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Royal Caribbean is helping the United States evacuate Americans from Israel

In:
16 Oct 2023

Days after Royal Caribbean cancelled cruises from Israel, it has sent a cruise ship back to Israel but not to start a vacation.

Rhapsody of the Seas in Greece

As the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies, Americans in Israel are looking for a way to get out of the region.

The United States State Department requested Royal Caribbean's assistance in evacuating Americans from Israel.

Royal Caribbean Group issued a statement on Monday to confirm their involvement in assisting evacuation efforts, "Royal Caribbean Group is actively assisting the U.S. Department of State in an effort to evacuate American citizens in the area."

The U.S. Embassy in Israel posted on its website it was helping Americans and their immediate family members with valid travel documents leave Haifa to be transported to nearby Cyprus.

Tel Aviv airport

Why cruise ships? Air travel has stopped to Israel, and so a sea connection was the next best option. The major U.S. airlines have temporarily suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv.

Rhapsody of the Seas was at the Port of Haifa on Monday.

Haifa

The U.S. Embassy issued a statement that boarding began on Monday morning and Rhapsody will move the Americans to Limassol, Cyprus.

According to a report by The Times of Israel, dozens of U.S. citizens and their spouses were in line to get on Rhapsody of the Seas in Haifa.

The journey will take about 10-12 hours, with food and wifi available to use during the short cruise.

Canceled cruise season

Rhapsody of the Seas sailing away in Haifa, Israel

At the onset of the Hamas attack on Israel, Royal Caribbean began cancelling cruises scheduled to operate to and from Israel.

In less than a week, the cruise line pulled the plug on the remainder of the Israel cruise season, which was centered around Rhapsody of the Seas.

Rhapsody had plans to offer cruises from Haifa to the Greek islands through early November.

Rhapsody of the Seas in Bay of Kotor, Adriatic Sea, Montenegro

Since then, other cruise lines have cancelled their visits to Israel as well.  Sister brand Celebrity Cruises cancelled a visit to Israel that Celebrity Apex had scheduled for earlier this week.

Like Royal Caribbean, planned stops in Israel were replaced with visits to Turkey or Greece.

A history of helping out

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean has used their cruise ships to provide humanitarian aid.

Following the Surfside, Fla. condominium collapse in 2021, Explorer of the Seas was used to provide accommodation and assistance to the first responders that are aiding the Surfside work.

Royal Caribbean worked with with different government agencies in the wake of that disaster, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Miami-Dade County Port Authority and Port Miami.

Hurricane disaster relief

In 2019, Royal Caribbean pledged $1 million to The Bahamas for Hurricane Dorian disaster relief, and subsequently sent ships to make stops in the Abaco islands to drop off much needed supplies.

When La Soufrière volcano in St. Vincent was expected to erupt, Royal Caribbean sent Serenade of the Seas to the Caribbean island to assist in evacuating residents.

Royal Caribbean cancels the rest of Israel cruise season as war intensifies

In:
12 Oct 2023

The escalating war between Israel and Hamas has resulted in Royal Caribbean pulling the plug on the rest of its planned cruise season in the region.

Rhapsody of the Seas at sea

Royal Caribbean had already cancelled a few sailings from Israel, as well as visits to the country on other ships.

Guests booked on the November 1 and November 6 sailings received updates that their sailings had been cancelled as well.

"As you may be aware already, the geopolitical situation in Israel is escalating," Royal Caribbean wrote in an email to guests booked on these sailings.

Cancellation email for Rhapsody of the Seas

In the email, Royal Caribbean conveyed the need for the safety of guests, crew, and the ship to make the change, "With your safety and wellbeing in mind, and in conjunction with our Global Security Department, we've decided that we must cancel our November 1st, 2023 Rhapsody of the Seas sailing."

Rhapsody of the Seas was scheduled to operate a 5-Night Greek Isles and 6-Night Med Highlights before moving to Barcelona, Spain to conclude their fledgling cruise season from Israel.

Guests will receive a 100% refund, including taxes and fees, pre-paid packages and gratuities, amenities, shore excursions, any flights purchased through Royal Caribbean, and pre-purchased Royal Caribbean Travel Protection.

Rhapsody of the Seas in Bay of Kotor, Adriatic Sea, Montenegro

Royal Caribbean was one of the first cruise lines to cancel cruises that visited Israel over the weekend when Hamas launched a surprise attack that targeted civilians and military personnel.

