Myra and Brian Gurr have celebrated dozens of anniversaries — usually simple celebrations.
If they travel, they visit family. But this year, things were going to be different.
The Utah couple planned to fly to Houston then Hop on the Royal Caribbean “Independence of the Seas” ship. They prepared for months.
“My parents have never taken a vacation like this one. They rarely do anything for themselves,” said their daughter, Rosanna. “They are the most selfless people”
They were fully vaccinated, prepared their passports, packed their bags, including seasickness pills, and anything else they might need.
On Friday, two days before departure, Royal Caribbean emailed passengers informing them that everyone, including those fully vaccinated, would be required to show proof of a negative COVID test upon boarding.
Antigen and PCR tests would be accepted, the email said. The Gurrs got both tests Friday night.
On Sunday, the PCR test results were not yet available, so the Gurrs brought their self-administered Antigen test results, which boarding staff said would not work.
“There were maybe 20-30 people from the ship who went with us to an urgent care nearby to get a test, it was crowded,” said Brian Gurr.
They arrived at the dock by 4:30 p.m., an hour before departure, but, they were told, it was too late. They would not be able to board the ship. And they would not get their luggage back.
“I begged! Can you please help us? Can’t you do something?” said Myra Gurr. “I couldn’t because that they could do this to us.”
She added: “It wasn’t just us. There were families there, including a couple of women there in wheelchairs.”
“You’re just a few steps from getting on the ship and all of a sudden we find ourselves sitting on a bench in the hot humid weather,” said Brian Gurr. “We actually just sat there a while, and said what do we do?”
According to the couple, Royal Caribbean customer service did not answer their calls or the calls of anyone else left behind with them.
KPRC 2 reached out to the company Thursday morning and by late Thursday afternoon, had not received a response besides, “We’re looking into it.”
The Gurrs flew home to Utah without their luggage and celebrated their 44th anniversary at home yet again, with some takeout Texas Roadhouse.
They got a hold of Royal Caribbean the next day, and were told someone would “look into.”
By Thursday afternoon, four days after the cruise, Royal Caribbean still had not called the Gurrs back.