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Spotted: Royal Caribbean increasing capacity on its cruise ships

In:
18 Oct 2021

The amount of passengers on Royal Caribbean cruise ships is starting to slowly increase after remaining purposefully low during the initial restart process.

While Royal Caribbean does not divulge passenger counts or capacity limits for its ships sailing, there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence from passengers that the amount of guests onboard is going up from what it was this summer.

When Royal Caribbean restarted cruises earlier this year, the cruise line purposefully kept its capacity low to ensure the highest likelihood of success with regard to its Covid-19 protocols.

Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships | Royal Caribbean Blog

Anyone sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the summer and early fall of 2021 enjoyed going on a ship with 25-40% of the normal capacity.

Read moreBest things to do on Royal Caribbean while there is limited capacity onboard

It now appears things may be changing.

Latest counts

People that have gone on a cruise recently have come back sharing passenger counts that are higher than they were just a few weeks ago, which seem to point to a trend of a higher ship capacity.

The last couple Mariner of the Seas 3-night weekend sailings have seen between 2,000 - 2,300 passengers, according to officers onboard.

The Allure of the Seas 7-night sailing that departed on Sunday has around 2,700 passengers onboard, according to a RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader.

The Oasis of the Seas sailings from Cape Liberty have seen higher numbers as well, with the October 17th sailing coming in at 3,147 passengers.

Royal Caribbean cruise fans have been sharing their passenger counts on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com message boards, and while there are ebbs and flows to how many passengers are on a particular sailing, the general consensus seems to be there are more passengers now than earlier this summer on most sailings.

Part of the plan

Anecdotal data is one piece of the puzzle, as Royal Caribbean has hinted it plans to ramp back up before the end of the year.

Last month, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain shared his thoughts at a recent industry conference on getting back to full capacity.

He said they kept capacity low initially to be extra cautious, "we made a deliberate decision to get more ships operating sooner, even when that means each ship operates at a very low occupancy for a few months."

"In terms of numbers next year, I definitely think so," Mr. Fain said. "In our core markets, we expect to be essentially there by the end of this year."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted in August that the plan is to increase a ship's capacity monthly, "As we move month by month, we are increasing our capacity ship by ship."

With Royal Caribbean's health protocols working effectively, they seem poised to move to the next phase of the restart plan.

Best things to do on Royal Caribbean while there is limited capacity onboard | Royal Caribbean Blog

In speaking with various officers onboard Royal Caribbean ships I have sailed on, the plan is to ramp up passenger counts in November and December.

The benefits of more passengers

Top questions Royal Caribbean hasn't answered yet about its restart plans | Royal Caribbean Blog

Without a doubt, having limited capacity on cruise ships this summer spoiled anyone that got to sail because of the non-existent lines and waiting, but there are good aspects to having more passengers onboard.

One downside to a low capacity is the nightlife and entertainment is noticeably subdued. Being at a bar, lounge, or show with a fraction of the audience makes for a tame feel.

Moreover, having more passengers means certain venues will re-open or increase their capacity. When ships have exceeded 50% of their capacity, the Windjammer has re-opened for dinner service, which has been a common concern among cruisers this summer that miss having that option.

Of course, more passengers is also good for the cruise line and its employees.  Not only are more passengers good for the company's bottom line, but that also means more gratuities for crew members.  The trickle down effect cruise ship passengers have on the local economies of the ports a ship visits is also going to be positively affected by having more people traveling, from taxis, to hotels, to tour operators, and restaurants.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry contributes over $55.5 billion annually, prior to the pandemic.

How many passengers will be on my cruise?

In short, there is no way to know in advance how many passengers will be on your upcoming sailing because Royal Caribbean does not announce or publish in advance passenger counts.

In addition, the cruise line does not say what percentage capacity its ships will be at going forward.

Once onboard the ship, you can usually ask Guest Services or an officer for a passenger count.

Keep in mind Royal Caribbean's cruise ships and private destinations are designed to handle a normal capacity of passengers, so even sailing with 50-90% capacity is still a positive experience.

Even before the pandemic, the myth of cruise ships being too crowded was out there, but thanks to better traffic flow and ship design, that is not the case.

Royal Caribbean's ships are built to include more deck space, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues to accommodate the larger number of passengers.

