Royal Caribbean Blog

Whether it is the CDC, a lawmaker, or family member, people will bring up what happened to cruise ships in early 2020 as a reason why cruises should not restart now.

Similar to how some people still bring up what happened to the Titanic as all they need to know about not taking a cruise, the events at the beginning of the global health crisis involving a couple of cruise ships in Asia led to sensational headlines and those memories still dominate the discussion related to why cruise ships cannot sail again now.

Perhaps no one has been more focused on what happened in January 2020 than the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), who still cite events that occurred on the Diamond Princess and Grand Princess cruise ships in January 2020 as proof unrestricted cruise ship travel would be dangerous.

Pages 8 through 11 of the CDC's Conditional Sail Order go into great detail to document what happened on those ships more than 15 months ago.

What happened on cruise ships in January 2020, just like all around the world, were reflections of a naive society beginning to learn about how this new virus functioned and spread.

While the cruise industry struggles to prove it can safely sail from the United States, here is why what happened on cruise ships at the very start of the global health crisis will all but certainly never happen again.

Our knowledge of Covid is much different now

The principal problem with comparing what happened to a ship like the Diamond Princess or Grand Princess to a ship sailing today is that our knowledge of the virus is completely different.

In January 2020, very little was known about Covid, and the Japanese government simply isolated the ship and let the people and crew onboard sit there until the virus "burnt itself out", similar to how firefighters might let a fire burn to prevent it spreading elsewhere.

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in January 2020 it was still trying to determine, "exact ways its spread and the incubation period."

Public health officials at the time said wearing masks were useful "but have a limited effect". 

Since then, everyone's knowledge of Covid and how it spreads and how to mitigate its spread has changed significantly.

Knowledge of how Covid works today makes the assumptions and treatment of it in January 2020 null and void.

New health protocols

Besides not really knowing much about Covid in early 2020, cruise ships back then had absolutely no protocols on place to mitigate the spread of the virus onboard.

Just like how airplanes, theme parks, and pretty much every facet of life had no safeguards in place, cruise ships were operating in early 2020 without the new strict protocols that any ship sailing today would absolutely mandate.

Royal Caribbean, and the entire cruise industry, has already committed to adopting sweeping new health protocols and changes onboard that would largely prevent the spread of Covid on a ship.

In just one ship sailing from Singapore, Royal Caribbean has committed to guests wearing face masks, universal testing of every single passenger and crew member, strict contact tracing, social distancing and more.

These, and other new protocols, will almost certainly be implemented on any ship sailing in 2021. This makes the conditions onboard ships from early 2020 completely uncharacteristic of what it will be like on a ship sailing today.

Moreover, these health protocols make cruise ships safer than many other forms of travel, where little to no testing is done of customers.

Read more: 5 ways the CDC proves it doesn't understand cruise ships

Agreements with ports

Just as important as the new health protocols, is the cruise lines are ensuring no ship can be isolated and left quarantined indefinitely by working with local governments for an emergency action plan.

Every cruise line is keenly aware the memory of those Princess cruise ships quarantined off the coast of Japan still resonates with many potential customers as cause for concern not to book.

As a result, Royal Caribbean has announced it has deals in place with local governments it sails from to ensure if there was a case onboard, the cruise line would get guests home safely.

For sailings on Quantum of the Seas from Singapore, Royal Caribbean partnered with Singapore's health authorities to ensure they can get guests home safely.  These transport agreements in Singapore are part of the plan to avoid being "stuck" on a cruise ship.

For sailings this summer from the Caribbean, Royal Caribbean has a "a robust, tiered response plan".

In the event that a guest or crew member tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 onboard, a robust, tiered response plan will be activated and is in accordance with guidance from local authorities and leading public health experts. The tiers increase protocols and vigilance onboard, while providing transparent correspondence to guests throughout the process. In partnership with local authorities, Royal Caribbean has developed transport protocols to ensure impacted guests get home safely. Thanks to rapid technology-enabled contact tracing, potential exposure to other guests and crew can be promptly identified and an action plan enabled.