Since then, other cruise lines have cancelled their visits to Israel as well.  Sister brand Celebrity Cruises cancelled a visit to Israel that Celebrity Apex had scheduled for earlier this week.

MSC Cruises revised its Eastern Mediterranean itineraries for MSC Sinfonia and MSC Musica by removing stops in Israel.

Musica Class

"The safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority and we have worked rapidly to revise the itineraries of MSC Sinfonia and MSC Musica to offer an extremely attractive alternative for the winter months," MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato said in a statement.

Similar cancellations have been made by Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and many other lines.

Cruise lines that have cancelled their scheduled visits to Israel are mostly re-routing to Turkey or Greece.

Tel Aviv airport

It's not just cruise ships bypassing Israel, as major U.S. airlines have temporarily suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv.

The U.S. State Department has issued advisories for the region, warning against travel to Gaza and urging increased caution in visiting Israel and the West Bank.  

A return to Israel next year?

Royal Caribbean has plans to return to Israel in 2024 with a new season of cruises on Jewel of the Seas.

Between August and October 2024, Jewel of the Seas is scheduled to offer 3- and 7-night Greek Isles cruises from Israel.

In addition to Jewel, Odyssey of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas have itineraries with planned stops in Israel.

Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed said the company would review events taking place as they happen and see what transpires, "as far as next year goes, I think we just have to see where we are a month from now, two months from now."

"No choice but to cancel"

View of Haifa

No one wants their vacation cancelled, but given the circumstances it seems understandable for many.

Leeor Plotkin is an Israeli that had a cruise booked on Rhapsody of the Seas for the November 1st sailing and sees more important priorities at the moment than a cruise.

"Obviously Royal Caribbean had no choice but to cancel given the situation here, and we as Israelis have much more important things to deal with at the moment," he wrote in an email to Royal Caribbean Blog.

Rhapsody of the Seas in Kefalonia

"Since Royal set Haifa to be a home port I fell in love with cruising and this was supposed to be my fourth time on Rhapsody."

As for next year, he quipped about the chances for a better cruise season to come, "Hopefully next season on Jewel will happen as planned, and there will come a moment again when our biggest concern will be 'is the deluxe package worth it'".

Royal Caribbean cancels Israel cruises due to attacks on Israel

In:
08 Oct 2023

Royal Caribbean has canceled at least two itineraries on Rhapsody of the Seas due to Saturday’s surprise attacks by Gaza militants.

Rhapsody of the Seas sailing away in Haifa, Israel

On Friday evening, Royal Caribbean announced that the October 9, 2023 and October 13, 2023 sailings on Rhapsody of the Seas were both canceled. Both of these itineraries were scheduled to set sail on round-trip itineraries from Haifa, Israel in the coming days.  

The cruise line stated, “We’ve been closely monitoring the geopolitical situation in Israel. With your safety and well-being in mind, and in conjunction with our Global Security Department, we've decided that we must cancel our October 9, 2023 and October 13, 2023 Rhapsody of the Seas sailings.”

Rhapsody of the Seas in Greece

Rhapsody of the Seas was originally scheduled to sail on a 4-night and 5-night itinerary to Cyprus and Greece from Haifa, which is located in the northern region of the country. Both of these itineraries are now canceled and guests will receive full refunds. 

Currently, Rhapsody of the Seas is sailing off the coast of Santorini, Greece and was scheduled to return to Haifa on October 9, 2023. It is unclear at this time where Rhapsody of the Seas will sail given the unrest in Israel. 

Royal Caribbean stated that guests affected by the canceled sailings on Rhapsody of the Seas will receive a 100% refund, including taxes and fees. In addition, all refunds will be processed for pre-paid packages, gratuities, amenities and shore excursions. 

Those who purchased airfare through Air2Sea will receive an automatic refund, along with those who purchased Royal Caribbean’s Travel Protection. Guests who used Future Cruise Credit will receive a refund for new funds paid above the certificate amount and Royal Caribbean will also reinstate the original certificate.  

There has been a new wave of violence in the region due to the surprise attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists. However, this isn’t the first time cruise lines have changed course due to unrest in the region. Historically, these incidents have turned cruise ships away.

Because of the attacks by Palestinian militants, the Israel government has now declared war. Rockets were fired indiscriminately into Israel and gunmen were also sent into Israel's territory. There has been a longstanding history of unrest between the two sides, one that has spanned decades. As such, traveling to the region has always come with some level of risk, although cruise lines are quick to make decisions for safety purposes. 