Read moreTop untrue myths about a Royal Caribbean cruise

Florida appeals verdict in cruise ship vaccine requirement lawsuit

In:
07 Oct 2021

The State of Florida is ready for another round of a legal fight over mandating Covid-19 vaccines.

Norwegian Cruise Line cancels May 2021 cruises | Royal Caribbean Blog

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) won a lawsuit earlier this summer against Florida over a state law that banned businesses from denying entry to customers who were not vaccinated.

Florida filed documents on October 4th with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to appeal the preliminary injunction NCLH won, and asking the appeals court to vacate the decision.

United States District Judge Kathleen M. Williams granted NCLH the preliminary injunction, but Florida wants that decision reversed.

In the 69-page filing, Florida argues the U.S. constitution gives companies no right for private companies to refuse service to prospective customers who fail to disclose private medical documentation.

NCLH argued that Florida's law violated its First Amendment rights and dormant Commerce Clause claims.

Florida says its law that was shot down by NCLH's lawsuit neither violates the First Amendment nor the Commerce Clause.

Section  381.00316  does  not  violate  the  First  Amendment  because  it  affects  what    businesses    cannot    do—condition    service    on    customers    providing    documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination—“not what they may or may not say,” Rumsfeld v. FAIR, Inc., 547 U.S. 47, 60 (2006), and thus does not implicate the First Amendment. Indeed, FAIR and Wollschlaeger v. Governor of Florida, 848 F.3d 1293 (11th Cir. 2017) (en banc), compel this result. 

Nor  does  Section  381.00316  violate  the  dormant  Commerce  Clause.  Under  the Pike  balancing  test—the  analysis  that  all  parties  agree  applies  to  the  statute—Florida’s  law  is  constitutional  because  any  indirect  effects  it  has  on  interstate  commerce  do  not  clearly  exceed  the  local  benefits  of  the  law.

In May 2021, Florida passed a new law that banned businesses, schools, and government agencies from requiring people to show documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccinations or post-infection recovery before gaining entry.

Breaches of this law would face a fine of $5,000 per violation.

Subsequently, in July 2021, NCLH sued Florida to get an injunction against the law, because the company says the law prevents them from operating their business safely.

NCLH believes the law puts them, "in an impossible dilemma" to operate sailings from Florida.  In their view, they would either have to be "on the wrong side of health and safety" or on the wrong side of Florida law.

Norwegian Cruise Line CEO says July cruises from U.S. "not possible" | Royal Caribbean Blog

Judge Williams agreed with NCLH's points, and said the law did not go far enough if it meant to protect the medical privacy of private citizens.

The Judge pointed out that businesses and employers are able to require Covid-19  test results, hospital records,other vaccination records, as well as information regarding exposure to third parties with Covid-19.  Therefore, Florida failed to explain why proof of Covid-19 vaccination documents are more medically sensitive or need more protection than these other documents.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO talks about getting back to full capacity

In:
28 Sep 2021

When will cruise ships get back to one hundred percent capacity is a hot question, and it could be as early as the end of this year.

8 Secret spots on Royal Caribbean cruise ships | Royal Caribbean Blog

While speaking at the Seatrade Global 2021 conference earlier today, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman Richard Fain was asked his thoughts on getting back to full capacity as early as next year.

"In terms of numbers next year, I definitely think so," Mr. Fain responded.

"In our core markets, we expect to be essentially there by the end of this year."

Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships | Royal Caribbean Blog

Mr. Fain did not elaborate what "core markets" exactly means.  

Royal Caribbean International ships have been sailing at reduced capacity since they restarted operations, and there have been no public announcements as to how full any ship or sailing would be going forward.

Mr. Fain said he believes misinformation about the restart process has been an issue for customers, travel agents, and industry professionals.

Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas begins inaugural sailing | Royal Caribbean Blog

"I think a key issue here is there's so much misinformation out there on so many topics."

"It's been a difficult year for all of our partners here in the audience who have also had to deal with this and our travel advisory partners. But one of the things that's caused a lot of confusion is we've canceled cruises. Do you get your rebate? You take a future cruise credit. That's very confusing."

Mr. Fain echoed sentiments he shared last week in a video update that the upcoming booking season in early 2021 will be an important time to step up and show the public cruise ships are ready to sail.

What it's like to be a on cruise ship with no guests | Royal Caribbean Blog

"What we really want to do is make sure that when we start that key booking period, our ships are operating."

