricted areas, food venues, and kids play areas and pools will not allow smoking. On Oasis class, smoking is not permitted in Central Park or the Boardwalk neighborhoods. Casino Royale allows smoking and has a designated area for non-smoking guests. There will be visible signage indicating the non-smoking area in the casino. There are select cruises departing from China that will not have a non-smoking area in the casino. Onboard all interior public spaces are smoke free. Smoking is not permitted in any dining venue, theater, bar, lounge, hallway, elevator, and jogging track. Smoking is not permitted inside any stateroom and any stateroom balcony. This applies to all stateroom categories onboard. If a guest is in violation of this stateroom policy, a cleaning fee of $2,50 USD will be applied to their SeaPass® account and may be subject to further action pursuant to the “Consequences Section” of the Guest Conduct Policy. Cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco must be properly disposed of and never thrown overboard. Cigar and pipe tobacco is limited to designated outdoor areas. You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase, possess or use tobacco onboard. Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes are only permitted within the designated smoking areas. Royal Caribbean International kindly asks all guests to please observe the smoking policy. These requests are made to provide a comfortable cruise for everyone. Guest may also inquire at Guest Services for the location of the designated smoking areas onboard. Guests who violate this smoking policy may be subject to further action pursuant to the “Consequences Section” of this Guest Conduct Policy. Please visit WWW.ROYALCARIBBEAN.COM before you sail for any smoking policy updates.
3.8 What does it mean if I’m on a Culturally Enriching Cruise?
Culturally Enriching Cruises are itineraries in which at least 75% of guests onboard are sourced from a specific country or region. The primary language spoken by guests on board may not be English but English is always a required language onboard of our staff and crew and will always be supported throughout the ship.
Culturally Enriching Cruises sail within a number of our global destinations and are therefore a popular vacation option for citizens of these countries. They are sourced and staffed primarily from these regions. Because of this, the principle language spoken by guests onboard is reflective of this majority.
Additionally, many of the services and products offered on board have been tailored to reflect local flavour and flair, including: activities and events, food and beverage offerings, merchandise found in the onboard shops and entertainment that reflects the culture of the region. Guests will still enjoy Royal Caribbean’s signature Gold Anchor Service, comfort and amenities while being immersed in another culture and language, for a unique cruise vacation.
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
4.1 What if I am travelling with a group?
Please consult your travel agent for deposit, payment, cancellation and other information. Terms and conditions for those travelling in a group are different to those which apply to individual bookings.
4.2 What about guests with special needs?
You must ensure that you are medically and physically fit for travel, and that such travelling will not endanger yourself or anyone else. At the time of booking (or as soon as possible if the condition arises after booking) you must tell your Travel Agent (or us if booking direct) in writing about any assistance or requirements that you have relating to accommodation, seating or services on your holiday including medical assistance or a requirement to bring medical equipment onto the cruise. We also ask that you notify us of any medical or physical condition which will or may require medical treatment or attention during your holiday or which may or will affect your holiday in any way (including your use of any services or facilities) in order that we can prepare accordingly and make all reasonable efforts to accommodate you in a safe manner. Please provide as much information as possible. Except as set out below, our ships have a limited number of accessible staterooms, equipped with features designed to help guests with a mobility disability or other disability who may find a non-accessible stateroom restrictive. Guests who book these staterooms must sign and return the Guest Special Needs Form we provide in order for us to ensure that they are only allocated to those guests who have a genuine medical requirement for them. We reserve the right to reassign guests to a standard stateroom where there is no genuine medical need for an accessible stateroom or cancel the booking, in order to ensure the above. Please contact your travel agent or our reservations team for further information. Please be aware that some ports of call may not have an infrastructure capable of providing accessible access or transport for disembarking the ship. Guests who use wheelchairs must provide their own collapsible wheelchair and may find certain areas of the ship inaccessible. If you would like to bring a motorised wheelchair or scooter onboard you must complete the Guest Special Needs form we provide and then send it to our Special Services department by email at special_needs@rccl.com at time of booking to provide the dimensions as size limitation may apply and we may not be able to accommodate this request. Certain conditions (for example, use of tenders or some shore excursions) may prevent guests with wheelchairs from going ashore at certain ports of call. Guests affected by a disability or medical condition must be self-sufficient or travel with someone who can provide all necessary assistance. We regret we must reserve the right to refuse to allow anyone to travel in accordance with EU Regulation 1177/2010. This includes a refusal in order to meet safety requirements established by international, union or national law or those competent authorities, or where the design of the ship or port infrastructure (including terminals) and equipment makes it impossible to carry out the embarkation, disembarkation or carriage of a guest in a safe or operationally feasible manner.
