LollyPop

Pre cruise testing for vaccinated individuals will definately go away first. That being said, I believe there is a possiblitlity that at the same time precruise testing is dropped for vaxxed, unvaxxed will be allowed to sail with a negative pre cruise test. 

We need to get through one more winter/flu season of low cases before all the 'theater' goes away. I say nether until maybe summer of 2023.
Why?
One because testing and vax requirements are keeping the ships sailing. That 95% rule will be in play for a while. Doing away with either this year is not a viable option, given the ever-increasing crappiness of a lot of human beings who would sue at the drop of a hat. 
They will keep vax and testing and do away with most everything else, like capacity restrictions and certain group activities restrictions...we can see parades returning already.

From P&O Facebook page.

Passenger weight is minuscule.   Every passenger can run to one side of a ship and it would have negligible impact on the ships attitude.    If passenger weight was a factor they’d have everyone move aft but it doesn't work that way.   
Pilots advise but don’t take full command.  The insurance carriers don’t allow it.  The exception is the Panama Canal where the canal has their own insurance carrier that covers them when they take full command of the ship.   Even if a pilot was on board and issuing navigational orders the Captain knows the ship and how it handles in wind.   The Captain should have prevented this one way or another.
MSC Armonia rammed the pier in Roatan and carried on the same day so it’s very possible Escape will too once the tides get her free and they get a look in daylight.  

Twitter suggests it was the local pilot at the controls. Which is even more embarrassing

I've never been but just booked an Alaska cruise. We're doing one excursion through the ship (White Pass Railroad in Skagway) and one on our own (Juneau Whale Watch and Mendenhall Glacier though Juneau Whale Watch Tours).
It looks like you could book the White Pass directly though the company, but I heard they make it convenient to board the train from your dock through the ship, plus I didn't like the times they were offering on the company's website. I also thought, in the case of an extreme issue with the trains where you are stuck miles away up a mountain, at least the ship will help you get back. Doubt any disasters will happen, but it's nice not to worry about it. 
I did a ton of research on whale watches and this company seems great. They specifically mention that they track the cruises so if your ship comes into port late they will wait for you. I also liked that with their tours you do the whale watch first, then go to the glacier, and from there they have company buses that depart every half an hour so you can pick how long you stay there. You can stay for 30 minutes or two hours, depending on when you get there and when your ship leaves. This is great if you want to walk around and explore a bit more without worrying about catching the one bus back. They had great reviews too! Also, most importantly, I don't see just a whale watch and glacier trip on the RC website! They are all luxury tours or include a salmon bake. We're unfortunately only in the port from 2pm - 8pm, and we want to do the whale watch and the glacier, so we wouldn't really have time to do a RC excursion and then go out on our own.
Two things that also keep me from being too worried about booking Juneau on my own are one, unlike some place in the Caribbean, I'm sure all the vehicles are up to code and everyone has licenses. And two, Juneau literally has no roads outside of Juneau. It's only air or boat transportation to get out of the city. And while it's fairly spread out, I guess it's nice to know that you really can't get too far away from the port! Looks like the furthest away you could get from the cruise port is Mendenhall Glacier, and it's only 12 miles away.

Decided to chance the whole Canada thing and book the Skagway White Pass Railway along with the return bus ride. The one I chose visits Emerald Lake and the Caribou Crossing Trading Post to see sled dog pups. At this point, Canada still requires the Covid test and signing up on their registration app. I'm not sure what will happen with all that, but I'll get a refund if there are issues. There was a waiting list, and the company opened for registration last week. They also guarantee passage to your next port of call if you miss your ship. Here's hoping Canada drops those regulations!
https://chilkootcharters.com/

We also want a tour going to the yukon and hoping the rules ease. We are canadian and admit our gouvernemnt is being ridiculously strict! Will be so much easier when they relax some travel rules.

I think I see mine!!! Only had to experience that once!!!! They used to let you bring a strip but not anymore. As was said already, anything without a surge protector. 

https://improveworkspace.com/why-surge-protectors-banned-cruise-ships/
Lets you understand the issues.  Knowing what I do I know that in general it shouldn't really matter for extension cords and such but I can see where a transient voltage spike could cause a surge protector to overload and that will potentially cause a fire.  A lot of the cheapest surge protectors are just a Metal Oxide Varistor and they are damaged every time a surge is dealt with.  Over time this can cause them to physically explode when a high enough surge is found... Explode as in burst into flames similar to how a capacitor can burst.  
 