"They can see they're operating, they can see the protocols are working, they can see people are taking cruises, they're not going to worry about cancellations and this or that. So we really need to get back to a period of stability."

Last week, Mr. Fain said he wanted nearly all ships back in operation, "By the end of this year, we want virtually all of our ships to be operating and operating seamlessly in our core markets."

Royal Caribbean will now offer limited Covid-19 testing at the cruise terminal on embarkation day

In:
27 Sep 2021

There is now a new option to get your pre-cruise Covid-19 test at the cruise terminal.

Royal Caribbean announced it will offer boarding day test at the port on a limited basis.

Royal Caribbean said the new pre-cruise tests are "a last option if you simply can't find a pre-cruise test or could not secure results in time."

The terminal tests are only available for fully vaccinated passengers and available by appointment only.

The test will start at $99 per person, and guests will wait up to an hour for results outside of terminal. 

To book a test, schedule your appointment 30 minutes prior to sailing check-in time, 24 hours in advance.

These test options are for guests in the U.S. — international guests can use them only once they have arrived in the U.S.

PortMiami wants to broker a deal for shared cruise terminal between Royal Caribbean and MSC | Royal Caribbean Blog

Adding the new tests at the terminal is seemingly in response to guest feedback that getting a pre-cruise test is sometimes difficult due to overwhelming demand for Covid tests around the United States.

Royal Caribbean states it prefers guests use the at-home test kits, which can be ordered in advance of the cruise and are cheaper than the terminal testing.

Two at-home tests can be ordered for $69.99 USD; 3 tests for $99.99 USD.

You can order your test kit at RoyalCaribbean.com/HomeTestKit

Of course, guests can still opt to get a test done at a local pharmacy, lab, public test site, or doctor's office. 

Royal Caribbean's pre-cruise testing requirement

Two cruise lines shorten the window of time to get a pre-cruise Covid test | Royal Caribbean Blog

Regardless of which test you get, all passengers must get a pre-cruise Covid-19 test done within a few days of the cruise.

Guests age 12 or older must must show a negative COVID-19 test result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day.

Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 3 days before boarding day. Kids’ pre-cruise test cannot be taken on boarding day, because that may affect the sample taken during the kids’ test at the terminal. Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.

Kids will take a complimentary PCR test when checking in at the terminal.”

Royal Caribbean releases cruise ship health protocols for U.S. sailings October 16-31, 2021

In:
21 Sep 2021

Royal Caribbean has released its health protocols for cruises departing the second half of October 2021 from ports in the United States.

The cruise line had released October protocols for sailings in the first half of the month, but now we have the protocols for the second half.

These protocols apply to any Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing from a U.S. homeport between October 16-31, 2021.

Here is what Royal Caribbean has planned for passengers sailing in the second half of October.

Vaccination

Spotted: Royal Caribbean adds new way to add Covid-19 vaccine card in its app | Royal Caribbean Blog

All guests 12 years and older must bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days prior to sailing.

Testing

When do you have to take a Covid test before your Royal Caribbean cruise? | Royal Caribbean Blog

Pre-Cruise

All guests 2 years and older must present a negative PCR or antigen test result.

  • Vaccinated guests ages 12 and over, test must be taken no more than 2 days prior to sailing.
  • Unvaccinated children ages 2 to 11, test must be taken no more than 3 days prior to sailing — but not on boarding day.
  • No testing required for guests under age 2.

Pre-cruise testing costs and scheduling are the guest's responsibility.

When do you have to take a Covid test before your Royal Caribbean cruise? | Royal Caribbean Blog

Embarkation Day

Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary PCR test for COVID-19 during check-in. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

Onboard

Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 will take a complimentary antigen test prior to debark. Depending on sailing length, there may be additional testing. Registration details will be provided onboard. 

Shore Excursions

Families traveling with unvaccinated kids are required to purchase a tour through Royal Caribbean to go ashore, except at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Masks

Coast Guard wont fine you for not wearing a mask on a cruise ship, but you will get kicked off | Royal Caribbean Blog

Masks are required in the terminal, in select locations inside the ship, and may be required at various destinations. Guests under 2 years old don’t need a mask.

Masks are NOT required to be worn:

  • In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting.
  • In the pool or any activity where they may become wet.
  • At venues designated for vaccinated guests only, such as select bars, lounges, restaurants and shows.
  • In your stateroom when you are with your traveling party.
  • While visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay, unless you are in a crowded setting.
  • By any guest under the age of 2.