Celebrity Apex and Odyssey of the Seas impacted too

Rhapsody of the Seas is not the only ship that has been impacted by the unexpected attacks in Israel. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises also announced on Saturday that itinerary changes would be made to the current sailings on Celebrity Apex and Odyssey of the Seas. 

Celebrity Apex was sailing to Haifa, Israel as its next port stop before the itinerary change was announced. One guest on Celebrity Apex posted on a message board that the ship’s scheduled stops in Israel are now canceled. 

Celebrity Apex in Greece

Instead, Celebrity Apex will apparently have an overnight in Cyprus and an extra overnight in Egypt, as the ship was already scheduled for one overnight in Egypt on its current itinerary. 

In addition, Celebrity Apex’s next sailing on October 16, 2023 will replace Israel ports with stops in Greece, including Mykonos, Santorini and Rhodes.

“I personally am feeling not so bad...... We will of course be extremely disappointed to miss Israel, truly a once in a lifetime chance for us - but to not have 3 sea days as a replacement is welcome, considering the tragic circumstances under which this had to be done” said one passenger scheduled to sail on the next Celebrity Apex itinerary.

Odyssey of the Seas, which is also sailing in the Mediterranean on a Holy Land itinerary, has made adjustments due to the sudden unrest in the region.  Another passenger currently sailing on Odyssey of the Seas posted on a Royal Caribbean Blog message forum that the ship would no longer visit the Israeli ports. 

The passenger shares how captain made a ship-wide announcement, “That we will not visit Israel due to the geopolitical situation, decision taken together with security experts and in view of the safety of passengers, staff and ship.” 

Odyssey of the Seas is now scheduled to visit Bodrum, Turkey and Limassol, Cyprus instead of its scheduled stops in Haifa and Ashdod in Israel. Guests received letters in their stateroom regarding the updated itinerary.

Other cruise lines are making arrangements for sailings scheduled to visit Israel as well. In fact, passengers on Holland American’s Nieuw Statendam from HAL were already docked in Haifa when the attacks took place. Passengers were quickly recalled back to the ship. Passengers only had about three hours in the country before being recalled to the ship for safety.

Royal Caribbean cancels Panama Canal cruise season for Rhapsody of the Seas

In:
08 Aug 2023

It looks like shorter Panama Canal cruises wont happen after all.

Royal Caribbean informed guests booked on Rhapsody of the Seas sailings in 2024 that were scheduled to visit the Panama Canal that their sailings will no longer visit the Canal. 

The plan was for Rhapsody to offer 7-night cruises through the Panama Canal that begin and ended in Panama. This was a novel idea to offer highly sought-after Panama Canal cruises without having to commit to a two week long cruise.

The Panama Canal represents one the premier sailings in the world, as it focuses on the transit itself. A marvel of engineering, this world wonder links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and revolutionized how good are shipped.

Rhapsody of the Seas at sea

Instead, Rhapsody will offer cruises to the Southern Caribbean. 

No specific reason was given why the Panama Canal transit was being dropped.

The email from Royal Caribbean starts out by saying, "To enhance your experience, we’ve adjusted the itinerary for our upcoming March 16th, 2024 Rhapsody of the Seas sailing. Rhapsody will now sail a 7-Night Southern Caribbean itinerary."

Panama canal cruise cancelled

Instead, Rhapsody will visit Aruba and Curacao, in addition to previously scheduled stop of Cartagena, Colombia.

Guests that were booked have three options going forward. They have until  August 29th, 2023 to make a decision.

Rhapsody of the Seas in Greece

1. Stay booked on Rhapsody of the Seas for the adjusted itinerary.

Royal Caribbean will attempt to move the booking to a like for like stateroom once the new sailing becomes available. 

The original stateroom category price will either be protected at the original cruise fare rate or reduced to the current cruise fare rate (whichever is lower).

Reimbursement for any non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

Mariner of the Seas in Nassau

2. Rebook any other Royal Caribbean sailing

Royal Caribbean will waive non-refundable deposit change fees to re-book another sailing.

Reimbursement will be offered for any non-refundable, pre-purchased transportation change fees incurred (such as a flight, train ticket, or rental car).

Internet search

3. Cancel for full refund

A full refund of any paid portion of the cruise fare (including non-refundable deposits) and any pre-paid amenities to the original form of payment within 14 business days. 