Concerned this sounds like all talk, and if a case were to really happen onboard governments would balk? We already know that will not be the case.

In December 2020, there was a positive case on Quantum of the Seas sailing from Singapore.

It turned out to be a false positive, but the ship was allowed to immediately return to Singapore and all guests were able to disembark safely and in a timely fashion.

The vaccine

On top of all the protocols and agreements, vaccines are something that did not exist in early 2020.

While Royal Caribbean is still deciding if it will require the vaccine or not across the fleet, ships sailing this summer will definitely require it for adults onboard in the interim.

Moreover, vaccine requirements or not, a lot of people are getting the vaccine anyway, and that greatly mitigates the at risk population onboard.

At the very least, the first cruise ships sailing this summer will require adults onboard to be vaccinated, as well as every single crew member. 

Read more: Everything we know about if Royal Caribbean will require a vaccine

Real world proof ships can sail safely

Not only is everything listed here backed up by input from leading public health officials, this approach to safely cruising is already happening in parts of the world since summer 2020.

Based on public reporting, almost 400,000 passengers that have sailed during the global health crisis with fewer than 50 confirmed cases of COVID-19 onboard Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) member cruise line ships since resumption started last summer.

This has demonstrated the new health protocols work, and more importantly, no cruise ship has been left isolated in a manner like those ships in early 2020.

Among the changes Royal Caribbean will have for guests sailing this summer on Adventure of the Seas from a new homeport is a different check-in area.

Adventure of the Seas will begin offering cruises from Nassau, Bahamas in June 2021, and this is a brand new offering for both Royal Caribbean and the Bahamas.

Traditionally, guests report to a cruise terminal for the check-in and boarding procedure, but it appears that will not be the case for guests on Adventure.

A passenger sailing on the June 12 sailing of Adventure of the Seas reported being told the British Colonial Hilton resort in downtown Nassau will be used as a staging ground for check-in and boarding.

Doug Swallow shared the information after talking to Royal Caribbean about purchasing airport transfers.

"The hotel is being used as the staging point for boarding the ship since there are no facilities currently at the pier," he posted on Facebook.  "The hotel is one of the closer things to the pier itself."

Confirming the change is Michael Maura, the Nassau Cruise Port’s chief executive, who told The Tribune he is meeting this week with executives from Nassau Airport Development Company, the Lynden Pindling International Airport operator, to discuss the transfer of incoming cruise passengers to the downtown Nassau cruise port.

Mr. Maura said Royal Caribbean is planning to use a reception room in the British Colonial Hilton resort for check-in.

Passengers’ bags will go from there to the cruise port, where they will be screened before being placed on the vessel.

Luggage scanning equipment will be installed to screen passengers’ bags is due to arrive on New Providence in “the next couple of weeks”, according to Mr. Maura.

Nassau Cruise Port is working extensively with the cruise lines and Bahamian  law enforcement to determine the flow, handling and other details required for this.

Bahamian companies, with manpower and forklifts, will be hired to deal with bags belonging to 1,500 Royal Caribbean passenger.

Adventure of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to sail from North America in well over a year, beginning with her June cruises.

Check-in process outline

During a webinar with Bahamian officials, Royal Caribbean's Associate Vice President, Gaming & Onboard Revenue, Elisa Shen, outlined the plan right now for guest embarkation.

Ms. Shen warned these are subject to change.

On the day of the cruise, Royal Caribbean will offer an opportunity for guests to drop off their luggage at the British Colonial Hilton before their official check-in time.

That way, guests can tour Nassau without being encumbered by their belongings while they wait for their official check-in appointment.

Check-in times at the British Colonial Hilton will range between 1pm and 7pm.

Ms. Shen added that guests at the airport on the day of the cruise could drop off their luggage with Royal Caribbean. Guests coming to Nassau a day or more prior to the cruise can drop off luggage at the hotel.