Where and when will you have to wear a mask on a Royal Caribbean cruise? | Royal Caribbean Blog

Masks ARE required to be worn:

  • While indoors in public areas of the ship, unless seated and actively eating or drinking.
  • While visiting public ports of call, where local regulations may require them.

Some venues and nightlife events will be for vaccinated guests age 12 and up, only. Masks won't be required in these venues. Vaccinated parents are invited to enjoy these experiences while their kids are at Adventure Ocean. 

Dining

Odyssey of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - Sea Day | Royal Caribbean Blog

The Main Dining Room has areas for all parties (vaccinated and those with unvaccinated children.) My Time Dining will not be available to unvaccinated children.

Windjammer buffet and Grab-and-go cafes are open to everyone for breakfast and lunch and crew members will serve you.

Some specialty restaurants are for vaccinated parties only. 

Other venues

Odyssey of the Seas Live Blog | Royal Caribbean Blog

Theaters and activity venues offer spaced seating with options for everyone and vaccinated guests only. 

Spa services, except those offered in treatment rooms, are available to everyone.

The Fitness Center has operating hours for everyone as well as hours reserved for vaccinated guests only. 

Cancellation

If booked guests do not wish to follow these protocols and are booked on a cruise sailing in late October, Royal Caribbean will offer a refund or move their sailing into the future when circumstances may have evolved. 

Cruise industry welcomes U.S. plan to welcome back international travelers

In:
21 Sep 2021

The United States will lift restrictions on foreign nationals wishing to fly to the United States, which is good news for the cruise industry.

While cruises have been able to restart in the United States since earlier this summer, many cruise fans from other countries have been excluded from the restart.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) issued a statement in support of the Biden Administration's plan to begin allowing fully vaccinated visitors from other countries in November.

Beginning at some time in November, foreigners will be allowed to enter the United States if they can show proof that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19 and that they have tested negatively for the virus within three days of their flight. This includes visitors from the U.K. and EU.

The travel ban has been in place for well over a year, and CLIA welcomes the change to start allowing travel to return, "CLIA  joins our peers across the travel and tourism sector to express our appreciation to the Biden Administration for recognizing the importance of international travel to the U.S. economy and for establishing a path for international visitors to travel to the United States responsibly."

"The cruise industry is an important driver of international visits to the United States, prompting approximately 2.5 million international visitors to travel to the United States to embark on a cruise in 2019, representing nearly 18 percent of all U.S. cruise embarkations. International cruise visitors in the United States spend $4.5 billion annually on hotel stays, transportation, retail and other U.S. businesses, supporting nearly 60,000 American jobs."

"Our members look forward to welcoming international travelers, including from the United Kingdom and the European Union, back to the United States while continuing to prioritize public health."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will also require airlines to collect and provide passenger information to aid contract tracing.

There will be a few exemptions to the vaccination requirements for foreign visitors, such as for children not yet eligible to be vaccinated, according to a person familiar with the White House’s strategy, but full details of the policy have not yet been released.

The Trump administration had first issued the rules, which now apply to more than 30 countries, in March 2020. President Joe Biden upheld those rules in January, shortly after taking office.

What's it like to cruise right now?

In:
20 Sep 2021

Before the cruise industry shutdown, I did a short cruise (almost always a three-day weekend on Navigator of the Seas out of Miami) about once a month for over a year. In addition to my trips on the Navigator as a solo cruiser, I did an occasional longer trip with my son on a variety of other ships including Independence, Explorer, and even once on Majesty).

When Royal Caribbean began its comeback in July, I was lucky enough to be on the first revenue sailing of Freedom of the Seas over the 4h of July holiday. That trip was tremendous fun, but it also wasn’t typical of what cruising would be like as the company mounts its comeback because that trip had a lot of Royal Caribbean executives on board as well as some celebratory touches (lobster on the opening day buffet, free drinks on the 4th of July during the fireworks display) that are not part of the new normal. In addition, that July 2 Freedom sailing did not have a typical crowd as there was a large media and social influencer presence onboard.

My most-recent trip -- Sept. 13-17 -- on Freedom was, perhaps more typical of what it’s like to cruise now and, while it was one of my favorite trips ever, there were some things that remain different from the pre-COVID world.