New sailings for Rhapsody of the Seas

Royal Caribbean has not formally announced the new sailings to the public, but it appears Rhapsody will offer Southern Caribbean cruises from a homeport in Panama in winter 2024.

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship homeported in Panama is a first for the the line in almost a decade.

Prior to the cancellation, Rhapsody was scheduled to sail from Panama between December 2023 and April 2024.

Royal Caribbean updates: Rhapsody of the Seas drydock, Galveston terminal, & more

In:
22 Apr 2022

Warmer spring temperatures have also lead to Royal Caribbean news heating up, which means plenty more updates to share with you.

Rhapsody of the Seas in drydock in April 2022

Not all Royal Caribbean news is necessarily worthy of its own post, so here's a quick rundown of important changes from this week.

If you ever spot cruise news that isn't posted here, be sure to share it with me by emailing [email protected].

Rhapsody of the Seas refurbishment

Rhapsody of the Seas is currently undergoing a drydock in Brest, France at the Damen shipyard.

While the Royal Amplification process is still on hold, routine maintenance work is still happening.

Thanks to Henrik Hessleklint for providing these photos.

In the case of Rhapsody, the ship is undergoing primarily mechanical work, in addition to checks of propeller blades, thrusters, stabilizers and more. 

Rhapsody will also get a new coast of paint on its hull, along with "minor updates" to the ship's interior.

Royal Caribbean Group first quarter earnings call scheduled

Royal Caribbean Group has scheduled its earnings call with Wall Street analysts for the first week of May.

The Q1 call will be held May 5 at 10:00am, eastern to provide a business update and discuss first quarter financial results.

The call will be available on the company's investor relations website, www.rclinvestor.com. To listen to the call by phone, please dial (833) 608-1479 in the US and Canada. International phone calls should be made to (270) 240-0549. The conference call access code is 4274546. 

Minimal damage to Mariner of the Seas

Earlier this week a cargo vessel made contact with Mariner of the Seas, but the good news is damage to the cruise ship is superficial at best.

On Wednesday, the Tropic Freedom vessel struck Mariner of the Seas while the two ships were in Freeport, Bahamas.

It appears the damage to Mariner is quite minimal, as seen by RoyalCaribbeanBlog writer Allie Hubers the next day when the ship was docked at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Galveston cruise terminal construction update

Another week, another update at how Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal is coming along in Galveston.

Construction is underway on the terminal 3 building that will be home to Royal Caribbean's ships, including Allure of the Seas.

This video is a better look at the topping off ceremony that was held last week.

The new terminal is scheduled to open by November 2022.

Royal Caribbean hires new government relations liaison

Royal Caribbean Group has hired Wendy McDonald to be its new VP government relations for the Caribbean.

In her new role, Ms. McDonald will be an intermediary between the Royal Caribbean Group and various leaders of Caribbean nations.

Previously McDonald was senior director, consumer communications for Cable & Wireless Communications, responsible for developing and deploying CWC's communications strategy for the Caribbean including government and stakeholder engagement and media relations.

Royal Caribbean will offer cruises from Panama in 2023

In:
23 Feb 2022

Royal Caribbean is returning to Latin America with cruises from Panama in the 2023-2024 season.

Granduer of the Seas

At a press conference on Wednesday, the cruise line announced three new itineraries will depart from the cities of Colon, Panama City, and Cartagena, Columbia.

This will mark Royal Caribbean's return to the region for he first time in nine years.

The first season of Rhapsody of the Seas will begin in December 2023 from these three cities and offer seven-night itineraries through the Caribbean and Latin America, including the famous Panama Canal.

Friday Photos - August 16, 2019 | Royal Caribbean Blog

The entire season will be divided into two phases; a first that will be roundtrip from Colón, Panama with select departures from Cartagena, Colombia, which visit the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

Panama City

A second phase will begin in February 2024, with an itinerary between Colón and the new base port in Fuerte Amador, Panama City, which will sail through the Panama Canal in eight sailings, calling at Cartagena, Colombia, Puntarenas, Costa Rica and the new port for the Quepos company, in Costa Rica.

Royal Caribbean believes these new itineraries combine the international cuisine, entertainment and nightlife on a single cruise that does not require a travel visa.

These new adventures can be purchased at the end of March this year 

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared the exciting news on Facebook, "I am very excited to announce that starting in 2023, Panama is your newest jumping-off point for the captivating shores of the Southern Caribbean onboard Rhapsody of the Seas."