At their appointment, times guests will report to the British Colonial Hilton where they will get an antigen test. Upon testing negative, guests will then be taken directly to the ship.

There is good news for Americans who are thinking about going to Europe this summer, especially on a cruise.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, told the New York Times that Americans who have been fully vaccinated, will be allowed to visit European countries over the summer.

"All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by E.M.A."

Prior to this announcement, nonessential travel to the European Union has been officially banned except for a few countries with low Covid cases.

It is not clear exactly when this change would become available. In addition, these plans depend on the status of Covid at the time, but rapidly improving situations in the United States and Europe compelled the change.

Countries with a large tourist base, such as Greece, have been lobbying for the change.

It appears Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Croatia are the countries leading the charge to allow Americans, since their economy relies so heavily on tourism.

Technical discussions have been going on for several weeks between European Union and United States officials on how to practically and technologically make vaccine certificates from each place broadly readable so that citizens can use them to travel without restrictions.

While Royal Caribbean has announced a few ships that will sail from Europe this summer, most of its European cruise season remains in flux, similar to the cruise situation in the United States.

So far, Jewel of the Seas will sail from Cyprus to Greece, and those sailings are open for bookings by Americans.

Anthem of the Seas is sailing from England, and Odyssey of the Seas from Israel, although both of those ships are limited to residents of their respective homeport countries.

Harmony of the Seas still has scheduled sailings from Barcelona for summer 2021, and  Rhapsody of the Seas has sailings from Venice (Ravenna), Italy.

While this recommendation by the European Commission will be put forth, individual member states may reserve the right to keep stricter limits. Moreover, other restrictions may be implemented by member states, including quarantines.

The latest impact the global health crisis has had on the cruise industry is now hiring.

The amount of new coronavirus cases in India continues to climb, creating a major health emergency in the country. 

India's health ministry reported 352,991 more infections, taking the total past 17 million. A record 2,812 deaths were confirmed Monday, taking the total to 195,123 since the pandemic began.

India set a new record daily cases for a fourth straight day on Sunday.

A new report indicates Royal Caribbean has paused hiring crew members from India due to the rapid escalation of cases there.

The Crewcenter website shared the contents of a letter sent by Royal Caribbean that the company has decided to "temporary cancel all assignments for shipboard employees from India or people who reside in this country".

Royal Caribbean's letter to crew members reads as follows, "It’s always unfortunate when we must cancel assignments but we believe this is a prudent decision at this time. We know how much our crew look forward to returning to work after waiting for so long."

"We also understand how tough it can be to have to make last minute travel changes. It’s not the way that we want to operate, but it is the reality of the quick changes we need to make based on different reasons that are often unplanned and beyond our direct control."

"Those crew members who are currently at hotels pending joining a ship or are currently en route (already flying) will be notified and accommodation will be provided under quarantine guidelines till further notice. They will be kept informed by the HR ops team as needed."

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reached out to the Royal Caribbean Group for confirmation of the new policy, and a spokesperson indicated there has been a shift in hiring from India.

"We continue to monitor impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world including travel restrictions to and from areas with a high rate of cases."

"To ensure the continued health and safety of our crew, guests and the residents of the destination we visit, we are currently exercising extra caution in the movement of any crew from India to our ships due to the recent surge of COVID-19."

Royal Caribbean is in the midst of preparing a few of its cruise ships to restart sailings this summer, and getting crew members back onboard is a critical piece to resume sailings.

Royal Caribbean's cruise ships have been manned by skeleton crews during the industry shutdown, and any vessel that is going to offer sailings this summer would need to get back enough crew members to support the guests sailing.

Based on posts seen on social media, Royal Caribbean is in the process of hiring back at least some crew members to its ships. 

Many are in various phases of quarantine to prepare them to join the ship in a few weeks.