Protocols and testing

New requirements from the Bahamas made it so every person over 12 on-board had to be vaccinated and show proof of vaccination (a CDC card) when boarding. Passengers were also asked to upload pictures of their vaccination cards when checking-in for their cruise but doing that did not exempt you from showing it three separate times during the onboarding process which was perhaps more times than will be typical because there were computer issues at Terminal A in Miami when we boarded.

All passengers also needed to show proof of a negative Covid test taken one or two days before the cruise. I used the Royal-approved at-home test and that was a very easy process. In theory you could show the email you got with your negative results but having it printed out made the process go much faster. In fact, printing your set-sail pass also led to getting processed and boarding faster.

I carried my luggage on-board, but people who used the porter system seemed to get their bags very quickly because there were only an estimated 1,300 people on board (roughly 33% capacity). Boarding times were semi-strictly enforced but because the computers were down there was a line for my 2:30 boarding time when I arrived at about 2 and I was actually at my room a few minutes after 2:30.

Masks were not required in the outdoor part of the queue and there wasn’t much distancing. Once you entered the terminal masks were required until you reach your room. In general, you had to wear a mask walking indoors but could remove it in vaccinated venues, which were most of them aside from Playmakers which allowed masked, unvaccinated kids under 12.

In a broad sense, wearing a mask wasn’t as enforced as it was on the July 2 sailing. This wasn’t an official change in policy, but when people forgot to put their mask on or had it on incorrectly, I did not seem them corrected as they were on my previous trip. Still, most people wore masks when walking indoors and nobody seemed to be overtly ignoring the rules.

Fun, sun, and a whole lot of water

Despite the well-below capacity crowds, the beautiful weather made the pool areas very popular on the first day of the cruise, which was a sea day. The main pools had a healthy crowd and there were times the Solarium pool had limited open space along the walls or seated areas. There were even a few times when the Solarium hot tubs were filled to capacity (meaning there was no place to sit as no capacity rules were enforced),

Still, at no point did the pools feel crowded and getting a chair in a desirable location was easy. It rarely took more than a minute or two to get a drink at the various pool bars (and being a responsible reporter I believe I tried them all). Lines were limited at the walk-up soft-serve station and, while El Loco Fresh sometimes had a bit of a crowd, it was quick by normal standards even with crew members serving passengers instead of the normal self-serve procedures.

I spent most of the sea day bouncing between hot tubs and pools. It was busy enough to have people to talk to (something I find important as a solo traveler) but never crowded. The only notable difference aside from crowd size is that on my pre-pandemic trips there were generally more movies playing on the poolside screen with more showings of each film. This trip had a couple of movies each night but lacked the daytime repeats and the overall number of films screened was smaller than usual.

What was the crowd like?

Many of the people onboard were frequent cruisers and a lot of the people I met were not on their first sailing this summer. Much like the July 2 sailing, the passengers appeared very happy to be there and people were very friendly. 

I had joined a pre-cruise Facebook roll call for the trip and that group did an unofficial meetup at the Lime and Coconut pool bar on the first afternoon. It was a well-attended kickoff and the group got together in various combinations throughout the cruise getting bigger along way as we added new people we had met. 

One of the nice side effects of there being fewer people on board was that it was almost impossible to avoid seeing people you knew. I’m a pretty outgoing guy and generally make friends onboard, but this was the first time I have ever been part of large group that remained loosely affiliated for an entire trip (and I suspect this will be the most people I ever keep in touch with post-cruise). 

There were very few kids onboard with most that were there being below school age since this was a weekday trip.

Way too much food  

Normally, I start my cruise in the gym (as a way to avoid the buffet) but I was not that disciplined this time. Instead, I went to the Windjammer and sampled a few dishes. Since it was already about 3 p.m., however, I kept it to a few bites. Service was quick with crewmembers dishing out the food and drinks. Seating was easy to come by even though half the tables were marked as not available due to social distancing

On my way into the buffet I stopped at Chops where the woman working the reservation desk greeted me by name and helped me make reservations for the next four nights. As a solo traveler I tend to book the Ultimate Dining Package as it was around $70 when I booked it (prices can vary a lot) and eating alone in specialty restaurants by yourself has always felt more comfortable to me than eating alone in the main dining room (especially now when singles are largely not being sit with larger groups due to the pandemic).

