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- At least six passengers who haven't been vaccinated for COVID-19 were not allowed to board their cruise from Seattle to Alaska.
- All Royal Caribbean passengers departing from all US ports except Florida must be fully vaccinated, the company says.
- After not sailing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Royal Caribbean's first ship in over a year set sail in June.
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At least six Royal Caribbean passengers were left on the dock in Seattle, Washington, because they did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine, KIRO 7 News reported.
The barred passengers on the Ovation of the Seas liner to Alaska thought they only needed to show a negative COVID test from within 72 hours, they told KIRO 7.
Some passengers, like Marilyn Sylver, had the trip planned for two years. She and the other passengers that were not allowed to board the ship on Friday say Royal Caribbean did not make them feel welcome.
"They're not talking like they are going to help us in any kind of way," Sylver told KIRO 7 over the phone. It was reported that she was expecting to be allowed onto the ship with limited access once on board.
Royal Caribbean did not respond to Insider's request to comment before publishing. However, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told KIRO 7 that passengers should have known about the policy.
According to Royal Caribbean International's vaccine policy that was updated on August 1, all passengers on cruises departing from all US ports except Florida must be fully vaccinated against coronavirus. Younger passengers who are not yet eligible for vaccination must show proof of a negative COVID test.
Unvaccinated passengers traveling out of Florida are subject to regular testing and additional health protocols at their own expense, the policy reads.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set health guidelines and restrictions for cruise lines to follow in order to set sail more than a year after being sidelined in the US as the coronavirus pandemic raged. Florida officials have claimed the CDC rules are too restrictive and could prevent most cruises from ever hitting the water.
In June, Royal Caribbean launched its first cruise ship out of a US port after 15 months.