4.3 What if I’m on consecutive cruises?
Consecutive cruises are cruises taken back to back. For example, a Western Caribbean cruise immediately followed by an Eastern Caribbean cruise. Please note that there may be duplication of onboard programmes, menus and entertainment. Please also note that due to the preparation of the ship between sailings, some shipboard facilities may not be available on changeover day. On the changeover day, it will be necessary for you to disembark the ship in order to comply with customs and immigration. It is also necessary for all back to back cruise guests to re-register their SeaPass® on changeover day for the new sailing this must be done at the pier before you board the ship again for your next cruise. If you have booked the same stateroom for each sailing, you may leave luggage within your stateroom. If you have booked different staterooms for each sailing, you will need to pack your luggage at the end of the first sailing and it will be stored for you until your new stateroom is ready for occupancy.
Please note that, as our ships are not US flagged, in accordance with US legislation, we are not permitted to fulfil bookings of two or more consecutive cruise itineraries whose first itinerary commences in one US port and the second itinerary concludes in a different US port unless such itineraries include a distant foreign port. If you wish to book two consecutive sailings that commence and conclude in different US ports we recommend that rather than booking online you instead contact our reservations department or your travel agent for further advice on such sailings before making a booking. Where we identify that a booking has been made in violation of these requirements we must reserve the right to cancel any such booking(s) and refund to you the price paid.
4.4 Are there any age restrictions?
On ships departing from ports in Europe, Asia, South America, Australia or New Zealand, no person under eighteen (18) may sail on any cruise holiday or have a stateroom on his or her own unless accompanied by a parent, a legal guardian or authorised person who is over the age of eighteen (18). Please note, that for any of our ships sailing from a port in the US or Canada, the minimum age for the above policy will be twenty-one (21).
For persons under the age of eighteen (18) at the start of the sailing who are not travelling with at least one of their parents or a legal guardian, written authorisation for an authorised person to accompany the minor must be provided from a parent/legal guardian.
Minors travelling with an adult(s) who is not the parent or legal guardian shall be required to present (a) the minor’s valid passport, (b) all applicable visas and (c) where the minor is under the age of eighteen (18), an original legally affirmed or notarised letter signed by at least one of the child’s parents/ legal guardians. Where such letter is required, the letter must authorise the travelling adult to take the minor/s on the specified cruise and must authorise the travelling adult to supervise the minor, sign applicable sports waivers and permit any medical treatment that must be administered to the minor which in the opinion of the treating doctor needs to be carried out without delay. A letter can be legally affirmed or notarised by a practising lawyer, notary or commissioner for oaths for a fee. If such evidence is not produced, the minor(s) concerned will not be permitted to board the ship or undertake the cruise. Royal Caribbean International will not be responsible for any costs, expenses or losses suffered as a result either by the minor affected, the person(s) paying for their cruise (if not the minor him/herself), or any persons travelling with the minor who decide not to continue with the holiday as a result of the failure to produce a letter of authorisation as set out above.
Please note that parent(s)/legal guardian travelling with a child who has a different surname to the parent(s)/legal guardian, will be required to produce official proof such as a full birth certificate/wedding certificate/divorce papers to prove that they are the parent(s)/legal guardian of the children concerned. Proof of legal guardianship is also required where there is a minor travelling with their legal guardian. Individual staterooms can be booked by married couples whose minimum age is sixteen (proof of marriage is required at time of booking). Individual staterooms may only be occupied solely by minors where such staterooms are adjacent to the stateroom of the parent or Legal Guardian of the minor. On board, there are certain facilities where each entry is restricted by age. Persons using the VitalitySM Spa must be over the age of 18. Full details of onboard facilities with age restrictions are contained within the Cruise Compass, which is available from the Guest Relations Desk.
