Royal Caribbean Blog

With so much happening these days, our newest RoyalCaribbeanBlog video is a recap of all the Royal Caribbean news happening right now!

While we are all at home waiting for cruises to resume, I have a look at the big news from this past week to keep you informed of what is going on around the world of Royal Caribbean!

And if you love this video, there’s plenty more for you to enjoy over on our Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel!

By the way, have you subscribed yet? Be sure to subscribe to our channel and never miss a single video!

So check out the video and then let us know: What are you looking forward to doing the most when cruises reusme?

A new Harris Poll indicates that cruise lines and airlines will have the toughest road back after the coronavirus threat passes.

The poll was conducted between March 21-23, and looked at the feelings of Americans as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the many questions asked, one area of focus was how long until Americans return to normal activity once the virus flattens.

The poll found airlines and cruises "may be impacted the worst."

It found 22% of Americans say it will take a year or longer before they take a cruise and 1 in 10 say never again.

According to CLIA, about 30 million people went on a cruise in 2019, with 11.9 million coming from the United States. In 2018, the United States had a population of about 327.2 million people.

Royal Caribbean announced today it has extended its Cruise with Confidence cancellation policy to now include sailings through September 1, 2020.

Under this policy, Royal Caribbean is providing guests with the flexibility to cancel a cruise for any reason up to 48 hours before a sailing is scheduled to depart.  

 Guests will receive a full Future Cruise Credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of choice in 2020 or 2021.

The Cruise with Confidence program was introduced earlier this month at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, and provides significantly relaxed rules concerning cancelling a cruise if the situation changes for a guest.

Ordinarily, guests would incur a penalty for cancelling a sailing beyond the final payment date, which is typically 90 days before a sailing commences. Cruise with Confidence provides a great deal more flexibility to change minds with no penalty.

“Guests are reacting positively to our Cruise with Confidence policy,” says company chairman and CEO Richard Fain, “because it enables them to make informed decisions and to better manage complicated travel plans during this unprecedented time of uncertainty.”

The extension applies to all cruises with sailing dates on or before September 1, 2020, and applies to the company’s global brands Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara.

All Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credits must be redeemed on sailings departing on-or-before December 31, 2021.

Currently, Royal Caribbean has cancelled all of its sailings between March 14 and May 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and plans to resume service on May 12, 2020.

In addition, due to port closures around the world, Royal Caribbean added they expect to return to service for Alaska, Canada and New England sailings July 1, 2020.

Last week I shared Royal Caribbean coloring sheets for kids, but if you want to color with a bigger challenge, I have you covered!

In these days of being stuck at home, coloring is a great pastime for anyone and I have a new Royal Caribbean coloring pages for all ages.

The new sheets feature scenes from the Boardwalk, Ultimate Abyss, and Harmony of the Seas in Labadee.

You can download and print these coloring sheets right here.

Share photos of your finished product and I'll add your creations back to this post!

By John Henderson

By Michael Poole

Royal Caribbean has issued new safety protocols to its crew members that are working on its cruise ships to help stop the spread of COVID-19 outbreaks onboard.

In the wake of at least 14 crew members on Oasis of the Seas confirmed to be infected, Royal Caribbean has issued new safety guidelines.

According to Crew-Center.com, the letter passed to crew on Navigator of the Seas includes these 10 new rules:

1. Only crew that are assigned to work can leave their room
2. Crew that are not working MUST STAY in their room. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action up to termination.
3. Smokers are NOT ALLOWED out of their rooms to smoke. Smoking in the cabin is also NOT ALLOWED. Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action up to termination.
4. Food and water will be delivered to your room, the menu selection will be on your television.
5. In-room movies will be available within few hours, please be patient as we need to add you into the system first.
6. Please treat the room with respect, keep it clean and tidy. This is still a guest stateroom.
7. Fresh linen and toilet paper will be provided.
8. The moment you experience and of the following symptoms call the nurse on duty: High Fever, Coughing, Breathing Problems.
9 We will continue with our twice-daily temperature check, your management team will come to you, DO NOT leave your cabin.
10. Keep your self healthy by practicing good hygiene and wash your hands as often as possible.

All Royal Caribbean ships are currently shut down from cruising with guests. There are only crew members onboard maintaining the ships until regular sailings resume.

Royal Caribbean reiterated its commitment to its crew members and their safety in a statement, “The health and well-being of our crew is our foremost priority. Crewmembers who exhibited symptoms were evaluated by our medical staff and remain under close supervision. In accordance with our health and safety protocols, our crew have been asked to self-isolate in cabins while we await confirmation of initial results from public health authorities.”

Royal Caribbean hopes to resume sailings on May 12, 2020 to some destinations.

There are a lot of cruise fans who are stuck at home and dreaming of the day they can get back onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise, so former Cruise Director Abe Hughes decided to offer a virtual cruise for them.

Dubbed "Virtual of the Seas", Hughes crafted a daily Cruise Compass to provide his friends at home activities that would not only keep them occupied, but were similar to the sort of activities you would find on a cruise.

Hughes is no longer a Cruise Director, although he does still work for Royal Caribbean in their sales department supporting travel agents near his home in the midwest.

Each day, there was a new Cruise Compass for anyone interested to read that had activities they could do at home, as well as collaborate online.  This included Sudoku, trivia, napkin folding and more.  

Each evening, Mr. Hughes hosted a Facebook Live session of his morning show recording that he used to do onboard the ship.

The idea proved so popular, that Royal Caribbean announced Virtual of the Seas will sail again, with a 4-night "cruise" that begins on March 30.