 
Fire and ships together are BAD NEWS... Just the smoke from a single room caught on fire could kill people because burning polymers and such give off noxious compounds.  Simply put, get a charger that can deal with multiple devices.  I use one this one Quick Charge 3.0 Wall Charger, 60W 6-Port USB Fast Charger and it works GREAT.  Had it since July 2019 and use it everywhere I go including 4 cruises, traveling to Jamaica, as well as traveling around the US, and at home.
If you have so many devices that you HAVE to have more outlets in the room then the only option is something like the no cord outlet expander linked above.  Anything with a cord that splits outlets will be confiscated if it's seen.  Sneaking it past in your carry on is a bad idea as well because if there is a fire you will be charged for ALL damages.  Maybe you will get lucky every single time but it only takes one time to cost you everything you have, it's not worth it.  I don't want to be that person and I quit working at a place because the kids there were likely going to kill someone and I wanted nothing to do with it.

The difference is a fuel surcharge if tact on would effect the first and second passenger booked in every cabin even if you've paid your cruise in full you would still have to pay the fuel surcharge. The price of food (not including specialty dinning) is already baked into the price of the cruise depending on how many people have already booked their cruises in advance verse how many book last minute?  Cruise lines may have to eat the majority of the increased cost of food depending on how those scales balance out.
I can't see a cruise line coming back to passengers who've already booked and saying we are adding a food surcharge like they can do with a fuel surcharge. They can raise their prices but everyone who is already booked would be exempt. They could certainly raise prices for speciality dinning, and they have already raised their prices for most liquor packages, good luck finding a DBP under $55 dollars per day the normal pre-cruise price that I've seen over the past few month has been around $71 dollars per day plus taxes and gratuities. 
I think the best way to deal with the increased cost of food is for Royal to continue doing what they are doing right now especially in Windjammers and that is continuing to have the staff serve guest.  I've noticed on the cruises that I've been on that there is considerable less food waste when guest are served than when they serve themselves and guest don't go back up to the buffet as much/often as they did when it was self service. Bump up the price at speciality dinning and maybe increase their room service fee tack on an additional $1 -3 dollars to the room service fee.

Fuel is one item that will have to dealt with but food costs are also soaring so that too will have to dealt with. Most economists are predicting a 3rd-4th quarter of this year to see the full brunt of inflationary values to hit the market. There is no way any business, much less cruise lines, not to pass on increases to their customers. I'm sure the cruise lines will have to bake that into cruise price increases. Fuel surcharges is not the way I'd expect them to handle it as it is too harsh for consumers to see. Better to raise the price of the overall cruise; kind of a take it as it is versus pay more now in an unexpected expense so we'll let you on the ship - too disruptive.
We might as well get used to higher prices for all things...there are lots of podcasts where they interview farmers on how their prices are increasing and they are going through the roof.  And, fuel and food touch almost everything in our economy.
As the old adage used to say, when the US sneezes the rest of the world gets a cold is still very true. We are just in the very edge of the beginning of inflation - sorry to have to say that but it is true. Economists are saying a recession will show by the latter part of this year but by then we will have lived it for the 2 quarters of negative growth and by then we will know full well it's here. Takes a while before the statistics catches up to the reality.
 

Cruising is a luxury and totally optional.  If I get priced out of cruising there are alternate ways to vacation or stay-cation at home.

With how Royal likes sales on fares and cruise planner purchases, I could see them reduce the % & dollars off amounts before introducing a fuel surcharge. Less off across the board could equal the value of a surcharge without the negative PR of adding one.

With people jumping at the chance to cruise again with less Covid protocols I am torn on how the masses would respond.
In my view, adding it on might be bad “PR”, but I think all the cruise lines would do it at once to lessen that impact. People will cruise regardless now. If it costs a little bit more, then it does. For one, I’m not liking the idea of possibly paying $100 more per person or so, but if that’s what I have to pay I understand.
Costs on everything are going up and there’s not a way to avoid them. These companies can only sustain so much before it becomes a losing proposition to operate as if the costs haven’t doubled.