The minimum age for infants to sail is six (6) months, as of the date of sailing and twelve (12) months, as of the date of sailing for Transatlantic, Transpacific, Hawaii, Australian and other selected cruises. For the purposes of this policy, any cruise that has 3 or more days consecutive at sea will require infants to be 6 months old on the first day of the cruise/Cruisetour. The health and safety of our guests is our number one priority. As such, in consideration of the limitations of the shipboard medical facility, equipment and staff, the company cannot accept waivers, releases or requests for exceptions to this policy.
4.5 What about advanced or delayed sailings and changes in the itinerary?
We regret we cannot guarantee that ships will call at every advertised port or follow every part of the advertised itinerary. We and the Master of the ship have the right to omit any port(s), call at any additional port(s), deviate from the advertised itinerary in any way or substitute another ship or port. In addition, we will not be responsible for any failure to meet the arrival or departure times shown in this brochure for any port(s) of call. Normally, changes in the itinerary are to protect the interest and safety of our guests. Please also see clause 4.17.
Changes to the last confirmed itinerary for your cruise may become necessary after you have departed for a variety of reasons such as prevailing weather and sea conditions, guest emergencies, providing assistance to other vessels and the ship being unable to operate at its normal speed(s) due to unexpected mechanical or technical problems. We will of course do our best to avoid any changes which will have a significant detrimental effect on your last confirmed itinerary. However, we cannot accept any liability in respect of any changes which result from circumstances outside our control (see clause 4.13) or which do not have a significant detrimental effect.
4.6 Can you change or cancel my cruise?
Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in the brochure and other details both before, and after, bookings have been confirmed and, even more rarely, cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:
(a) (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements, or
(b) purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. We will offer you at least one alternative holiday of equivalent or higher standard for which you will not be asked to pay any more than the price of the original holiday. If this holiday is in fact cheaper than the original one, we will refund the price difference. If you do not wish to accept the holiday we specifically offer you, you may choose any of our other than available holidays. You must pay the applicable price of any such holiday. This will mean you’re paying more if it is more expensive or receiving a refund if it is cheaper.
(c) cancelling or accepting the cancellation in which case you will receive a full and quick refund of all monies you have paid to us.
Please note, the above options are not available where any change made is a minor one.
4.7 What is a significant change?
A significant change is a change to your confirmed holiday which we can reasonably expect will have a significant effect on it. Examples of significant and minor (defined below) changes are as follows:
Significant change: A change from two days port of calls to two days sailing instead.
Minor change: A change from one port of call to another; A change from one day’s port of call to one day’s sailing;
A change in timings for any port(s) of call but the ship still calls at all confirmed ports; A change in order of ports that are visited.
Very rarely, we may be forced by “force majeure” (see clause 4.13) to change or terminate your holiday after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result.
4.8 Can you refuse to allow me to travel?
If, in our reasonable opinion or the reasonable opinion of the ship’s Master or doctor, you are or appear to be unfit to travel for any reason or a risk or danger to yourself or a danger to others or behave in such a way as to cause or likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or danger to property. In this situation, we are entitled without prior notice to refuse to allow you to travel on any ship and to terminate your cruise holiday at any time. You may then be left at any port or place at which the ship calls without our incurring any liability. You will have to pay any costs, expenses or losses suffered as a result, and we will not pay any compensation or give you any refund. Once your holiday has been terminated in this manner, we will not have any further responsibility towards you. To ensure a healthy sailing, we may also request that guests, who arrive at check in and are showing symptoms of gastrointestinal type illness or other illnesses that spread easily from person to person, may be asked following consultation with our medical staff to reschedule their cruise.
The same right to refuse to allow you to travel or to use any services applies where you are or appear to be unfit to travel or otherwise behave badly as set out above during any other part of your holiday.