Five cruise ships are expected to restart sailings this summer outside of the United States, including Adventure, Vision, Odyssey, Anthem and Jewel of the Seas.

Did you miss any of this week's Royal Caribbean news? No worries, because we have you covered with our wrap-up of cruise news!

Alaska joined Florida in suing the federal government in an attempt to get cruises started.

Earlier this week, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) announced Alaska was joining the lawsuit against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Both states want the CDC to drop the Framework for Conditional Sail Order (CSO), which is not allowing cruise ships to sail in U.S. waters.

Royal Caribbean News

• Senate blocks passage of new bill to allow cruise ships to restart sailing
• The big questions for Royal Caribbean's 1st quarter earnings call next week
• First look around Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean Group CEO: "we're more optimistic than ever" for summer cruises
• New House Bill introduced to override CDC's cruise ship ban
• Royal Caribbean opens Wonder of the Seas cruises for booking
• Royal Caribbean's new Oasis Class ship will have an all suites neighborhood
• Royal Caribbean subsidizing flights from New York to Bermuda for summer 2021 cruises as low as $99
• 5 things people that cruise a lot would tell first time cruisers if they could
• Photos: Odyssey of the Seas arrives in Israel
• Bahamas Prime Minister says Bahamas will drop Covid testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers
• Florida Senate passes bill that would overrule Key West cruise ship ban
• Florida Governor doesn't think cruise lines should be able to require proof of Covid-19 vaccine
• What is the difference between The Retreat, AquaClass and Concierge Class on Celebrity Cruises?
• Travel experts: Expect higher airfare prices in 2021

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 403rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, with Matt's opinion of what is happening with the CDC right now.

A lot has been happening over the last few weeks with various statements, injunctions, and legislation aimed at getting cruise ships sailing again. This week, Matt talks about how he sees things moving, and what it all means.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: My favorite Royal Caribbean cruise hacks

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — My favorite Royal Caribbean cruise hacks — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Will a Royal Caribbean sale actually save me any money?

There are lots of Royal Caribbean sales and promotions you could book, but will these cruise sales and pre-cruise discounts save you any money?

Quite often you will see an email or social media post advertising discounts to take advantage of, but like so many things, it depends on how much it may actually save you.

The key is to track prices, and reprice when possible.

Help Corner: How to contact Royal Caribbean for help with a cruise cancellation or refund

These days, it seems we all have various billing questions to decipher.

With all of the cruise cancellations over the last year, there is a good chance you may have a future cruise credit, onboard credit, or upcoming booking that you are trying to balance.

Here are some easy steps for getting answers if you are trying to sort out options, or get an update on your refund status.

Key West's cruise ship ban is one step potentially closer to getting undone.

A new bill in Florida's state legislature that would supersede Key West's initiative to limit cruise ship activity has passed the Florida Senate.

Senate Bill 426, known as the "State Preemption of Seaport Regulations", passed a vote in Florida's senate in a 24 to 14 vote.

One senator did not vote.

The bill would essentially bypass Key West's city ordinance that prohibits most cruise ship traffic.

In November 2020, Key West residents voted to approve a limit on cruise ship traffic to Key West. The three proposals effectively ban large cruise ships from Key West, such as the entire fleet of Royal Caribbean vessels.

Key West's referendums limited cruise ship visitors to a total of 1,500 per day; prohibited ships with a capacity of 1,300 or more from disembarking passengers; and gave priority docking to cruise lines with the best environmental and health records.

Florida State Senator Jim Boyd of District 21 introduced a new bill that would "restrict or regulate commerce in the seaports", such as Key West.

The bill spells out the economic benefit Florida's ports have, and proposes to disallow local government's ability to restrict communities or cities from limiting maritime traffic.

State Senator Boyd indicated in the bill that allowing cities to have its own rules about "maritime commerce" could create a problem for the state.