About Rhapsody of the Seas

Rhapsody of the Seas at sea

Rhapsody of the Seas is a Vision Class cruise ship that has a total capacity of 2,416 passengers.

It's features include the Viking Crown Lounge, Casino Royale, Vitality Spa & Fitness Center, a sports deck with a rock-climbing wall, a video game room, as well as a great sushi in Izumi and a Schooner Bar. 

Rhapsody is no stranger to exotic itineraries. In November 2022, she will sailing from Bridgetown, Barbados.

Royal Caribbean updates: Cruise planner update, Spectrum of the Seas cancellations & more!

In:
20 Jan 2022

Another week of Royal Caribbean news is here to share, with a look at some recent changes worth noting.

Since there's so much happening these days, sometimes it's easier to provide a more concise update from across the fleet of changes, interesting options and more good to know information.

If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!

Royal Caribbean will cruise from Cyprus again in 2022 and 2023

Rhapsody of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Blog

Cyprus welcomed cruise ships in summer 2021, and Royal Caribbean will homeport a ship there again for the next two summer seasons.

Rhapsody of the Seas will sail from Limassol, Cyprus, in 2022 and 2023, where she will offer itineraries that visit ports in the Mediterranean and Middle East.

Jewel of the Seas will sail from Cyprus in July | Royal Caribbean Blog

There are 7-night Greek Isles cruises that sail roundtrip from Limassol in August and September 2022.

In May-August 2023, Rhapsody will return to the city to set sail on new 7-night Israel and Egypt cruises as well as Greece and Turkey itineraries. Afterwards, Rhapsody moves to Haifa as a homeport in early November 2023 to offer a mix of 2- to 7-night itineraries to Greece, the Greek Isles and Cyprus.

Hong Kong forces Royal Caribbean to cancel Spectrum of the Seas sailings

Spectrum of the Seas will restart cruises from Hong Kong on July 30 | Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean was forced to cancel all of its January 2022 cruises from Hong Kong on Spectrum of the Seas due to a short-term government ban on cruises.

The Spectrum of the Seas sailings scheduled for January 21, 23, 26, 28, and January 31, 2022 are now cancelled.

In a statement, the sailings were cancelled in an effort by Hong Kong officials to contain Covid-19, "The sailings were canceled following an update to local COVID-19 prevention policies by local authorities on January 14, which requires a 14-day suspension of all cruise operations; details can be found on the official government website."

"Royal Caribbean will continue to monitor the evolving situation and work closely with relevant local authorities on our return to service. We fully expect to welcome back our guests onboard Spectrum’s February 4 cruise."

More ships upgraded to new Cruise Planner

Royal Caribbean begins to roll out My Royal Cruise cruise planner upgrade | Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean is slowly phasing in a new look to its Cruise Planner website, which allows guests to pre-book packages, dining, entertainment and more before the sailing.

Here is the dates when the new look will appear for each ship:

  • Symphony of the Seas departing January 22,2022
  • Odyssey of the Seas departing January 15, 2022
  • Oasis of the Seas departing February 13, 2022
  • Harmony of the Seas departing February 27, 2022
  • Navigator of the Seas departing March 7, 2022
  • Anthem of the Seas departing March 27, 2022
  • Freedom of the Seas departing April 4, 2022
  • Adventure of the Seas departing April 11, 2022
  • Independence of the Seas departing April 15, 2022
  • Liberty of the Seas departing April 17, 2022
  • Allure of the Seas departing April 30, 2022
  • Ovation of the Seas departing May 5, 2022
  • Quantum of the Seas® departing May 16, 2022

If you're booked before these dates, you will continue to see the old Cruise Planner interface.

Royal Caribbean says it plans to steadily expand My Royal Cruise to additional ships and sailing windows at a later date. 

Royal Caribbean redeploys Rhapsody of the Seas summer 2022 sailings

In:
30 Jun 2021

Royal Caribbean has new plans for Rhapsody of the Seas next year.

Rhapsody of the Seas will call the Mediterranean home in summer 2022 with a few new itineraries, sailing from Greece, Italy, Spain and Israel.

Beginning in May 2022, Rhapsody of the Seas will offer 7-night cruises from Rome and Ravenna, Italy; Athens, Greece; and Barcelona, Spain. 

Guests have their choice of a combination of Greek and Adriatic, Greek Isles and Western Mediterranean itineraries that feature visits to ports of call, such as Split, Croatia; Cannes and Nice, France; Crete and Mykonos, Greece and Florence and Sicily, Italy.

