fireclan

Nothing really makes sense at the moment ...
Nothing officially announced but NCL is slow rolling future deployment at the same time as other lines are adding back cruises into their July schedules ... why do some think they are going to sail immediately where others sound like its going to be a while.
The whole vaccinated/not vaccinated thing is a cluster brought to you by the most litigious society on the face of the planet combined with a public health agency gone mad and a whole bunch of people who are so scared that they might die before they come out of their basements again.
I was ready to sail a year ago with no new protocols except common sense and I'm still ready now, looking forward to Adventure in June and hoping that there is something on my schedule after that but who knows at this point.

Actually, I think it all makes perfect sense. 
Each cruise line is going in to their bunkers and examining their status and opportunities.  Some of the things they have to consider:
What ships can we staff and at what time period? What itineraries make the most sense from a demographic, feasibility, and profit perspective? Where does it make sense to do test sailings and where does it make sense to enforce vaccines? and much more! Each cruise line is in a different position on all of these items. Therefore, each comes up with a different solution.
Lastly, none of these cruise lines has done this before. Since the restart was a moving target, they couldn't do much pre-planning.  Therefore, they are figuring out as they go. Just like we are.
It's frustrating, but I'm encouraged that US cruising appears to be moving forward much faster than I expected.  I really believe my Thanksgiving and Christmas cruises will happen.

To each their own

Count me in with you. No concerns about cruising with the un-vaxxed no matter what their reason.

I am disappointed that Royal Caribbean didn't go the vaccinated route. Forget the test cruises, I don't want to be on a cruise with people who aren't vaccinated, because the reason they probably didn't get vaccinated is NOT because of health reasons or religion or whatever. They are just anti-vaxxers and have all these dumb theories about the vaccine. Plus the risk is higher of an outbreak if you mix vax'd and unvax'd... it may backfire for Royal Caribbean and they may regret not going the vaccinated route. We will see. Luckily my next cruise isn't until November so hopefully things are better by then in terms of all this craziness.

I would happily cruise with 'the great un-vaxxed'.  Just as long as I could cruise, the risks are minuscule!"!

Yeah, it’s terrible to be around people with dumb theories about Covid like people who believe wearing a cloth mask protects them from an aerosolized virus or people who think children should have been kept out of schools. People who wear masks outside. People who really believe Covid was first transmitted from an animal to humans. People that believe a higher rate of people are hospitalized from Covid than actually are. 
 
The point being is there is wild theories on both sides. Just because people chose not to get vaccinated don’t mean they are anti- vaxxers . Maybe they recovered from Covid, have natural immunity, etc. 
and guess what? On your November cruise, there will be unvaccinated people on that ship… oh, the horror!!!! Whenever you cruise beyond November it will be the same thing. I would suggest you cancel any cruises so you can be consistent with your beliefs 
 

 
 

Well rumor is Royal Caribbean after negotiating with the Port Authority of NY/NJ that cruises will restart in August from NJ. We sail August 22 which will be the 3rd try since the world turned upside down. Half capacity but I can't find the article now. It sounds very legit though. 

"soon"
"coming weeks"
 

Disappointed but not surprised.  I am not an anti vaxer but this seems like an unnecessary vaccine for teenagers where the risk is extremely low.  I am not comfortable vaccinating my kids. Many feel differently and many feel the same.  For those that feel differently a suite on Symphony in August will open up on Monday as I will be canceling. This was a rebook of our cancelled April 2020 cruise.  For me it is time for a refund. Looks like we won't be cruising for awhile.  For those who are vaccinated enjoy getting back to the open seas.  Tip extra if you can, those poor souls have been out of work for over a year! 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/05/21/canada-will-meet-alaska-senators-discuss-cruise-ships-skipping-canada
 
Canada to America - "Your cruise ships can't come here"
America to Canada - "OK that's a little crazy, let's work things out"
Canada to America - "Nope, health and safety, health and safety!"
America to Canada - "OK we'll skip Canada then"
Canada to America - "Whoa let's not get crazy here, let's work things out"

I don't want to sail on a ship that forces passengers (CDC imposed or not) to take an experimental drug aka "vaccine" for a virus that is hugely survivable for healthy individuals. What would be nice is if we let the vaccinated sail vaccinated and be confident in their protection from us who choose to go unvaccinated. Seems like everybody wins. Honestly, what's next? Measles vaccine proof after the first outbreak of measles at sea ala Disneyland? Maybe that comes after another arbitrary no-sail order by the CDC. Read it this way after what they just did they can shutdown our beloved industry unfairly and arbitrarily anytime something like this happens. Vaccinated are by very definition vaccinated against the virus, let everybody that wants to sail and take responsibility for their own medical decisions. 