"Allowing each local government in which a Florida seaport is located to impose its own requirements on the maritime commerce conducted in that port could result in abrupt changes in the supply lines bringing goods into and out of this state, thus disrupting Florida’s economy and threatening the public’s health, safety, and welfare."

Not at the finish line yet

Passing a vote in Florida's senate is an important milestone, but the bill is not yet law.

It needs to next pass the Florida House of Representatives before becoming law.

In addition, the House vote has not yet been scheduled.

Opposition to the bill

Leading the fight against the bill is the same group that championed Key West's legislation, Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships.

"Everybody who lives in the Florida Keys over the past year without the large cruise ships noticed the waters like a miracle get clearer," said Arlo Haskell with the Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships.

Mr. Haskell said cruise revenue accounts for about seven percent of all tourist spending in Key West in a normal year. Ships will continue to dock, he notes, although only the smaller ones.

"The goal is to make Key West the premier small-ship destination," Haskell said.

In addition, Mr. Haskell indicated he is working to get a veto by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, "We’re still working to lobby the House chamber, and are focused on getting the governor to veto it if it passes the House."

Royal Caribbean Group has scheduled its first quarter 2021 earnings call with investors for next week. These earnings calls are some of our best opportunities as cruise fans to hear a status update from the cruise line

The purpose of the call is to provide a business update and discuss first quarter 2021 financial results.

Earnings calls are hosted by Royal Caribbean Group's top executives, and it is a combination of disclosures, prepared statements and answering questions from Wall Street analysts. 

Royal Caribbean Group will host their call at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Thursday, April 29, 2021.

Executives may start off the call with some insight into where they see things headed in the near term, but the bulk of the call will be investors asking the cruise line executives about things not in the report, which may have an impact on guests as well.

As we gear up for this conference call, here are the big questions cruise fans are just as eager to know answers to as Wall Street.

Everything and anything about the CDC

You can bet a lot of questions are going to be about determining the relationship Royal Caribbean Group has with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and where things are (or not) headed.

While the company is slowly getting back up on its feet outside of the United States, cruises domestically remain completely shutdown and there still is no firm answer when that may change.

Investors are going to want to get a sense of when Royal Caribbean believes the stalemate of cruise ship travel may change. While it is doubtful the company will reveal any kind of top secret plan for when exactly cruises will sail again, answers from executives may shed light on what their thoughts are, and what they are hearing and seeing currently.

It remains to be seen if any of the public pressure, legislation, or lawsuits will change the CDC's authority, so in the meantime, the start of test cruises is another big question.

Up until now, there has been no indication at all by any cruise line that test cruises are on the horizon.

Test cruises are a requirement of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)'s Conditional Sail Order to demonstrate that the new health protocols the cruise line proposes will actually work.

Test cruises are seen as an indication of progress, and the return of ships to sea for simulated voyages would be as important to the morale of the cruise industry, as it would be for satisfying the CDC's requirements.

How well are summer 2021 cruises selling?

One big chance since the last earnings call in February is Royal Caribbean has announced a number of cruise ships that will sail this summer from outside the United States.

These new sailings have been on sale for a few weeks, and with much of the company still shutdown, and likely another billion dollar loss this quarter, you can bet executives will want to highlight any positive cash flow news that they can find.

Between the new sailings going on sale, as well as pre-cruise purchases, we may get insight into how well these new summer cruises are actually selling, and what sort of demand for cruises outside the U.S. consumers have.

How strong is demand for cruises next year?

Throughout the cruise industry shutdown, there has been strong demand for cruise bookings in the coming year, and analysts will want to know if that has changed any.

A combination of pent-up demand by the public to travel once the global health crisis eases, along with veteran cruisers eager to get back onboard has bolstered cruise bookings over the course of the next few months.

Investors will likely want to know how well-booked Royal Caribbean is not only for the remainder of 2021, but into 2022 and beyond. 

The exact date cruises will resume is unknown, but being able to hit the ground running with good demand will help Royal Caribbean rebound faster.