All aboard! We’re craving a change of scenery and are embarking on a virtual cruise. Join Abe Hughes starting tomorrow as he takes over for the week. Because when you can’t actually travel the next best thing is to go virtual from the comfort of your couch. #VirtualoftheSeas pic.twitter.com/t6Q6utGxPY

— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) March 30, 2020

You can follow Abe Hughes on his Facebook page and join in on the second sailing of Virtual of the Seas!

Next week's Zoom conference call can have a Royal Caribbean feel to it with one of a dozen new Zoom backgrounds the cruise line released.

With more and more people relying now on virtual meetings held with the popular Zoom application, Royal Caribbean released new virtual backgrounds anyone can start using.

The virtual backgrounds include scenes from Perfect Day at CocoCay, the Coco Beach Club, Navigator of the Seas, Schooner Bar, Alaska, Royal Promenade and more.

The backgrounds can be downloaded via this link.

How to enable a virtual background

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. Click My Meeting Settings, if you are an account administrator or Meeting Settings, if you are an account member.
3. Navigate to the Virtual Background option on the Meeting tab and verify that the setting is enabled. 

Notes:

• If the setting is disabled, click the Status toggle to enable it. If a verification dialog displays, choose Turn On to verify the change.
• If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the Group or Account level, and you will need to contact your Zoom administrator.

You can refer to the full Virtual Background help document for specific requirements and options to enable it.

Royal Caribbean has asked the Port of Galveston to delay the start of construction on a brand new cruise terminal by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Daily News reports Port Director Rodger Rees delivered the request to the Wharves Board of Trustees, and it will be discussed at an upcoming meeting on Tuesday.

Mr. Rees specified that the delay is not official yet and that the port and Royal Caribbean must agree on new terms.

In the early days of the pandemic, Royal Caribbean announced it was taking certain steps to improve its financial situation, including reducing capital expenditures.

Mr. Rees also indicated that Royal Caribbean wants to build the new terminal, just not this year.

In December 2019, Royal Caribbean and the Port of Galveston signed a long-term agreement to build a $100 million 150,000-square-foot cruise terminal.

Prior to this proposed delay, the new terminal was slated to open in November 2021.

The new cruise terminal will be big enough to handle Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships, including an Oasis Class ship or the new Icon Class ships slated to debut in 2022.

In coordination with the new terminal, the cruise line was planning on homeporting Allure of the Seas in Galveston, beginning in 2021.

Approximately 14 crew members on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas have tested positive for coronavirus.

The Miami Herald is reporting a recording by the ship's Captain confirms the presence of COVID-19 onboard.

Oasis of the Seas has no guests onboard. Royal Caribbean suspended operations for at least 60 days beginning in mid-March.

Crew-Center.com reports the crew that have tested positive will remain onboard, and other enhanced measures will take place to prevent the spread of the virus.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement: “The health and well-being of our crew is our foremost priority. Crewmembers who exhibited symptoms were evaluated by our medical staff and remain under close supervision. In accordance with our health and safety protocols, our crew have been asked to self-isolate in cabins while we await confirmation of initial results from public health authorities.”

Oasis of the Seas is currently sailing around The Bahamas.

The worldwide coronavirus pandemic has forced Royal Caribbean to cancel 30 days of sailings two times, which has impacted thousands of people who have had their vacation plans disrupted. 

The need to limit the spread of COVID-19 among the cruising public is an understandable safety precaution, and it is entirely possible more sailings may need to be cancelled in the future.

Many cruisers are wondering if their upcoming cruise will be cancelled, and if it does here is what you need to know.

Decide which refund offer you want

The first decision you will have to make if Royal Caribbean cancels your cruise is which refund option you prefer.

With the first two sets of cancelled cruises, Royal Caribbean has offered guests the choice of a 100% refund or a 125% Future Cruise Credit.

There is no wrong option, it boils down to do you prefer to get your money back in cash, or take advantage of a generous credit that can be applied to a cruise in the future.

If you know you will cruise again, the 25% bonus could mean moving up to a nicer stateroom or going on a longer sailing. Of course, a refund means money back in your pocket sooner and perhaps that is more of a concern in the short term.

Keep in mind all of these options are if Royal Caribbean makes the decision to cancel your sailing.  If you decide to cancel your cruise because of coronavirus before Royal Caribbean does, then you are subject to different terms.

Don't call

Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean's call centers have been inundated with people calling to get answers and solutions to a variety of concerns, which has resulted in significantly longer hold times.

Resist the urge to call Royal Caribbean immediately when your cruise is cancelled. The cruise line will provide you with ample time to decide on which refund option you wan to select, so there is no need to sit on an extended period of time on hold to get your choice made.

Better yet, if you used a travel agent, you will need to have them do this on your behalf.  I have always been a major advocate of using a travel agent, and in these times of long hold times, having a travel agent do the work is such a great benefit to the customer.

Pre-cruise purchases will be refunded

Cruise add-on costs are automatically refunded back to you, so there is no need to do anything when it comes to the drink packages, WiFi, dining packages or shore excursions you booked.

Some people prefer to cancel them immediately via the Cruise Planner site to get the ball rolling on the refund being processed, but I do not believe it is a critical decision to make.

Purchases made via the Cruise Planner are the first refunds to be processed, and seem to come back to the original form of payment well before the cruise fare.

Don't forget to cancel flights, hotels and transportation

While Royal Caribbean may have cancelled your cruise, do not forget to cancel other forms of transportation and arrangements you have made leading up to your cruise.

Flights, hotels, kennel reservations and car rentals are just some of the things that you will need to cancel on your own.

You will need to check with each provider to know the cancellation terms that are applicable to you. Luckily, most travel providers are offering flexible cancellation terms, but you may need to also decide between a credit or full refund.

Be sure to also contact any third-party shore excursions you may have booked to get refunds on deposits.