There was, however, a major change on this trip compared to the policies on my July 2 sailing -- Royal was allowing people not travelling together or on linked reservations to dine together. I found that out late in my trip after learning that some members of our informal group had been allowed to dine together in the main dining room. 

One of the big advantages (or disadvantages) of the limited number of passengers meant that you never waited for food. Places like the Promenade Cafe, El Loco Fresh, and Sorrento’s, which often have long lines, almost never had more than a few people waiting. That made it way too easy add that post-midnight slice of pizza or pre-dinner dessert that you maybe didn’t need.

I ate at Chops the first and last night and Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen on nights two and three. Originally, I planned to eat at Izumi Sushi on one of those middle nights., but a scheduling snafu on my part led to a change in plans.

Dinner was largely excellent but the lack of crowds led to service being, perhaps, a little too quick. Dinner normally takes me closer to 90 minutes than 60 and I was in and out in under an hour all four nights.

Freedom of the Seas completes $116 million Royal Amplification | Royal Caribbean Blog

At Chops I had the wild mushroom soup both nights which may be my favorite dish in any Royal Caribbean restaurant I have sampled. I also particularly enjoyed the lamb chops the first night and had specifically saved the ribeye with the peppercorn sauce for my last night.

I treated Giovanni’s as essentially two separate experiences going with the calamari and polenta as an appetizer the first night (alfredo dipping sauce is excellent, but I prefer the zesty marinara with the already fried dish) and had the linguine vongole as a main course. The sauce was light and the fresh pasta was cooked perfectly. 

For the second visit to the Italian eatery, I decided to sample the pizza (a first for me) going with the wild truffle which includes truffle oil, an egg with a loose yolk, and bacon. The runny egg made the dish truly decadent and I mopped up as much as I could though my waiter was surprised when I left a little less than half of the pizza unfinished.

Both Chops and Giovanni’s excel at dessert, I got a shot of espresso all four nights and tried the Red Velvet Cake at Chops, the cannolis and tiramisu at Giovanni’s and. A new one for me, the key like meringue at Chops on the last night which was a lighter complement to the ribeye that was my main course.

I skipped breakfast all four days instead opting for lattes (included in the drink package) at the Promenade Cafe while I got some work done for three of the four mornings. On the last day, for Perfect Day at CocoCay, I instead took my coffee to go and sipped it once I left the ship.

Perfect days

Our trip started with a sea day that I spent largely in the Solarium bouncing between the pool and the hot tubs. Conversation was plentiful and people seemed to be relishing getting back to cruising. This weekday trip did not have bachelorette parties, boys weekend groups, and other heavier partiers I saw often on the three-day weekend version of this cruise so, while drinks were flowing, I never saw anyone overtly drunk.

The lines were minimal everywhere on board and, while I’m not a waterslide or FlowRider person, those activities were easily accessible. I generally like doing a few trivia sessions on board and while some were scheduled, there were fewer than there were in the past. There was also no laser tag which has been missing since the pandemic (likely because it’s impossible to distance while playing). 

In general, the activities were exactly the same as they were pre-pandemic with fewer sessions of some things and some minor changes like I mentioned earlier with fewer movies playing.

Like most of those onboard, I elected to not get off in Nassau as many of the shops remain closed and, while I enjoy walking about a mile to Junkanoo Beach, taking advantage of the semi-empty ship seemed like a better option. Nassau also has some pretty strict mask-wearing rules and the thought of being masked on a hot day when I could just opt to stay on-board was mildly unpleasant.

Our last day included a much-anticipated stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. On the July 2 sailing, the Freedom was the only ship that stopped at the private island and with its limited crowd, it left CocoCay feeling very empty and since I was the second person off the ship, I literally had the Oasis pool to myself (well me and dozens of crew) for about 45 minutes.

This time, the Mariner of the Seas was also docked and while the island still had a very light crowd, it was busy enough to not feel empty. It was never hard to get a prime beach or pool chair (I never found it all that hard in the pre-pandemic days) and the bar was hopping at the Oasis pool with seats at the actual bar being the only tough get on the island.

We closed our Perfect Day with a small meetup at Captain Jacks where the crowd was sparse but the music and service were top-tier. 

And perfect nights

At night, I tend to skip the theatrical productions because when you travel on the same ship repeatedly the stock shows quickly become repetitive. Freedom did require reservations for the headliner shows but walk-ins were accommodated.