Read more: Latest update from Richard Fain

What about Europe?

While Anthem of the Seas will sail from England this summer, the rest of the European cruise season remains in flux.

European sailings are not subject to the CDC's jurisdiction, and rival MSC Cruises announced it would resume operations with 10 ships sailing in Europe. 

MSC Cruises's plan includes three ships sailing in the Western Mediterranean, three ships sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean and four vessels deployed to Northern Europe.

With such an ambitious plan by MSC, Europe seems like a logical place for Royal Caribbean to start back up as well.

How big of a loss?

Another quarter with cruises being mostly shutdown means more than likely another big loss for the company, but how much?

On the one hand, Quantum of the Seas remains sailing in Singapore, and new bookings opened up for summer 2021 cruises in the Caribbean and Europe.

However, a handful of ships sailing will not turn a profit, so the question is going to be how much of a loss will be reported, and what kind of a positive impact did the newly released sailings have on Royal Caribbean's balance sheet.

For perspective, Royal Caribbean Group had a $1.4 billion US GAAP Net Loss in the fourth quarter 2020, and $1.3 billion loss in third quarter 2020.

A billion dollar loss sounds scary, but Wall Street won't be that surprised.  It's all relative when it comes to profits and losses, and the question is if the loss is more or less than analysts were expecting.

How you can listen to the earnings call

There will be full coverage of anything intriguing that comes out of Royal Caribbean Group's first quarter 2021 earnings call right here on RoyalCaribbeanBlog, but if you would like to listen on your own, here's how.

The call will be available on-line at the company's investor relations website, www.rclinvestor.com.  

You will be able to listen via the link provided close to the start of the call.

Royal Caribbean has released new photos from around the finished spaces on its newest cruise ship.

Odyssey of the Seas arrived in Haifa, Israel this week to prepare for her upcoming inaugural sailings, and Royal Caribbean has peeled back the curtains a bit to showoff some of the areas onboard.

The 16-deck-high, 1,138-foot-long ship is one of the largest ships in the world, and can accommodate 4,180 passengers.

Odyssey of the Seas is the second Quantum Ultra Class ship, which is essentially a stretched and enhanced version of the original Quantum Class ships.

The first Quantum Ultra Class ship, Spectrum of the Seas, debuted in 2019, and sails from China. Odyssey of the Seas will be the first Quantum Ultra Class ship to sail from Europe and North America, marking a significant arrival to these markets.

Let's take a look around the brand new Odyssey of the Seas!

SeaPlex

The SeaPlex is the largest indoor and outdoor activity center at sea.

The SeaPlex itself has been reworked compared to other Quantum Class ships to offer more to do, with the removal of pods and the addition of a large screen and new venues.

Located inside the SeaPlex, Playmakers has a new prime location that features lots of TVs around the bar to keep up with games back home.  But it also offers views of the games on the court below.

Sky Pad

On the back of the ship, you will find a number of activities, including the Sky Pad.

The Sky Pad is a complimentary activity and it is a virtual reality, bungee trampoline adventure.

Guests put on a VR headset, and then get strapped into a bungee harness that allow them to easily jump on trampolines while traversing a virtual world only they can see.

In addition to the Sky Pad, Odyssey of the Seas offers a skydiving simulator with Ripcord by iFly, Flowrider surf simulator, and more.

Caribbean-inspired Pool Deck

Another first for any Quantum Class ship is the enhanced pool deck, first seen on the Royal Amplified cruise ships over the last few years.

The ship's pool deck has been reimagined to match Navigator and Oasis of the Seas pool deck designs, which feature a bright Caribbean vibe.

Most notably, the indoor pool feature for all guests is now open air.

Also located on the pool deck is The Lime & Coconut bar, and El Loco Fresh eatery.

Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar

At the revamped Giovanni's, you can "enjoy rustic Italian dishes with a contemporary flair."

 Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar is an update to Royal Caribbean's well-known specialty restaurant.  The menu has been completely overhauled, and now features hand-tossed pizzas, homemade pasta and a complete charcuterie station.

Social180

Space for kids and teens is always a top priority for Royal Caribbean, and teens can enjoy Social180 just for them.

This exclusive hangout is where young adults can kick back with friends over the latest in music, games and movies, and enjoy The Patio, a private outdoor deck with sweeping ocean views, outside games and seating.

Teppanyaki

One of the most popular specialty restaurants on any Royal Caribbean ship is the hibachi restaurant, and Odyssey of the Seas will feature a dedicated Teppanyaki restaurant.

Izumi hibachi is a teppanyaki-style restaurant, which is sometimes referred to as a “Japanese steakhouse."  Made famous by Benihana restaurants, the experience combines cooking and service into one fun performance.

Chefs cook in front of you as you enjoy a show with your meal being prepared. 

A new bill was introduced last week that aimed to get cruise ships sailing again, but the Senate has blocked the bill from passing.

The Careful Resumption Under Improved Safety Enhancements (CRUISE) Act was introduced by by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Senator Sullivan released a statement to the press noting that Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) objected, preventing the bill from passing.

The purpose of the CRUISE Act is to bypass the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) ban of cruise ships and allow ships to sail again as early as July.

Read more: Senators introduce new bill for cruise ships to sail without CDC approval

Speaking on the Senate floor, Senator Scott implored action for the fair treatment of cruises, "My colleagues and I are simply asking the CDC to provide a timeline when the cruise industry can begin to reopen like so many other sectors and the cruise that ensures they can do that in a safe manner."

"The CDC is treating the cruise sector unfairly while other industries are open for business. There is no reason why America's cruise industry and the thousands of jobs that rely on US success should continue to suffer. Cruises can and should resume. And we're going to do everything we can to bring about cruising safely."

Sen. Murray objected to the legislation, claiming cruise ships need new rules, "Cruise ships require specific focus and protocols in place to prevent future outbreaks."

The entire cruise industry has committed to sweeping new health and safety protocols derived by an independent group public health experts, led by former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt and former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration Dr. Scott Gottlieb.

These protocols include testing of every person onboard, social distancing, face masks and much more.

Sen. Murray continued, "We must trust the science and we must allow the CDC to continue its work to help us return to what we love as safely as possible."

"So I will continue to work with CDC and the administration as they develop the next phase of their cruising guidance, but for now, I object."

If passed, the CRUISE Act would revoke the CDC's current Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) on cruises and require the CDC to provide Covid-19 mitigation guidance for cruise lines to safely resume operations. 

Representatives Don Young (R-Alaska) and María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

If the Cruise Act were passed, it would override the CSO.

"Not later than July 4, 2021, the Secretary shall revoke the order entitled ‘‘Framework for Conditional Sailing and Initial Phase COVID–19 Testing Requirements for Protection of Crew’’, issued by the Director on November 4, 2020 (85 Fed. Reg. 70153), under the authority of sections 361 and 365 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 264; 268), and any other order or regulation that prohibits the operation of all cruise ships in United States waters, requires such ships to obtain approval from the Director prior to operating, or otherwise acts as a de facto prohibition for cruise ship operations in the United States."

The bill also proposed the creation of an interagency working group, which would issue recommendations for how to mitigate the risks of COVID–19 introduction, transmission, and spread among passengers and crew on board cruise ships and ashore to communities.

Sen. Scott pointed out the glaring double standard cruise ships are held to compared to every other sector of travel, "Today, hotels are open, airlines are flying, beaches are open, restaurants are open, tourism sites are open, amusement parks are open. They're all open."

"But for whatever reason, the cruise industry has made a decision to not allow cruising to happen. So they singled out this industry and cannot tell any of us why they've singled this out. "

"All we are asking is for the CDC to provide a timeline of when the cruise industry can begin to reopen. The cruise industry wants to do it safely."