Rhapsody of the Seas will then homeport in Haifa, Israel between August and October.  She will become the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to homeport in Israel.

From Haifa, Rhapsody will offer 3- to 8-night round-trip itineraries to Greece, the Greek Isles and Cyprus.

Royal Caribbean redeployed Rhapsody earlier this year, when they announced she would sail from Barbados beginning in November 2022.

There are a number of 5-, 7-, 8-, and 14-night cruises to choose from, visiting destinations such as Trinidad, Grenada, Guadeloupe and more.

On the on 14-night sailings, Rhapsody is offering overnights in ports like Aruba and Cartagena.

Royal Caribbean will deploy Rhapsody of the Seas to Barbados beginning November 2022

In:
28 Apr 2021

Another Royal Caribbean cruise ship will call Barbados home.

Rhapsody of the Seas will begin sailing from Bridgetown, Barbados in November 2022.

Royal Caribbean has plans for Grandeur of the Seas to sail from this Southern Caribbean island beginning this fall.

The new sailings are available to book immediately for winter 2022-2023.

There are a number of 5-, 7-, 8-, and 14-night cruises to choose from, visiting destinations such as Trinidad, Grenada, Guadeloupe and more.

On the on 14-night sailings, Rhapsody is offering overnights in ports like Aruba and Cartagena.

Second ship to sail from Barbados

Since the cruise industry shutdown due to the global health crisis, Royal Caribbean's relationship with the island of Barbados has strengthened.

Barbados was one of the few ports letting ships dock in its waters and exchange crew members in 2020.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley is the co-chair of a task force along with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, which is aimed at working on the safe return of cruising to the Caribbean.

In addition, Grandeur of the Seas will begin sailing from Barbados in December 2021. At the time, it was the first Royal Caribbean ship to be announced to sail from outside the United States in an effort to get around the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ban on cruise ships from the United States.

The new sailings run between December 2021 and April 2022, although more sailings could be added if the sailings prove to be popular.

A variety of 7-night sailings are available to book immediately. There are three different itineraries, including two separate 7-night sailings and a 14-night sailing with stops in St. Lucia, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, Grenada, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and more.

Two Royal Caribbean cruise ships will stay in British Virgin Islands temporarily

In:
09 Jan 2021

Royal Caribbean has received permission for two of its cruise ships to remain in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in a state of warm lay-up.

The BVI Ports Authority announced on Friday that Rhapsody of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas have been given permission for technical calls and warm lay-ups in Tortola.

Strict health and safety rules were agreed to by both the Port Authority and the cruise line, which will allow the ships to remain in the BVI starting on January 11, 2021 for an initial period of thirty (30) days for a warm lay-up.

Neither ship will have passengers onboard, and the purpose of this agreement is so that the ships can remain in port and refuel, take on provisions and spare parts, and possibly other services.

Acting Managing Director, Oleanvine Maynard said, "Crew members will not be allowed to disembark and there is no access to vessels from shore-based staff during stays in the BVI."

This deal allows Royal Caribbean to take care of necessary maintenance and technical concerns, while the BVI reaps economic benefits.

The BVIPA believes that maintaining a link with and continuing to service the cruising industry in the safe manner proposed with technical calls/warm lay-ups can be a vital part of the rebooting strategy. 

What is a warm lay-up?

When cruise ships are not in use, they are either in warm or cold lay-up. This refers to which state they are in of being temporarily shutdown.

The decision to send a ship into cold lay-up depends on the long term plans the company has for the ship.

Royal Caribbean presented their plans to the BVI Ports Authority about what the ships will do and other details pertaining to a warm lay-up.

Royal Caribbean Group Vice President of Worldwide Operations, Hernan Zini, said the ships will be carrying out refueling, repairs and start-up activities.

All of Royal Caribbean's ships are in a state of warm lay-up, which means the ships can return to service quickly because the machinery, lifesaving equipment and navigational equipment are all well-kept and up to date.

The engine department and deck department remain fairly close to fully manned in a warm lay-up.

Cold lay-ups save money in the short term, but take longer to get back into service once the cruise line wants to reactivate the ship.

However, when a ship goes into cold lay-up, many of the mechanical systems are taken offline, with just the bare essentials left online to preserve the ship. A prolonged cold lay-up can even go as far as to preserve sections of the ship by hermetically sealing off rooms.

Read moreWhat does it mean when a cruise ship goes into cold lay-up?

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