Reminders going from indoors to outdoors and vice-versa were especially helpful. Sign up for notifications from Insider! ", Odyssey of the Seas: "May 9 to October 28, 2021 sailings departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. MIAMI Royal Caribbean International will no longer require any of its cruise passengers to be vaccinated for COVID-19 as it had previously planned to. For more information, please see here . Who else is with me? According to CDC rules, cruise ships that dont meet certain vaccination thresholds for passengers and crew must first do a successful test cruise before they can restart revenue cruises. It doesn't have anything to do with vaccinations directly, but I think it's worth a mention since it's a change that didn't exist on my first two sailings. But keeping track of which places were which on this voyage made my head spin. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Richard Fain, chief executive of Royal Caribbean, told . Learn more. NOTE: All Royal Caribbean guests aged 12 and older must present proof of COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing. Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, who was also on the sailing, said he expects the CDC to roll back mask mandates on ships with a large percentage of vaccinated passengers as early as this week. Unfortunately, the announcement didn't come in time for this voyage. - Only non-vaccinated guests will be required to present a negative test (an antigen test taken within 48 hours or a PCR test taken within 72 hours) to board. Tauck These Countries Require It for Entry, Where Can Americans Travel Right Now? Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Enrollment required. - As of the winter 2022 Caribbean and Central America season, Star Clippers no longer requires COVID-19 vaccinations for passengers. For customers looking to board Lindblad for an adventure cruise, they will need to abide by the new regulations in place. Azamara does not require negative test results in order to board unless mandated by local governments in the ports where the line's ships sail. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. If you are sailing on a cruise that departs on or before April 30, 2023, you will receive: 100% cruise fare refund for you and your Travelling Party, if any of you test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to the cruise or at the terminal. After all, enormous amounts of open space may not be the first thing that you think of when it comes to cruise ships. Staff would later identify these passengers by holes punched in their SeaPass cards. The venue was open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers. First and foremost, it's worth noting that. Royal Caribbean. Travelers are also required to take a COVID-19 antigen test at the terminal before boarding. Guests under this age requirement who haven't been vaccinated will instead have to be tested for the virus. Assuming that you have hundreds or even thousands of people on your cruise ships, a quick calculation with your fingers and toes will show that defying this order from the Florida state government could quickly put you out of business. Long story short: They were, very strictly. Further, the onboard mask rules were confusing. A line-by-line guide, 15 ways that cruising newbies waste money on their first cruise, Cruise hack: 6 ways to turn a voyage on a mass-market ship into a luxury experience, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. October 15th or later. Follow her adventures on Instagram. Its not great PR to be known as that place where the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak occurred, unless you are specifically running a cruise for viruses who want to have a nice human buffet available. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have removed the COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships as of Monday. The cruise company's new sailings from the Bahamas will require all adult guests "to be . The test cruises will show whether ships can sail safely and follow CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, who was also on the sailing, said he expects the CDC to roll back mask mandates on ships with a large percentage of vaccinated passengers as early as this week. | Trust Index: Do COVID booster shots make you more susceptible to the virus? Airplanes, theme parks, casinos, and hotels no longer require any such Covid protocols and have not had any requirements for months. It is unclear if cruise companies will be allowed to ask passengers if they have been vaccinated as part of the boarding process, even if they dont require vaccination to board. When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. Following August 1, this age requirement will fall to 12 years old or older. ", The cruise industry came to a halt last year amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Carnival cruise lines are easing their pandemic-era protocol by allowing unvaccinated travelers on more sailings, as well as accepting at-home COVID-19 tests. It can be professionally proctored at your doctor or drugstore, or it can be a test you administer to yourself at home without supervision. Similarly, on Silversea the new policy mandates that eligible passengers must receive a booster "provided the required time has passed after the completion of their primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Starting Thursday, Carnival Cruise Line announced, fully vaccinated passengers will not need to take a test before boarding if the trip is . The summer cruises announced by Royal Caribbean International Friday are still pending approval from the CDC after each ship successfully completes a test cruise with volunteer passengers. "Two is terrible. The line's decision to sail less than 95% vaccinated (which requires each ship sailing from the U.S. to complete test voyages under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's supervision) means that there are restrictions on board. On a practical level, the CDC had been tracking serious illness and death and the numbers were very encouraging. And that could be a real ship storm, so to speak. No, you need to bring the card. updated guidance from the major cruise line. It's easy to remember when you either have to wear them all the time or don't have to wear them at all. Royal Caribbean Internationals sister brand Celebrity Cruises (both owned by Royal Caribbean Group) is still requiring all passengers 16 years old or older be vaccinated on its seven-night Caribbean cruises that are restarting from Port Everglades on June 26. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, An aerial view of Royal Caribbeans Navigator of the Sea cruise ship docked in Miami, Florida on March 2. "And the number of people who died from COVID who'd sailed on ships over the past year was two," Royal Caribbean Blog reported. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. I saw a couple of crew members nicely ask passengers to pull their masks up over their noses in public spaces (and they complied). Related: Cruise hack: 6 ways to turn a voyage on a mass-market ship into a luxury experience. The post received over 8,100 likes and over 2,300 retweets since it was first posted on Saturday. Hmm in my country there are no physical vaccination cards. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. I am a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order. In the past when Royal Caribbean relaxed travel requirements, they've reinforced their ships are still a step ahead of other travel in terms of protocols, "We continue to maintain additional layers of protection that far exceed any other vacation experience. CDC stops reporting coronavirus cases on cruise ships. "Effective November 2, 2022, all travelers on U.S. sailings regardless of vaccination status will no longer require pre-departure testing (excludes sailings to Colombia, Haiti, & Honduras)." Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Adventure of the Seas: "June 5 to October 14, 2021: Instead of offering sailings from Barcelona, Spain, Adventure of the Seas will now offer sailings from Nassau, Bahamas beginning June 2021," the company said. The about-face is an apparent submission to Gov. The SARS-CoV2 is still actively spreading in the U.S. and throughout different parts of the world. When I arrived at the Port of Miami, I had to pass through a checkpoint. Your sailing is fast approaching, and we're looking forward to welcoming you onboard. Related: Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? This app allowed us to check in for the voyage, set up an onboard account, fill out a pre-boarding health questionnaire and complete the e-muster drill (which replaces traditional muster drills where people gather in large groups). This protocol will go into place starting Aug. 8. In order to board these ships, all adults, including the crew, will be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. Business reporter, BBC News. Before the tracking system was removed, basically every ship in the program was at the "orange" level, which in theory triggered a CDC investigation. Starting July 2, Royal Caribbean ships will not be requiring passengers to have covid vaccines for sailings from the U.S. Her favorite cities include London; Amsterdam; Krakow, Poland; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Dawson City, Yukon; and anywhere known for outstanding pizza and theater. Requiring passengers to be fully vaccinated would be one of the best ways of preventing an outbreak. Or do we need the physical card? Bayley noted that the CDC shared some information with him about the "millions" of people who have sailed from U.S. ports over the past 12 months. Testing Requirements: All guests 2 and older are required to submit a negative test regardless of vaccination status. Previously, the website said passengers 16 years old and older on all of the companys U.S. cruises had to meet the requirement. if you received your final dose on October 1st, your 14 day countdown At this checkpoint, an agent told me that if I wanted to present a vaccine card, that was the time to do so. "We have followed the science and used our learnings about COVID-19 to develop comprehensive health and safety protocols to make cruising safer by preventing and mitigating the spread of infectious diseases, in general, and of COVID-19, in particular. The recently passed Florida law crafted by the Republican-controlled state Legislature and promoted by Gov. #CancelCulture." When she's not in New York City, she likes to spend her time at the beach or exploring new destinations and hopes to visit every country in the world. Check directly with your cruise line about their COVID-19 testing or vaccination protocols before travel. "We want you to be more comfortable walking onboard a ship than walking down Main Street.". Guests under the age of 12 do not have any testing requirements. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. Wristbands were also diligently checked in spaces intended for vaccinated cruisers. When I reached the third floor on my way to the gangway, I passed by a small waiting area with several groups of bored-looking people. Therefore, the chances of someone bringing the virus on board a cruise ship is still quite high. When you strongly recommend that proper clothing be worn to a business meeting, technically that slingshot mankini is still fair game. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Well, heres what Dolven tweeted: Apparently, Dolven is referring to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signing into law a ban on Covid-19 vaccine passports. That means, as of July 1, the Florida state government could fine a cruise ship operator $5,000 each and every time the cruise ship operator requires proof of vaccination to use their services. Guests can take advantage of in-person, telehealth, and self-swab tests. While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in. If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits Labadee, Roatan, or somewhere in Colombia, then unvaccinated will still need to test. We didn't need a card at all because for the most part they don't require masks anymore. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. box below. Cruise giant Royal Caribbean International on Friday announced plans to bring back six more ships including some of its largest for U.S. sailings starting July 2. When I learned that the line would be creating some separate spaces and mandating masks, I wondered if the rules would be enforced and, if so, how strictly. Unvaccinated travelers can join us for almost all U.S. The CDC has dropped its voluntary program to monitor cruise ships. I showed mine, and the agent gave me a purple rubber bracelet to wear. Feel free to visitourFAQsfor full details on vaccination requirements. Find the right card for you. Read more: Carnival and Royal Caribbean salaries revealed: From $32,000 to $383,000, here's how much the cruise industry's power players pay some of their employees. User @HardLinesBlog tweeted: "I'm saying goodbye to all venues moving to this requirement," in response to the tweet by @drsimonegold. Charleston. TPG values it at $1,600. Action Alerts PLUS is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. Get todays headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. On my way, I passed lots of hand sanitizer dispensers and signs reminding people about social distancing and masks. starts on October 1st, and you would be permitted to board the ship on Apr 12, 2022 10:20 AM EDT. User @FunTimeFred1 wrote: "I'm 100% with you, Simone Any company that make this a requirement will go bust," in a reply to the message by @drsimonegold. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Credit card showdown: Alaska Airlines Visa vs. Alaska Airlines Business Visa, Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know, 21 new Hyatt hotels where you can get 500 extra points per night. To find out more about the new guidelines issued, click here. The most important change may be the following: Guests who are not vaccinated can sail on any cruise from the U.S. or Europe (*except. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention kept Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Free Report, Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) - Get Free Report, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) - Get Free Report and every other cruise line from sailing from ports in the U.S. from March 2020 through July 2021. A guest is considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the required number of doses in their vaccine series have been fully administered (e.g. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. However, the cruise ship company has now done an a boat face, so to speak. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. While there, I noticed most of the passengers in this area were parents with young children. sailings.". Receive full access to our market insights, commentary, newsletters, breaking news alerts, and more. #BoycottRC pic.twitter.com/5xSNzyz0It. CDC will continue to publish guidance to help cruise ships continue to provide a safer and healthier environment for passengers, crew and communities going forward. "Lindblad Expeditions has announced that effective March 1, 2022, all guests 12 years of age and over who completed their primary vaccination series more than 5 months ago, are required to present proof of booster prior to embarkation," the cruise line said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. Viking Cruises already has the booster requirement in place. Royal Caribbean has greatly relaxed its covid rules. The graphic below, produced by Statista, illustrates countries with the most COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100,000 people. Royal Caribbean extended the suspension of sailings for its global fleet through May 31 (excluding cruises aboard the Quantum, Spectrum, Voyager and Odyssey of the Seas cruise ships) "in order to allow additional time for our return to service preparations," the company said in a statement on March 19. Royal Caribbean will accept a variety of tests as proof to board, including simply taking a photo of a self-administered home test, a new rule that Bayley also noted on social media. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. These restrictions include wearing a mask in most public spaces and limitations on areas and services unvaccinated passengers can access. I just disembarked Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, the line's first cruise ship to sail from a U.S. port in more than 15 months. In a statement CEO Michael Bayley thanked DeSantis and other elected officials for their support of the industry, which has been paralyzed since it was forced to shut down in March 2020 after COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths on several ships. The new Florida law can leave businesses like cruise ship lines caught between a rock and a hard place. Vaccinated guests aged 12 and over will no longer have any pre-cruise COVID-19 related protocols. The update on the health protocols for Royal Caribbean ships came in a letter sent to travel agents, which are now also available online. 20102023Regal Sea Media LLC. Health, Travel & Risk Acknowledgement. The major cruise line previously mandated the covid vaccine for crew members only. Royal Caribbean will now require all guests to get tested for COVID-19 for certain cruises, regardless of their vaccination status. Both crew members and guests over 16 years old will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to sail on the . During one performance, I went to the theater's upper level (where anyone, including unvaccinated passengers, was able to sit) to see what it was like. Day 1. That means, as of July 1, the Florida state government could . The cruise line's vaccine mandate will apply to guests who are at least 16 years old aboard ships sailing from the US or the Bahamas, according to Royal Caribbean's frequently asked questions page. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Passengers no longer have to wear masks onboard while they are indoors, and while capacities have not returned to 100% .