[TRENDING: Is it illegal in Florida to back into a parking space? Under the voluntary program, the CDC had been tracking covid levels on ships, assigning color levels based on positive tests and exposures. Royal Caribbean Cruises On CocoCay, everyone was allowed to go ashore on their own and no masks were required. At this checkpoint, an agent told me that if I wanted to present a vaccine card, that was the time to do so. The announcement of these select vaccinated cruises later resulted in boycott demands in late March across Facebook and Twitter. Vaccinated-only areas included the spa, casino, fitness center (during most operating hours), Izumi sushi and hibachi, Chef's Table and the lower decks of the main dining room and theater. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a "No Sail Order" for cruise ships from March 14, 2020, as the national health body had "reason to believe that cruise ship travel may continue to introduce, transmit, or spread COVID-19.". 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. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. 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. Most major cruise lines require proof of vaccination for all passengers age 12 and up, and some require them for kids as young as 5 years old (Pfizer's . Apr 12, 2022 10:20 AM EDT. As part of the Australian Federal and State Government protocols all Royal Caribbean will require vaccinated guests 5 and older to take a pre-cruise test on sailings from the U.S . Therefore, the chances of someone bringing the virus on board a cruise ship is still quite high. The cruise line said that it would only "strongly". Further, the onboard mask rules were confusing. Strongly recommended is certainly different from required. Royal Caribbean International's 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. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Crew members were also positioned at the entrances to restaurants, the theater and even at the Freestyle soda machines to push the buttons for passengers. 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 recent weeks, several cruise lines have been forced to cancel sailings (and some have implemented stronger mask policies) amid the emergence of the omicron variant. Children will be allowed to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within . | Become a News 6 Insider (its free!)]. Before the tracking system was removed, basically every ship in the program was at the "orange" level, which in theory triggered a CDC investigation. Unvaccinated travelers can join us for almost all U.S. Without very high vaccination rates among passengers and crew members, it can be difficult for a cruise ship to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) once the virus has made it on board. Please complete the short form below. "And the number of people who died from COVID who'd sailed on ships over the past year was two," Royal Caribbean Blog reported. 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. Viking Cruises already has the booster requirement in place. This comes more than a week after Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed its voluntary COVID-19 reporting program for cruise ships on July 18. With your support, we can create more exciting content and share with everyone! Why the change in Royal Caribbean policy? Day 1. 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. Guests under this age requirement who haven't been vaccinated will instead have to be tested for the virus. Who else is with me? Travel agents and guests were notified of the change in policy. More than 2.7 million people have died worldwide and more than 69.9 million have recovered as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. I showed mine, and the agent gave me a purple rubber bracelet to wear. ", "At Silversea, our top priority has always been to safeguard the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit," the company wrote. 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. Gee, what could possibly go wrong? While there, I noticed most of the passengers in this area were parents with young children. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Royal Caribbean has made it a practice to provide periodic . Starting July 2, Royal Caribbean ships will not be requiring passengers to have covid vaccines for sailings from the U.S. Prior to this change, unvaccinated guests had to take a Covid-19 test before their cruise. Signage was almost over-the-top prevalent to remind passengers to stay socially distant, sanitize their hands and wear a mask. First and foremost, it's worth noting that. The new order outlined detailed guidelines for resuming cruise operations in U.S. waters. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. 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. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - Royal Caribbean clarified its vaccine policy this week, stating that it will require certain guests to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 on cruises departing. The CDC has dropped its voluntary program to monitor cruise ships. In late June, the Royal Caribbean cruise line will, be allowed to operate test cruises out of South Florida after receiving approval from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On the one hand, no business wants to shell out $5,000 (which would be equivalent to at least 2,500 hot dogs) per customer just for the heck of it. When Royal Caribbean resumed cruises in 2021, Covid-19 protocols were a major component to the onboard experience. Carnival Cruise Line Additionally, Celebrity Cruises will allow unvaccinated travelers starting Sept. 5 on all cruises that depart from a U.S. or European port, excluding cruises that visit Canada, according to the company. You're supposed to take a covid test two days before either at a testing center or with a proctored testing kit that they sell on their website and the test kit does have an app to show your results. Regardless of the port location, guests will have to show proof of full vaccination, completed at least 14 days before the cruise departs. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. Ron DeSantis bars businesses, schools and government entities across Florida from asking anyone to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination. "We are continuing to adapt our protocols to align more closely with how the rest of society and other travel and leisure businesses are operating. According to Viking's COVID-19 protocol, select at-home tests will meet Viking's travel requirement, provided they include a laboratory-certified proof of result. I saw a couple of crew members nicely ask passengers to pull their masks up over their noses in public spaces (and they complied). 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. Before joining the News 6 team, Samantha was a political reporter for The Villages Daily Sun and has had freelance work featured in the Evansville Courier-Press and The Community Paper. The Seattle Times does not append comment threads to stories from wire services such as the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post or Bloomberg News. Additionally -- following the first departure of Adventure of the Seas two weeks ago when two teenagers tested positive and were flown home at Royal Caribbean's expense -- unvaccinated cruisers had to purchase special travel insurance. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. "We want you to be more comfortable walking onboard a ship than walking down Main Street.". While vaccination is not required, they kindly ask passengers to disclose their vaccine status during check-in. The post received over 8,100 likes and over 2,300 retweets since it was first posted on Saturday. 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. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. 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. 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. 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. Her favorite cities include London; Amsterdam; Krakow, Poland; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Dawson City, Yukon; and anywhere known for outstanding pizza and theater. This voyage included calls on Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island, in the Bahamas. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images), Florida Gov. Richard Fain, chief executive of Royal Caribbean, told . By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Or do we need the physical card? For non-U.S. guests, the line will also accept Astra-Zeneca.". Image source: Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. Joe Raedle / Getty . Silversea currently requires all guests to have received their second vaccine shot, or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, at least two weeks before their sail date. At this time, only the following sailings have COVID-19 vaccination requirements: Guests age 12 and older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to sail: Cruises from Australia Learn more about cruising from Australia Transatlantic and Transpacific Sailings The industry-wide trend comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially ended its pandemic-era program for cruise ships last month. In a press release Friday announcing . Your sailing is fast approaching, and we're looking forward to welcoming you onboard. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to verify vaccination will be required to undergo testing and follow other protocols, which will be announced at a later date.. The Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas (left) prepares to set sail from PortMiami during the first U.S. trial cruise testing Covid-19 protocols on June 20, 2021 in Miami. While vaccination is not required for guests under 12, we kindly ask that you fill out their status below. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made its guidance optional for cruise lines and has warned against boarding a cruise ship at the moment, regardless of a person's vaccination status. With few exceptions, Royal Caribbean has dropped its pre-cruise testing requirements across the board. In addition to having more rules in place than some other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean also enforced those protocols more strictly, with crew checking for wristbands in vaccinated-only venues and checking for masks in indoor places accessible to everyone. Similarly, passengers 18 years old or older sailing from other international ports will also have to be fully vaccinated. Business reporter, BBC News. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. "I'm skeptical that's going to change in the real short term. Maarten.". Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. St. Maarten / St. Martin : open to vaccinated and unvaccinated . Currently, Celebrity requires all guests 12 and older to be fully vaccinated to sail. All rights reserved. Charleston. The test cruises will show whether ships can sail safely and follow CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Beginning Sept. 5, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will also accept at-home tests on trips from U.S. ports that don't visit Canada or Bermuda. Royal Caribbean no longer says Florida cruise passengers must receive the coronavirus vaccine, instead noting the shots are "strongly recommended." The reversal comes as Gov. Check here before booking an award fare. I will not do business with anyone requiring a vaccine," in a post that received over 130 likes since it was first shared. Unvaccinated passengers can cruise with negative results from any commercially available test, including self-tests. Rather, we focus on discussions related to local stories by our own staff. Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said that "vaccinations will be required for the upcoming sailings from [the] Bahamas and St. WOW: @RoyalCaribbean cruises is now requiring you to get an experimental vaccine to book a cruise with them. Ron DeSantis, who has insisted that there will be no exception made for cruise companies to a newly passed Florida law that fines companies $5,000 each time they ask a patron to provide proof of vaccination. Ron DeSantis recently signed into law, a ban on "vaccine passports" that would find businesses $5,000 each time they required proof of Covid-19 vaccination to use their services. This includes more contagious variants that now have sorority and fraternity sounding names, as I recently covered for Forbes. #CancelCulture. Caribbean. Health, Travel & Risk Acknowledgement. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Unvaccinated guests will be allowed to use the results of a self-administered test if taken within three days of sailing. As on most ships these days, there were also Purell hand sanitizer dispensers at the entrances to all restaurants, bars, lounges and other public areas, as well as in stairwells and elevator alcoves. Royal Caribbean will now require all guests to get tested for COVID-19 for certain cruises, regardless of their vaccination status. Get todays headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: Copyright 2022 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved. Requiring passengers to be fully vaccinated would be one of the best ways of preventing an outbreak. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. The update on the health protocols for Royal Caribbean ships came in a letter sent to travel agents, which are now also available online. The initial phase requires crew screening to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 among all crew members currently on cruise ships in U.S. waters," the health body advises. That's because testing two days before is at best imperfect and it may not have done much to stop covid from spreading. 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 current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. While vaccination is not required for guests under 12, we kindly ask that you fill out their status below. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Guests under the age of 12 do not have any testing requirements. Visitors must still fill out a health screening form prior to arrival. Passengers no longer have to wear masks onboard while they are indoors, and while capacities have not returned to 100% . That appears to no longer be the case as the federal agency has shown: As of July 18, 2022, CDCs COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect. ", Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Quantum of the Seas: "Alaska sailings departing April 5 to October 14, 2021: In order to allow additional time for our preparation, Quantum of the Seas will remain in the Asia-Pacific region. Vaccines must be approved for use by the WHO or U.S. FDA, with the exception of CanSino. Wristbands were also diligently checked in spaces intended for vaccinated cruisers. Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand. Hawaii. Tauck Related: Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? Related: Cruise hack: 6 ways to turn a voyage on a mass-market ship into a luxury experience. October 15th or later. Further, unvaccinated guests may embark with a negative . Copyright 2023 ClickOrlando.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. 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. In the U.S., kids younger than 5 are exempt from testing and vaccination requirements. Visit the Newsweek VaxFacts website to learn more and to download the HealthGuard browser extension. The company plans to "resume further operation in June" but noted updates on extended suspensions for the following ships and sailings: The company warns: "Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, and regional travel restrictions vary by ship and destination, and are subject to change without notice. Guests who are fully vaccinated or age 17 and younger do not have any testing requirements. But there is an important difference between wearing a slingshot mankini and being fully vaccinated. Under the current voluntary CDC guidelines, 95% of passengers must be vaccinated. 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. For more information, please see here . If your cruise line does not have a specific testing requirement, get tested as close to time of cruise departure as possible (no more than 3 days before you travel). This includes unsupervised testing. Once you are on a cruise ship how can you then tell who should be following additional precautions such as wearing face masks and staying at least six feet or one Denzel (because Denzel Washington is about six feet tall) away from others? Staff would later identify these passengers by holes punched in their SeaPass cards. The new Florida law can leave businesses like cruise ship lines caught between a rock and a hard place. Our intention is to comply with all federal, state and local laws, she said via email. The announcement is a reversal from previous statements and vaccine protocols the company submitted to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month that said it would require all passengers at least 18 years old and older to be vaccinated. Plus Ups are excluded. 