If you have failed to give proper notice of any physical or mental disability or condition in accordance with clause 3.2 (including informing us of any change or deterioration in any notified disability or condition) which will or may require care beyond that which any travelling companion or we ourselves can reasonably provide, we are entitled to refuse to allow you to travel. However, at our discretion, the cruise only fare will be refunded. Please also see clause 1.3.
On every Royal Caribbean International ship, we are committed to providing every guest with a cruise holiday that is excellent. To further ensure that you and your fellow guests receive exactly that, we have developed a set of Guest Behaviour Policies; which are available on board. IMPORTANT: A violation of Royal Caribbean International Guest Conduct Policies are cause for appropriate corrective action, including confiscation of improper materials or items and ejection of the guest from the vessel. These policies are subject to change without notice and without liability to Royal Caribbean International. Royal Caribbean International is free to adopt additional rules not stated in these policies.
4.9 What happens if I have a complaint?
In the unlikely event, you have a reason to complain whilst away, you must immediately notify the Guest Relations Desk onboard ship and the supplier of the service(s) in question (if not us). This is to ensure that we are given the opportunity to address and to attempt to resolve any issue you raise. Any verbal complaint must be put in writing and given to the supplier and us as soon as possible. If a problem cannot be resolved to your satisfaction and you wish to follow this up you must write to us on your return to the address below. You must give your booking reference number and full details of your complaint within 28 days of your return from holiday unless a different time limit applies to your claim – see clause 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 and 4.11. We will only accept complaints from the lead name of a booking. If your complaint is written on behalf of other members of your travelling party, their full names and booking reference numbers must be clearly stated in the correspondence together with their authority for you to handle the complaint on their behalf. If you fail to follow this simple complaints procedure, your right to claim the compensation you may otherwise have been entitled to may be affected or even lost as a result. Any dispute between us which cannot be settled by agreement may be dealt with under a special arbitration scheme. This is simple and inexpensive. It is based on documents only and there is a maximum amount of costs which you will or may have to pay.
This arbitration scheme is not available, however, if you wish to claim an amount greater than $2,,285.00 per person or $1,0,600.00 per booking form or if your claim is solely or mainly about physical injury or illness or the consequences of such injury or illness. If you do not wish to go to arbitration, you may go to Court. We both agree that any dispute or claim will be dealt with by a court located in Miami, Florida, USA, to the exclusion of the courts of any other state, territory or country.
We can only pay you compensation if the following conditions are met:
- If asked to do so, the person(s) affected must transfer to us any rights they have against the supplier or whoever else is responsible for your claim and complaint.
- The person(s) affected must agree to cooperate fully with us and our insurers if we or our insurers want to enforce any rights transferred to us.
Where a dispute cannot be resolved to your satisfaction, as an alternative to court action, a more economic and independent alternative dispute resolution (ADR) forum may be available. Please ask your International Representative or Travel Agent for details of the ADR forum available in your country of residence.
4.10 What is your liability towards guests?
(1) Subject to clause 4.11 below we promise to make sure that the holiday arrangements we have agreed to make, perform or provide as applicable as part of our contract with you are made, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these booking conditions, we will accept responsibility if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or your contracted holiday arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted holiday arrangements. Please note it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the time acting within the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do (for agents and suppliers).
(2) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss (for example loss of enjoyment), damage, expense, cost or other sum or claim of any description whatsoever which results from any of the following:
– The act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or
–
The act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or
– ‘force majeure’ as defined in clause 4.13.
Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any description (1) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you or (2) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by ourselves or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Additionally, we cannot accept liability for any business losses.
Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services, which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities, which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to, provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised in our brochure, and we have not agreed to arrange them. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us on our website, in any of our brochures or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you. The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract – and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred – will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of the US, which would have applied had those services been provided in the US. The exception to this is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holiday maker to refuse to take the holiday in question.
