Royal Caribbean was among the first companies to step up and assist the people of St. Vincent after a volcano erupted on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent.

Serenade of the Seas was dispatched to assist residents of the island, and we have our first look at the ship's efforts to help.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared photos of Serenade in St. Vincent following the eruption Friday of La Soufrière.

This is the first time La Soufrière has erupted since 1979, which as covered homes and the countryside in ash, along with a strong sulfur smell.

Mr. Bayley praised the efforts of his crew in assisting, "Love and huge respect to our crew who, as always, come together in unimaginable ways. Over the next few days, they’ll be welcoming guests, preparing provisions, and providing medical attention."

"I am so proud of our team and all the teams behind the scenes from Royal, Celebrity, and Carnival Cruises working day and night to make sure we assist the people of St.Vincent in any way we can."

In addition to Serenade of the Seas, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection is also helping out from the Royal Caribbean Group.

Carnival Cruise Line sent Carnival Legend and Carnival Paradise to assist in the efforts.

The cruise ships are ready to take evacuees to nearby islands.

Serenade of the Seas will not be able to handle as many evacuees as normal due to the fact the ship is minimally staffed due to the global health crisis.

Royal Caribbean also confirmed it is evacuating anyone, not just vaccinated people. 

Mr. Bayley confirmed they would evacuate all people that can pass a Covid test, "We have stated that all passengers to be evacuated will need a negative Covid test."

As a result of the cruise industry being shutdown, the ship is is at "minimum manning", meaning there is just enough crew to keep the ship functional.

The Associated Press reports about 16,000 people have had to flee their ash-covered communities after the volcano erupted.

Photos taken by The Curious Lens of Martina from Argentina

Officials are trying to figure out the best way to collect and dispose of the ash, which covered an airport runway near the capital of Kingstown, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south, and fell as far away as Barbados, about 120 miles (190 kilometers) to the east.

An evacuation order has been ordered for the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, and Royal Caribbean has already sent a cruise ship to assist in evacuating residents.

St. Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalve issued an evacuation order after seismologists declared a "red alert" due to an impending eruption from La Soufrière.

Based on marine traffic websites, Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas is headed to the island according to local officials.

Update: Royal Caribbean Group issued a statement confirming the support of Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises vessels.

Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises are sending ships to St. Vincent in the Caribbean to evacuate residents currently at risk from a potential eruption of the island’s La Soufriere volcano which has seen increasing activity in recent days.

Both cruise lines are working closely with St. Vincent authorities to assist residents most at risk. Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection are on their way to the island nation and are expected to arrive later this evening to assist with evacuation efforts.

All precautions will be taken to protect the health and safety of the crew and passengers who board our ships.

According to a local Twitter account, the Serenade of the Seas will arrive to help with the evacuation tonight.

Carnival Cruise Line announced it was sending two of its ships to assist in efforts.

Carnival Cruise Line has agreed to send two ships to St. Vincent to support humanitarian efforts to evacuate residents who are under threat from the volcanic eruption of La Soufriere.  Carnival Paradise should arrive to St. Vincent by 11 a.m. local time on Friday, and Carnival Legend should arrive by approximately 2 p.m. on Friday. 

Each of Carnival's ships can handle up to 1,500 residents who will be transported to neighboring islands.

Experts became concerned about an eruption after monitoring stations reported long earthquakes that suggest fresh magma was trying to reach the surface. In addition, plumes of smoke can be seen emanating from the volcano.

La Soufrière’s most devastating eruption was in 1902 when about 1,600 people were killed.

Royal Caribbean has a long history of assisting Caribbean islands when natural disasters strike.

Whether hurricanes, earthquakes, or other calamities, Royal Caribbean has traditionally stepped up with humanitarian aid and assistance.

Most recently, the cruise line went to extraordinary lengths to assist the Bahamas following the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian. Royal Caribbean brough relief supplies and 20,000 daily meals to Grand Bahama Island in just the first week.

Some of their ships also assisted with evacuations to other islands in The Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean announced today it plans to send three ships to Alaska in 2020, marking the cruise line’s biggest presence in the region yet.

Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas will offer sailings to The Last Frontier in 2020. Before arriving to the Last Frontier, Ovation and Radiance will island-hop along Hawaii, while Serenade sails the Panama Canal and Golden Coast on her way west. 

Ovation of the Seas will return for its second consecutive season to offer 7-night itineraries from Seattle, Wash. 

For the first time since 2009, Serenade of the Seas will head west as it repositions from a winter in the sunny Southern Caribbean to Vancouver, British Columbia, making 2020 Royal Caribbean’s first summer season with three ships in Alaska. Serenade will sail 7-night itineraries through the 500 miles of shoreline that is the Inside Passage, calling on Ketchikan, Juneau and Icy Strait Point, Alaska.

Radiance of the Seas will once again offer 7-night, open-jaw itineraries between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska.

In repositioning to their seasonal summer homeports, all three ships will chart their own course through exotic and off-the-beaten-path locales to discover cultural treasures. Serenade of the Seas will sail through one of the largest and legendary engineering projects ever undertaken as she makes her way from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. to Los Angeles, Calif. on a 15-night Westbound Panama Canal sailing departing May 4, 2020. Along the journey, guests can encounter the charming cultures of Central America with visits to Cartagena, Colombia; Colon, Panama; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. On May 19, 2020, Serenade will then head over to Vancouver, British Columbia to navigate the Pacific Coast on a 7-night sailing.