I'm sharing this, but not ready to post it on the blog quite yet...
Source
BAYONNE, NJ - After extensive discussions with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, local and state health officials, and the Office of Emergency Management, Royal Caribbean is planning to sail its first cruise ship out of Port Liberty in Bayonne in August, TAPinto Bayonne has learned.
“Right now, we’re hearing the first ship will leave in August at half capacity,” said Mayor Jimmy Davis. “This means that if the ship can accommodate 6,000, then 3,000 will be allowed on board.”
Royal Caribbean suspended operations from Bayonne last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I’m not worried about vaccine verification. I’m vaccinated and am fine being around unvaccinated people without a mask. I know I may still get the virus but have 100% protection from getting sick to the point of being hospitalized, if the unvaccinated want to roll the dice and take that chance more power to them. 

The CDC has a top hat that they pull out information from when they want to update anything.

Ohio has now, after CDC made more changes, that vaxed can ditch masks 100% (nursing homes still the exception I think).  I tested this update over the weekend.  My wife and I went to a Home Depot walked in talked to staff about purchases we were looking to make etc.  No one mentioned needing masks.  
We decide to have lunch at Panera.  We are ordering food and then while taking our order the cashier asks us if we have masks.  I politely stated we are vaxed.  She then says we still need to have masks on and walks to get, I am guessing the manager.  I am not trying to be on a YouTube "worst customer" video so we went ahead and just left.
I will say my wife was a little annoyed with me because she really likes one of the salads they have, whoops ?! 
I am wondering how businesses are going to do when June 2nd rolls around when everyone can ditch their masks here.  
Edited:  I want to make sure that it is known the Panera cashier was not snotty or rude to us when asking about us having masks.  I fully believe they were just doing their job and there is nothing wrong with that in my eyes.

We've been doing exactly this for a long time down here. Won't spend money in a place that requires a mask, there were and are to many places that don't. 

Most capacity limits and mask requirements are being lifted today in North Carolina, effective immediately. No specific mention of individual businesses having the right to require masks, but unless requiring them were to violate a law they should be free to do so. 
If a place of business requires a mask and I don't like it (I don't) I have the option to not frequent that business.

I know a husband and wife who after a full year still have antibodies. Both had mild cases

Can someone let me know when cruising resume with NO masks required. Nothing cruise wise matters for me till then.
 
Hopefully by then(if and when it ever happens) I will be allowed to leave my country and not be sent to a Covid camp upon return and fined thousands.
 
But seriously, I cant keep track of all the changes and rules. So when things are back to normal for the Royal and the cruise industry..there should be something pinned to the top of this site to let everyone know and to cut back and prevent on going questions and what ifs!
 
 
 
 

We have cruised 35 times, favorite and ONLY vacation since 1996. Masks and vaccines - absolutely will NOT be cruising. Actually we have one booked on CCL, RCL and NCL we are getting ready to asks for refunds.  Masks in 90 degrees what idiot thinks that is okay, experimental vaccines NOT approved by the FDA (only approved for emergency use) nothing okay with that either,  the CDC is just trying to shut cruising down permanently. But yet people are in Vegas gambling in casinos and as we know they are allowed to smoke in the buildings, but that is okay because the US benefits from that directly.  Go to any restaurant and no one is sitting and taking and bit and putting a mask back on. It is ridiculous what they are requiring.  My heart breaks that this is being done the cruise lines, I believe so much in them I also hold the stock.  That could be the next thing to go.  I certainly hope enough cruisers speak up to help the cruise lines fight this fight!
 

As long as there are spending bills to be passed, the longer the pandemic panic will continue. 
Return to cruising signals end of pandemic in some politicians minds. 
You know the political saying, "never let a crisis go to waste"

Why on earth should the CDC be regulating anything, cruising or otherwise?

I sure hope your armor is in place, knowing what arrows will be coming your way very soon.  I find solace knowing that at least, in a few cases, the scales are being lifted from some peoples’ eyes.
Not to worry though.  I’m sure this thread will be locked down soon enough or your post erased permanently.  Thanks for having the courage to post it though.  Good luck.