4.11 What is your limit of liability towards guests?
Where applicable and to the fullest extent permitted by law, we shall rely on the financial limits specified in the Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974 as subsequently supplemented and/or varied by any applicable protocols or legislation from time to time in force including, but not limited to the application of Regulation (EC) No 392/2009 where relevant to applicable sailings (together ‘The Athens Convention’) in relation to your cruise as well as the process of getting on and/or off the ship. Where The Athens Convention applies, for any claim involving death or personal injury or delay of or loss of or damage to luggage the only liability we will have to you is in accordance with The Athens Convention. This means that where applicable, subject to such limits not being contrary to applicable law, you will not be entitled to make any claim against us which is not expressly permitted by The Athens Convention or which is in excess of the limits provided by The Athens Convention. Any claims covered under The Athens Convention must be made within the time limits set out in The Athens Convention. The Athens Convention limits the maximum amount we as the carrier have to pay if found liable in the event of death or personal injury and for claims concerning luggage and valuables. Where any claim or part of a claim (including those involving death or personal injury) concerns or is based on any travel arrangements (including the process of getting on and/or off the transport concerned) provided by any air, rail or road carrier or any stay in a hotel, the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you will be limited. The most we will have to pay you for that claim or that part of a claim if we are found liable to you on any basis is, except as otherwise expressly set out in the Booking Conditions, the most the carrier or hotel keeper concerned would have to pay under the International Convention or Regulation which applies to the travel arrangements or hotel stay in question (for example, the Warsaw Convention as amended or unamended and the Montreal Convention for international travel by air and/or for airlines with an operating license granted by an EU country, the EC Regulation on Air Carrier Liability No 889/2002 for national and international travel by air). Please note: Where a carrier or hotel would not be obliged to make any payment to you under the applicable International Convention or Regulation in respect of a claim or part of a claim, we similarly are not obliged to make a payment to you for that claim or part of the claim. When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question. Copies of the applicable International Conventions and Regulations are available from us on request.
4.12 What is my liability?
You must ensure that you are using an up-to-date brochure when you book your cruise. We cannot accept any liability whatsoever for any mistakes or any incorrect/inaccurate information which results from the use of any out-of-date brochure. It is your responsibility to ensure that you and everyone travelling with you have all necessary passports, visas and all other travel documents and that these are valid and in order.
4.13 What about circumstances which are totally outside your control?
Except where we specifically say otherwise in these terms and conditions, we cannot accept any liability or pay any compensation where your cruise or any other services we have promised to arrange or provide cannot be provided at all or as promised as a result of circumstances which are totally outside our control (“force majeure”). When we talk about circumstances which are totally outside our control, we mean any event which we or the supplier of the service in question could not have predicted or avoided even after taking all reasonable care. Such events are likely to include war or threat of war, acts of terrorists or threats of such acts, riots or civil unrest, industrial action, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, health risks, epidemics, mechanical difficulties (which we could not have anticipated or avoided despite our normal comprehensive mechanical checks) and all similar circumstances which are outside our control.
4.14 What other conditions apply to my cruise?
Airlines and our other suppliers have their own conditions which will apply to your cruise. Some of these conditions may limit or exclude the airlines or other suppliers’ liability to you, often in accordance with international conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these conditions are available on request.
4.15 Price and brochure accuracy
Royal Caribbean’s policies and procedures are constantly evolving. At the time of printing, all those listed in this brochure were correct. Please note: The information and prices shown in this brochure may have changed by the time you come to book your cruise. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the brochure and prices at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure that you check all details of your chosen cruise with your travel agent at the time of booking. We shall notify you and seek your consent prior to confirming your booking of any variation in any published booking terms, including changes to your deposit or cost of travel.
4.16 Shore excursions and activities
The information contained in our brochure is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of the brochure going to print. Our brochure descriptions may refer to activities that are available in the ports you are visiting. We have no responsibility for any such activities, which are neither run, supervised nor controlled in any way by us. These activities are provided by local operators who are entirely independent of us and we act as the agent for these operators. They do not form any part of your contract with us even where we suggest particular operators/centres and/or assist you in booking such activities in any way. Accordingly, we cannot accept any liability in relation to such activities and the acceptance of liability contained in section 4.10 of our booking conditions will not apply to them. We cannot guarantee accuracy at all times of information given in relation to such activities or about the resorts/area you are visiting generally (except where this concerns the services which will form part of your contract) or that any particular excursion or activity which does not form part of our contract will take place as these services are not under our control. If you feel that any of the activities mentioned in our brochure, which are not part of our contract, are vital to the enjoyment of your holiday, write to us immediately and we will tell you the latest known situation. If we become aware of any material alterations to resorts/area information and or such outside activities, which can reasonably be expected to affect your decision to book a holiday with us, we will pass on this information at the time of the booking.