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). The cruise line will still require unvaccinated guests and vaccinated guests embarking on cruises six nights or longer, to take a COVID-19 test within three days of their departure date. . However, it shied away from creating a blanket COVID-19 vaccine mandate for guests, although the cruise line previously said it would expect crew members to be vaccinated before sailings return. Royal Caribbean recommends guests be fully vaccinated and boostered against Covid19. ", Odyssey of the Seas: "May 9 to October 28, 2021 sailings departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. 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. That's likely only partly true because Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and the rest of the industry must also be protective of optics -- they want the easiest, most inclusive rules, but they also want customers to feel safe. Royal Caribbean cruises are back but vaccinations will be optional. The travel company announced on Friday that an additional six ships will resume trips from US ports in Florida and Texas starting in July and August. If your Royal Caribbean cruise visits Labadee, Roatan, or somewhere in Colombia, then unvaccinated will still need to test. Like what you see? Plus, while the Covid-19 vaccine does offer strong protection against Covid-19, it is not like a concrete full body condom (which, by the way, is not great to wear during sex.) 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 credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Essentially, while the CDC set parameters, the cruise lines have been policing themselves for months. User @drsimonegold tweeted: "WOW: @RoyalCaribbean cruises is now requiring you to get an experimental vaccine to book a cruise with them. In a statement, Royal Caribbean said that while all crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19, guests are "strongly . Instead, Odyssey will begin her inaugural season out of a new homeport, Haifa, Israel from June to October 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. Now, its not clear whether the unvaccinated half may be more or less likely to ride cruise ships. Travelers are also required to take a COVID-19 antigen test at the terminal before boarding. The first to set sail will be the Freedom of the Seas ship out of Miami, Florida, on July 2. Lindblad, Silversea, Azamara cruise lines will require the additional COVID-19 vaccine dose for those eligible starting March 1. Cruise officials said any cruise guests departing before then must adhere to the current protocols in place, which differ depending on where you are leaving from. 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. On March 1, the cruise line also announced its first "fully vaccinated" cruise aboard the Odyssey of the Seas, which will be sailing in May from Israel. 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. Travelers to be Screened for COVID-19. But all the major cruise lines that sailed from the U.S. opted into the CDC program. From there, I went to the second floor to check in. We would appreciate if you could take a moment to provide your COVID-19 vaccination status ahead of your cruise. Crew will be tested regularly while on board. . Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. COVID-19 Vaccination is no longer required to sail, with a few exceptions. Long story short: They were, very strictly. On a practical level, the CDC had been tracking serious illness and death and the numbers were very encouraging. starts on October 1st, and you would be permitted to board the ship on The graphic below, produced by Statista, illustrates the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Newsweek, in partnership with NewsGuard, is dedicated to providing accurate and verifiable vaccine and health information. Royal Caribbean Shares Huge News on Covid Testing, Vaccine Rules President Michael Bayley gave some straight answers on pre-cruise covid testing and potentially dropping vaccine. All of this have prompted a fair number of tweets to use the words petri dish. For example: Think back to February 2020 right before the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak officially became a pandemic. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. 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 for boarding. Royal Caribbean also said it will continue to maintain a high percentage of fully vaccinated guests, and crew members will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted as well as tested regularly when eligible. Reminders going from indoors to outdoors and vice-versa were especially helpful. 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. The tweet received at least 145 likes since it was first posted. Royal Caribbean International has announced it won't require US passengers to get vaccinated to go on several ships set to sail this summer. "Guests . We didn't need a card at all because for the most part they don't require masks anymore. That's why precruise testing is likely to go away but the vaccination requirement for all passengers ages 12 and over will remain. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. "The combination of the vaccines and testing and contact tracing, all these kinds of protocols really helps us reach our objective, which is to make cruising safer than in your home community," Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean's CEO, told the BBC. sailings.". Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Royal Caribbean has updated its COVID-19 protocols to allow more people to sail on their ships, according to the RoyalCaribbeanblog. 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. Get tested again after cruise travel. Royal Caribbean sent out an update on Wednesday with new protocols that have removed the need to conduct a pre-cruise Covid-19 test, even if you are unvaccinated. Royal Caribbean As with so many cruises around the world, requirements will vary by itinerary, but new policies that went into effect earlier this month eliminated vaccination.

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