Both Ovation and Radiance of the Seas will say aloha to the islands of Hawaii. Ovation will embark on its 12-night cruise from Honolulu, visiting Maui (Lahaina), Kailua Kona and Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, on May 7, 2020. Also sailing from Honolulu and departing on May 5, 2020, Radiance will offer a 10-night itinerary to the Last Frontier with ports of call including Maui (Lahaina), Kailua Kona, Hilo and Kauai (Nawiliwili), Hawaii.

Royal Caribbean’s 2020 Alaska cruises open for bookings on Thursday, Nov. 8; Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members are able to book one day prior.

UPDATE: While the sailings appear on Royal Caribbean's website, the sailings do not appear to be bookable.

Royal Caribbean's website is now showing 2020 Alaska and Hawaii sailings are viewable on the website.

While no official announcement has been made, we were able to browse the Royal Caribbean website to see and book the new sailings.

There will be three ships sailing to Alaska in 2020.

Ovation of the Seas will offer a 12-night sailing from Honolulu to Vancouver on May 7, 2020, before starting 7-night roundtrip Alaska Glacier cruises from Seattle, Washington that will begin later in May 2020. Following her Alaska season, Ovation will sail a 10-night Hawaii cruise from Vancouver to Honolulu.

Radiance of the Seas will first sail from Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver in May 2020, prior to offering 9-night Destination Denali open-jaw sailings between Vancouver, British Columbia and Seward, Alaska. She will also offer 10-night and 13-night open-jaw sailings between Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia (optionally in both directions). Radiance of the Seas will offer a 10-night Hawaii cruise  from Vancouver, British Columbia to Honolulu, Hawaii in September 2020.

By August 2020, Serenade of the Seas will offer primarily 7-night roundtrip Alaska Glacier cruises from Vancouver, British Columbia. Serenade of the Seas will offer a 11-night Hawaii cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia to Honolulu, Hawaii in September 2020.

Be sure to consult the Royal Caribbean website or your travel professional for further assistance with itinerary options and booking.

Royal Caribbean's new smart phone app has been updated to include support for Serenade of the Seas.

Version 1.3.0 of the Royal Caribbean App was released, which expands functionality and makes it work on Serenade of the Seas, in addition to Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.

The app is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store.

At least 12 tourists have died in a bus crash in eastern Mexico today, when the bus carying them flipped over on a highway early on Tuesday.

Royal Caribbean has confirmed 27 cruise ship passengers were on the bus that suffered the accident, which were sailing on Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Equinox.

The news from Costa Maya about a bus accident involving #CelebrityEquinox & #SerenadeoftheSeas guests is heartbreaking. Our hearts go out to all those involved. We are doing all we can to care for our guests, including assisting with medical care and transportation.

— RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) December 19, 2017

Our 27 guests were on a bus tour to the Chacchoben Ruins. We are working with the local authorities to learn more about the accident. We are doing all we can to help our guests.

— RCLcorp (@RCLcorp) December 19, 2017

Seven Americans and two citizens of Sweden are among the injured, according to Quintana Roo state Civil Defense spokesman Vicente Martin. 

Martin said the crash occurred as the bus was on its way to the ruins at Chacchoben, about 110 miles (175 kilometers) south of Tulum.

A water pipe burst onboard Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas yesterday that caused electrical problems onboard the ship and delayed the ship's departure from New Orleans.

Royal Caribbean indicated the ship's critical systems, including navigation, were operational. But some areas - including the main theater and medical facility - were without power.

In addition, some guest staterooms have been affected by the flooding and an undetermined amount of guests had to have their cruises cancelled.  Royal Caribbean will offer them a full refund and a certificate towards a future cruise.

Still here. @RoyalCaribbean #SerenadeoftheSeas still in #NewOrleans bcuz of electrical issue caused by burst water pipes.

— Stewart Chiron (@CruiseGuy) January 25, 2015

Royal Caribbean is working on restoring power to the ship but it's unknown when Serenade of the Seas will be able to leave New Orleans.

UPDATE: The United States Coast Guard cleared Serenade of the Seas for departure shortly after noon today.  It had been scheduled to leave yesterday (January 24) but had to wait for the Coast Guard to okay the ship.

Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas arrives at Port of New Orleans’ Julia Street Cruise Terminal today to begin weekly cruises through April.

Serenade of the Seas replaces Navigator of the Seas and is fresh off a recent refurbishment last December.

Serenade of the Seas will sail offer her first cruise today, December 12, with a nine-night Caribbean adventure cruise to Key West, Fla.; Labadee, Haiti; Falmouth, Jamaica; and George Town, Grand Cayman. The ship’s regular itineraries will feature seven-night Bahamas cruises to Key West, Fla.; Nassau, Bahamas; and CocoCay, Bahamas. As well as seven-night western Caribbean cruises to Falmouth, Jamaica; George Town, Grand Cayman; and Cozumel, Mexico. 

Royal Caribbean senior Vice President Vicki Freed is excited about Serenade's arrival, "We are excited to be back in New Orleans with a newly revitalized Serenade of the Seas.  Guests sailing from New Orleans will enjoy a Caribbean vacation like no other aboard one of our unrivaled and most innovative ships."

New Orleans Port President and CEO Gary LaGrange commented on Serenade's arrival, "We are happy to have Royal Caribbean return this year and bring this magnificent ship to New Orleans.  Royal Caribbean is a perfect fit for the New Orleans tourism demographic and offers a wide variety of itineraries throughout the Bahamas and the Caribbean."