Please note: Special arrangements for those guests with reduced mobility or disability may be available on certain shore excursions that have been risk assessed as suitable. For details including any cost consequences for making those special arrangements, please email shorexaccess@rccl.com with details of any special requirements. Where applicable, please also provide wheelchair/ scooter dimensions, weight and battery type. Tours involving flights, special events, overland and hotel stays can result in costs to us and may be subject to a cancellation fee.
4.17 What about security?
Royal Caribbean International’s highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of all guests. In order to maintain an effective and meaningful security environment and to comply with international and national security laws, regulations and guidelines, Royal Caribbean has established strict security procedures in the seaport terminals we utilize and onboard all our vessels. These measures include screening all guests and their personal property prior to boarding. We appreciate your cooperation in this endeavor.
PRIVACY STATEMENT
In order to process your booking, we need to collect certain personal details from you. These details will include, where applicable, the names and addresses of party members, credit/debit card or other payment details and special requirements such as those relating to any disability or medical condition which may affect the chosen holiday arrangements, and any dietary restrictions which may disclose your religious beliefs. We may also need to collect other personal details such as your nationality, citizenship, gender and passport details in addition to the details mentioned above. If we need any other personal details, we will inform you before we obtain them from you. You can read our privacy policy at www.royalcaribbean.com/privacyPolicy
We need to pass on your personal details to the companies and organisations that need to know them so that your holiday can be provided (for example your airline, hotel, other supplier, credit/debit card company or bank). We may also be required, either by law or by applicable third parties (such as Immigration Authorities) to disclose your details for various reasons; for example, in the interests of protecting national security.
Such companies, organisations and third parties may be outside the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if your holiday is to take place or to involve suppliers outside these countries. We would also like to store and use your personal details for future marketing purposes, (for example sending you a brochure or details of a promotion) but you may opt out of receiving such materials at any time by advising your travel agent or contacting us if you have booked directly with us. All details you give us in connection with your booking (including those relating to any disability or medical condition or your religious beliefs) will be kept confidential. However, we will use only names and contact details for marketing purposes. If you do not want us to do any and/or all of these things, please let us know as soon as possible.
We will assume you do not object to our doing any of the things mentioned in this statement unless you tell us otherwise in writing.
We will only deal with the personal details you give us as set out above unless you agree otherwise. We have appropriate security measures in place to protect this information.
You are entitled to ask us (by letter or e-mail) what details of yours are being held or processed, for what purpose and to whom they may be or have been disclosed. We will charge a fee to respond to such a request. We promise to respond to your request within 40 days of receiving your written request and payment of a fee if permitted by applicable law. In certain limited circumstances, we are entitled to refuse your request where such is permitted under applicable law. If you believe that any of your personal details which we are processing are inaccurate or incorrect please contact us immediately.
CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)
We also use CCTV to monitor images on all Royal Caribbean International ships for the purpose of crime prevention and the safety of our guests; we will usually store these images for up to three months. For further information please contact Royal Caribbean International.
A non-exhaustive list of trade/service marks of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd includes – Royal Caribbean International, Royal Caribbean, Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Empress of the Seas, Enchantment of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Viking Crown Lounge, Adventure Ocean, Crown & Anchor, CruiseCare, Golf Ahoy!, Latté-tudes, royalcaribbean online, Royal Connections, Royal Romance, SeaPass® and VitalitySM.
This brochure and its contents replace all previous editions. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the brochure at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur and information may have changed since printing.
Ships of Bahamian Registry
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd doing business as Royal Caribbean International is a Liberian company with place of business at 1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, Florida 33132, USA.
At Royal Caribbean International, we pride ourselves on the quality of our staff. We are committed to ongoing training, a part of which sometimes involves the recording of telephone calls.
©2019 Royal Caribbean International All Rights Reserved.