I tend to split my nights between the Pub, the casino, and the Schooner Bar, depending upon who’s performing at the two music venues. In this case, I had seen John Winters in the Pub and Andy C. in the Schooner on the July 2 sailing and enjoyed both of their work. I spent more time in the pub, however, because I enjoy the mixology menu which might be the best drink selection of any Royal bar I have experienced.

The staff was incredibly attentive and almost too-quick to replenish your drink. They were, however, quite accommodating when I asked for a bottle of water with each drink (and requested they not bring me another until I finished it). 

We also had a pretty neat experience in the casino bar when on night three we got stuck in Nassau until after midnight due to a passenger needing emergency medical treatment (I later learned the person involved was brought to Ft. Lauderdale and was expected to make a full recovery). A few of us were waiting for the casino to open and we had been asking the bartenders to make us drinks they thought we might like. Daria started making a few different concoctions that were well received, but Christian was the star of the night. He created the “Emergency In Nassau” which was a layered red and blue drink which mixed when you removed the champagne flute that was served with it.

The small crowds made it easier to connect with staff and from bartenders to waitstaff and room attendants, service was universally more able to talk than usual. 

As for the casino, it was never crowded, but always had a steady audience. My personal luck was mediocre, but it was easy to secure your favorite slot machine or a seat at a table game. Freedom, it’s worth noting, has a ton of slot machines, but only four video poker machines hidden in a back corner.

Back to reality

When we docked in Miami I planned to carry my luggage off to get back to my car to make the 90-minute ride back to West Palm Beach. You’re supposed to stay in your cabin rather than line-up waiting for the all-clear, but I opted to get coffee at the Promenade Cafe (have to make the best possible use of the drink package) and, while I was drinking it, the doors opened to let people off.

Normally, Miami has a super-easy facial recognition system where you don’t need to take your passport out. On this trip, however, I had the bad luck of being flagged (randomly, I think) for added security screening. The officer who pulled me in was super nice and asked if there was anything in my bags he needed to know about. Since I hadn’t bought anything and the only addition was some beach sand, I said “no,” and two officers went quickly through all of my belongings. It wasn’t fun, but it was handled well for what it was and about 20 minutes after I would have gotten to my car had I not been flagged, I was in my car, heading for a long workday, and planning for my next sailing on Oct. 11 (also on Freedom).

Dan Kline covers the cruise industry as part of his work as a lead advisor for 7investing. He also hosts 7investing Now, a free show for long-term investors that airs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1 p.m. ET which can also be found on all major podcast platforms.

Royal Caribbean releases cruise ship health protocols for U.S. sailings October 1-15, 2021

In:
13 Sep 2021

Royal Caribbean has released its health protocols for cruises departing the United States for at least the first half of October.

Travel agents received an update from Royal Caribbean with the health rules to protect guests and crew members from Covid, which the cruise line calls "proven protocols".

These protocols apply to any Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing from a U.S. homeport between October 1-15, 2021.

Here is the list of protocols for early October sailings:

First look photos around newly delivered Odyssey of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Blog

Vaccinations

All guests 12 years and older must bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days before sailing.

Testing

Two cruise lines shorten the window of time to get a pre-cruise Covid test | Royal Caribbean Blog

All Guests

Required Pre-Cruise Testing: Guests will need to meet the new requirements recently issued by the U.S. CDC.

Vaccinated guests 12 years and older are required to present a negative COVID-19 Test Result (antigen or PCR) for a test taken no more than 2 days prior to the sailing's departure date and before their arrival to the terminal.

Royal Caribbean recommends guests use the at-home test they recently approved for use and now sell directly to passengers via RoyalCaribbean.com/HomeTestKit

Royal Caribbean now selling at-home Covid tests for cruise ship passengers | Royal Caribbean Blog

Unvaccinated guests 2 to 11 years old are required to present a negative PCR Test Result for COVID-19 (antigen test are not accepted for children) for a test taken no more than 3 days prior to your sailing's departure date and before your arrival to the terminal.

Proper documentation (printed negative test results or negative test results presented on your phone) from an accredited laboratory (no doctor’s notes) is required to sail. All costs for this test are the guest's responsibility and must be done on their own, not at the terminal.

Kids Age 2-11 Years: Additional Testing

When do you have to take a Covid test before your Royal Caribbean cruise? | Royal Caribbean Blog

In addition to the pre-cruise test, kids will take one or two more tests. 

