WAAAYTOOO

I was excited to share. I had my first UDP experience on Oasis and live blogged it here so that's why I was able to detail as much as I did for you there ?
You should plan to make reservations for CP150, Chops, Giovannis and Izumi (sushi and hibachi) for dinner.  They don't usually have space for walk-ups. 
On Oasis I was able to make reservations once on the ship using the app.  I was sitting in CP150 at dinner at 7pm and was playing with the app and could have made another reservation then and there for another restaurant.
When I did my Izumi sushi and Chops to-go meals I did make a reservation so they expected me.  Izumi had no issues with doing my order to-go, but Chops tried to strong arm me into sitting and dining.  I just wanted a filet to go so I could enjoy it later, and for research purposes as to how difficult it would be, of course.
Playmakers and Portside you can walk up whenever they are open and you have a per visit, per person allowance of $20.  $20 gets you a LOT of food for one person at either of those.  Izumi sushi has a $35 limit.
If you look at an old Cruise Compass you can get an idea of the open times for restaurants on port vs. sea days.  It does vary and you can dine whenever one is open!  I didn't do Chops for lunch because it just seems heavy to me.  I think we did Giovannis for lunch maybe and I missed that in my outline there.
Don't sleep on Johnny Rockets or the Solarium for breakfast either.  Both are included for everyone, package or not. 
Oasis ships have so many dining options and the UDP really opens the ship up to you and feels more like an all-inclusive experience when you have it.

I agree with Matt. Royal is going to keep everything the way it is. They have already stated the reason for test cruising, so that they can have families on board. Sure it would have been very easy to go the vaccination 95% route, but that would have not allowed many families the ability to cruise. 

IMHO a cruise is 100% safer than an land all-inclusive. To stay in a hotel you don't have to say anything regarding your current health. My first time at a resort this guy was staying there with a rash, he thought it was bug bites, and it turned out to be a mild form of flesh-eating bacteria. To say that put me off resorts is an understatement. Like some people on this site, I carry medical grade sanitation wipes and always wipe my hotel room down. The only time my wipes ever came up clean-ish was on my RCG cruise. Most of the time I am thoroughly cleaning the room. There is literally no way to tell what March will be like. In my opinion, people need to do exactly what they can handle now and not place too heavy a burden on the future. I would hope that by March we will be settling into something more steady and reliable. But many people thought things would be over in 3 month, 6 or a year.

I was invited to the Indy simulation cruise next week but I'd have to fly and stay in a hotel the night before.  
The ship will be fully vaccinated for guests and crew.  The ship will operate with full and proven effective protocols. 
The airport, airplane and hotel will be... who knows?  Could be mostly vaccinated, could be mostly unvaccinated.  Could be an airport worker doesn't want to lose their job and has bills to pay so they go to work with mild symptoms.   No one is going to check or know any better.  Protocols will consist of a $0.35 mask.
The risks involved with this trip were heavily slanted to the parts of the trip that weren't on the ship.  The ship would be the safe part.  
I declined the Indy invitation but if I get an invite to another Florida based simulation cruise I'm going.  

I haven’t done either cruising or staying in a resort since the pandemic started but I’ve done extensive research deciding on which direction to go for our next vacation.
I think the scales are slightly tipped to the cruise ship side as far as the safer route. For resorts, I saw mostly procedural improvements (e.g. intense cleaning and encouraging social distancing). For cruise ships (specifically RCCL), I noticed procedural AND facilities improvement with revamping medical facilities and hvac air circulation.
I would feel a lot safer on a cruise ship than in a grocery store, retail store, or even my own workplace.
Ultimately, cruise ships and resorts have the same 2 primary goals:
*to make money
*to keep everyone safe (which is basically synonymous with avoiding bad publicity)
and they’re going to do whatever it takes to accomplish this.

I'm on the October 3 cruise and they have yet to inform me about the change.  In fact, they are still selling it as Ft. Lauderdale, Falmouth, Labadee and Nassau.
However, my cruise planner shows ports on a Western Caribbean itinerary, so it is only a matter of time before everything switches over.
I sympathize with anyone that bought this cruise for the itinerary.  The only solace I can give is that all cruising is in a major state of flux.
We have only two choices: go with the flow or cancel our cruise.  I choose to go with the flow, but it is rather annoying to have this moving target.
I don't blame Royal for this.  They have to deal with a rapidly changing environment.  This is the unfortunate result.