Whether you live the suite life on every cruise, or are considering trying out an elevated cruise experience on your next sailing, Celebrity Cruises offers a few ways to plus your onboard experience.

One way Celebrity stands apart from sister cruise line Royal Caribbean is by placing a larger emphasis on its suite offerings, with broad suite privileges on almost all of its ships.

If you are trying to figure out what each of the suite programs offers, here is a look at the differences between  The Retreat, AquaClass and Concierge Class.

The Retreat suite program

If you happen to book a stateroom in The Retreat, you get more included with the what you pay.

The Retreat is the name of Celebrity's version of "ship within a ship" concept, where suite guests pay extra to get a number of exclusives available only to them.

The Retreat experience includes:

• Priority check-in, departure, and port tendering/boarding
• Luminae at The Retreat private restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Exclusive lounge access: The Retreat Lounge (or Michael’s Club, on non-revolutionized ships)
• Exclusive sundeck access: The Retreat Sundeck (on Edge Series and revolutionized ships)
• Dedicated butler service
• Dedicated pre-cruise Retreat Concierge
• Always Included benefits
  •  Indulge Package at no additional charge.
• Shore excursion credit
• Complimentary 24-hour in-suite dining, including full breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Premium bedding and bath amenities
• Complimentary welcome bottle of champagne or sparkling wine

The Indulge Package provides a Premium Beverage Package, prepaid tips, and an onboard credit for all guests in the stateroom, plus an Unlimited Stream Internet Package for the first and second guest. Onboard credit amount varies by length of sailing: $200 per person for sailings 1 – 5 nights, $300 per person for sailings 6 – 9 nights, and $400 per person for sailings 10 nights or longer.

Read more: What's Included on a Celebrity Cruise?

Aqua Class & Concierge Class

In addition to the suites, Celebrity also has special amenities for some balcony rooms that offer suite-like amenities without the suite price tag.

Both Concierge Class and Aqua Class are balcony cabins that offer a bit more space than a regular balcony room and include extra benefits.

Here is what Aqua Class includes:

• Priority boarding and early debarkation
• Shoeshine service
• Complimentary beach towel service
• A Personal Spa Concierge to arrange Canyon Ranch SpaClub treatments
• Binoculars included (for use onboard only)
• 24-hour room service (extra cost between 11pm and 6am)
• Pillow menu
• Blu Restaurant for breakfast and dinner
• Welcome cans of water (2)
• Daily flavored ice tea in carafe
• Location near the spa
• Unlimited access to Persian Gardens (Solstice and Millennium class) and SEA Thermal (Edge)
• Spa concierge
• VIP tour of SPA on embarkation day
• 10% off spa treatments
• Two yoga mats on Edge-class ships and "revolutionized" ships
• Daily Canapes

Read more: How is Celebrity Cruises different from Royal Caribbean?

If you go for a Concierge Class room, the benefits are slight different.

• Personalized Concierge services
• Embarkation day lounge
• Priority boarding and early debarkation
• Shoeshine service
• Complimentary beach towel service
• Binoculars included (for use onboard only)
• 24-hour room service (extra cost between 11pm and 6am)
• Exclusive embarkation day lunch
• Pillow menu
• Daily Canapes

The other factor in deciding between Concierge Class and Aqua Class is many repeat cruisers say Concierge rooms get a more desirable location for their cabin on the ship compared to Aqua Class.

Ultimately the decision may boil down to if you want extra spa benefits and want to dine at a private restaurant instead of the main dining room (Aqua Class), or if you prefer to get a better cabin location and other added benefits (Concierge Class).

Other important information

• Retreat, Aqua, and Concierge guests may, depending on itineraries, schedules, etc can be invited to special sail-away events.
• Retreat, Aqua, and Concierge staterooms have a dedicated team of stateroom attendants who look over a smaller number of rooms to provide enhanced services.