At the Terminal:  Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in at the terminal. Registration details for this test will be sent via email in advance. This test is complimentary.

Prior to Disembarking: For sailings 5 nights or longer, unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take an antigen test onboard within 24 hours before the cruise ends. Registration details will be provided during the cruise. This test is complimentary.

Guests under 2 years of age will not be tested.

Masks

Royal Caribbean releases Alaska cruise ship protocols for August sailings | Royal Caribbean Blog

Wearing of masks applies to all guests, except for guests under the age of 2 years old, who do not need to wear a mask.

Masks are NOT required to be worn:

  • In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting
  • In the pool or any activity where they may become wet
  • At venues designated for vaccinated guests only, such as select bars, lounges, restaurants and shows
  • In your stateroom with your traveling party

Spotted: Royal Caribbean charging to reserve pool deck casitas on Odyssey of the Seas | Royal Caribbean Blog

Masks ARE required to be worn:

  • While indoors in public areas of the ship, unless seated and actively eating or drinking
  • While visiting public ports of call, where local regulations may require them

Dining

Odyssey of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - Sea Day | Royal Caribbean Blog

For Main Dining, Royal Caribbean will designate areas for everyone, including parents and unvaccinated children, and areas for vaccinated parties only.

My Time Dining will not be available to parties that include unvaccinated guests. Some specialty restaurants will be open to everyone, while others will be for vaccinated parties only. 

Other venues

CDC wants cruise lines to reconsider mask policies on cruise ships | Royal Caribbean Blog

The ship’s venues are set up to easily allow for physical distancing and there will be signage to guide passengers.

Theaters and activity venues will offer spaced seating with options for everyone and for vaccinated guests only. 

Cancellation

If booked guests do not wish to follow these protocols and are booked on a cruise sailing in early October, Royal Caribbean will offer a refund or move their sailing into the future when circumstances may have evolved. 

Royal Caribbean now selling at-home Covid tests for cruise ship passengers

In:
08 Sep 2021

In order to make getting a Covid test easier for passengers before their cruise, Royal Caribbean is now selling at-home Covid-19 test kits.

Royal Caribbean announced last week it would begin selling these at-home tests, and on Wednesday they went on sale for the first time.

Due to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) policy change, fully vaccinated guests must now get their pre-cruise Covid test done just two days before the cruise begins. Previously it was three days.

While there are many testing sites that can offer rapid antigen tests, Royal Caribbean teamed up with Optum to sell bundles of the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test.

The kits can be purchased via Royal Caribbean's special link from the Optum website.

Here is my full review of trying out the BinaxNOW test, which was extremely easy and quick.

Guests can purchase a pack of two for $69.99 or a pack of three for $99.99, which includes the test kits, expedited shipping, and live virtual visit.

Royal Caribbean recommends purchasing two tests per person just in case you lose or contaminate a part of the test, or have an error during the testing process. However, technically a two or three test pack can be split between members of a traveling party, with one test per person.

This particular test kit is a FDA-authorized rapid antigen home test,

Royal Caribbean could be first cruise line to restart cruises in Tampa by October

In:
18 Aug 2021

While cruise ships have restarted from most of Florida's ports, Tampa has been conspicuously absent.

Many cruise fans have wondered when cruise ships would start sailing from the western Florida port, and October might be the first opportunity.

At the Tampa Port Authority board meeting this week, port officials said a mid-October is possible.

Royal Caribbean announced earlier this month Serenade of the Seas would offer 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Tampa, Florida, starting Oct. 16.

The first sailing is a five-night cruise to the Bahamas, followed by a 4-night sailing to Cozumel on October 21st.

Brilliance of the Seas is also scheduled to sail from Tampa to offer 4- and 5-night Bahamas and Western Caribbean cruises from Tampa, starting Dec. 16

Tampa officials now seem to echo that announcement in their own plans.

Tampa Port Authority Vice President of Business Development, Wade Elliott, said at a meeting that a mid-October restart is what they are expecting, "We anticipate that we will begin to see regular sailings from Port Tampa Bay starting again in mid-October, so we’re excited about that."

"We are encouraged to see the cruise industry slowly starting back up across the county."

Elliott said Port Tampa Bay’s facilities teams have been making cosmetic tune-ups to the terminals and the port will be ready for cruise travel in weeks.

"Structurally, we’re in good shape," he said.

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