Ovation of the Seas test cruise starts today from Seattle as well?
https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/25485-royal-caribbean-s-ovation-gets-cdc-approval-for-test-cruise.html

First, I agree with you that FL will win their law suit. Second, I am absolutely convinced that if the CDC tries an end run, and as you suggest, uses mandatory health inspections as a club to coerce compliance with the CSO, FL"s attonery's will be all over this.
If you are unaware, FL already filed a motion in the Middle Court of GA in opposition to the CDC's "Dear Colleague" letter that in no uncertain terms told the cruise lines that we won't rigorously enforce mask mandates aboard cruise ships (a lawful action they could take under different US Code) if you voluntarily comply with the CSO and to "please let us know if you plan to comply." All the cruise lines said they would.
The basis for the FL motion was that the CDC was coercing compliance with the CSO that had been enjoined by the Merryday court and upheld by the 11 USCOA. Merryday, IMO, correctly deferred a ruling stating that FL was objecting based on the potential for harm, no such harm having yet occurred. He left it open to FL to comeback to him if and when actual harm resulted.
FL is watching what the CDC does closely.

My Odyssey sailing was also changed to western caribbean.  I have to say, I love this itinerary a lot more than Nassau, Falmouth and Labadee.

Have you bounced this off a TA? RCG is not consistent at all in following their own booking protocols. Heck, my TA @Sharla sees one amount due online and then another amount due on my booking confirmation. I will NEVER booked a cruise without my TA!

Yes https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2021/07/19/odyssey-of-the-seas-begin-her-first-test-cruise-today

I think this is a great idea since it seems that the vaccinated are turning positive just as often as the unvaxxed (on cruises).  I also believe that everyone will eventually be required to provide insurance protection.  Royal cannot continue to fly everyone who tests positive home in a private jet !

@AshleyDillo YES! That was exactly what I was looking for! I didn't even realize Playmakers and Rockets were included! We tended to be at CK most nights with WJ thrown in for good measure. Now we are about to experience the UDP (I think) and was trying to visualize it. I am highly allergic to shellfish (so so so sad, I wasn't always.) Is the Chef Table out for us? I am looking at itinerary and trying not to indulge to rich the evening before I have to wiggle, squeeze & scream into my bathing suit. We did Izumi Hibachi once, wasn't impressed but we really think it was just an off night as the place was packed and loud as heck we surmise lots of Ultimate Drink packages also there that evening, LOL! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!!

In my 2br GS I am giving my mom the "real" bed and taking the sofa...so I definitely hope it is comfy.

If you are cruising now you're going to have to be very flexible on ships, itineraries, and overall changes of the rules quickly as new Covid variants appear. Only the most flexible people and diehard cruisers could enjoy all these changes to get on a ship to cruise. I love cruising but with all the changes I've found out that I am not as diehard as I thought I was and flexibility is not my thing.  If you can take all the changes, coupled with all the Covid testing, you are truly a flexible person. If this is not you, the experience will drive you crazy.
Just flying to the port is an adventure in of itself. Once you enter the world of the airlines you will truly see the experience is not the same as 2019 and you are at the whims of those in charge and rules change often. Just getting from point A to B on time with nothing occurring is a win. Then you get to the cruise port and it happens all over again. If you are a flexible person and these rules changes don't bother you than I think you'll be OK. If not, cancel and move on to land based drive to your location vacations. As I'm not flexible person I have chosen land based where I can control some of the vacation.

Thanks! I now regret even asking the question today. Haha   I’m not a fan of being vaccinated then now having to get tested. But it is what it is…

I don't really like to talk about this,( mask.v.no mask, vax.v.unvax) because it ruins any topic but....
Fully vax is not 95%, it is 100%. Many ships have been operating at close to or even over 95%
How bad does it look for a company to have deny someone? Because that's exactly what RCG would be doing by singling out ships for only vax pax. Having separate venues is already cutting it a little close. But per the current CDC recommendations, anyone indoors needs to wear mask, so whether it is 50% or 95% is a moot point.
 

I understand. Hopefully things go well for you. 
 
I did my certification a little over 2 years ago in OKC after my wife passed away and it was one of the best things I could have done. 

That's  great and all. My wife still can't  cruise with mixed vaccines. 

I imagine that the CSO will be extended even if it is only recommendations since all of the cruise lines have agreed to voluntarily follow it.

I think this is a great idea since it seems that the vaccinated are turning positive just as often as the unvaxxed (on cruises).  I also believe that everyone will eventually be required to provide insurance protection.  Royal cannot continue to fly everyone who tests positive home in a private jet !

I’ve always had thin blood !  That’s why the skeeters and vampires leave me alone.
?

I’ve always had thin blood !  That’s why the skeeters and vampires leave me alone.
?

I think this is a great idea since it seems that the vaccinated are turning positive just as often as the unvaxxed (on cruises).  I also believe that everyone will eventually be required to provide insurance protection.  Royal cannot continue to fly everyone who tests positive home in a private jet !

Wow!  I've been thru some good shakers in So Cal, but 2 minutes?  Just wow!  Glad you all are OK!!