Makes me want to get ahold of a cup to see if they are using NFC and if the tag is changing somehow.  I know it's easy enough to clone NFC tags with a phone but if there is some sort of change in data on the tag similar to how some of the subway systems change the magnetic stripes on the passes they sell to show the value left on them.  There was a big writeup a few years back that talked about how it worked and they figured out how they could change the magnetic stripes to show they had 1000's on them using a simple mag stripe writer.  Would I try and steal from the machines, no.  But sometimes it's interesting to see how things function and work, for those who don't know you can actually get a tool for android phones called NFC Tools and read data from your US passport.  

That has been my experience.  BTW: the person sailing will get the double C&A points for travelling alone.

Generally, the best option this late is for your partner to "no show".  Taxes and port charges will be refunded.

Personally, I’ve always thought it was ridiculous for people to go to a specialty restaurant on the ship and then expect the servers there to go get them food from somewhere else.  I’m not trying to be rude, but they work hard enough.  I can go buy lobster at home, but if I need to eat it that badly on my cruise, I’ll go to the MDR to eat it when it’s the night for it …….. or else I’ll go eat at Hooked Seafood and order it there.
 
 

@Arika RoyPay. It’s worth it. We’re in Idaho, where they don’t have rapid PCR. For our Christmas cruise, we got the kids tested three days before sailing and didn’t get the results until midnight the morning of the cruise. This resulted in us having to fly without knowing for sure we would be able to sail and having to get a rush rapid PCR in our departure city the day before the cruise anyway. If given the choice, definitely pay up for the rapid PCR. 

The PCR test can be done Sunday. But I’m warning you- pay for the rapid PCR. Just do it. I got PCR tests for 3 of my kids 3 days before sailing at CVS which said results within 48 hours. I got 2 back at 3:30pm AFTER I had boarded the ship and the one I needed the absolute most, for my unvaccinated 3 year old I never ever received the results for. It’s been 2.5 months. I was so stressed the day before the cruise finding very expensive rapid PCRs and wish I’d just done it that way in the first place. We’re sailing in 25 days and I don’t care that I have to spend $300 for a rapid PCR. I’m doing it. The anxiety and lack of sleep I experienced before our last cruise stressing over getting results in time was so miserable. I got the rapid PCR results in an hour. Worth every penny. 

EMed is the only service that I'm aware that proctors the Abbot Binax test.  The link for testing is on the home page, no matter what device or computer you're using.
If  you're using a laptop (and I always do), just make sure you have a decent amount of space on your table and that you can maneuver the camera so it can see your face, and then also the table surface in front of you, where they'll want to watch you do the test.  Some say it's easier to use a phone camera - I just found that gave me more to juggle with my hands.  It's super easy, just make sure you have enough room so you don't accidentally knock the test onto the ground (which will invalidate it - fwiw, I lock the cat up during these tests as well so she doesn't do something dumb like jump on a table and step on it or be a cat and knock it off).

Absolutely, one of our main reasons for not going to the buffet. My family tends not to be too obtrusive so if there's a lot of people waiting for something, we would likely be the last to get it especially when there is no defined line. 
I do appreciate crew members who notices and ensures we get served before someone who just came, regardless of how loudly they ask for something. But that happens only once in a while. I'm just not sure why people don't use courtesy. I don't think they'll run out of food.

One more thing that I would add to the current status of buffet service comes from my direct knowledge and experience as a buffet chef.
Pre-covid, buffet stations had one line cook assigned to ensure cleanliness, swapping out dirty utensils, food items refills, and food rotation.  Now, as with all businesses, when staffing costs were high, we would assign one line cook per two (2) stations.  That meant that certain food items might not be timely replenished or the station went unwiped for periods of time.  As a consumer, this would certainly irk me.
From the Youtube videos that I have seen of the Windjammer post-covid, the stations look relatively clean and food items replenished.  The extra staff needed to serve you is doing more than just serving you.  I think it makes for an overall better experience.

I want to say scanning of seapass cards was for contact tracing purposes with regards to positive covid cases onboard