Royal Caribbean completed its first cruise in Singapore, and announced its first health protocol change.
Guests booked on upcoming Quantum of the Seas sailings have been informed the minimum age for wearing a mask on a cruise ship has been lowered to 6 years old.
Emails sent to guests explained the change, "To prepare for our return to service, we are continuously working closely with the Singapore Authorities to ensure that our health and safety measures are equal or better to those on land. It is now required for guests 6 years of age and older to wear masks on board."
The rule had been guests 7 years old or younger were exempted from the rule.
Masks are required to be worn by guests and crew onboard and even during signature experiences like skydiving in the RipCord by iFLY simulator and riding the North Star glass observation capsule.
Royal Caribbean successfully restarted cruises with one ship this week, having gotten the go-ahead to cruise in Singapore with Quantum of the Seas.
Quantum of the Seas is the first ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet to restart operations in almost nine months and offers 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops to only residents of Singapore.
The rules and health protocols on Quantum of the Seas were developed with expert guidance from the Healthy Sail Panel, Royal Caribbean Group’s Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer and the Singapore Ministry of Health.
Rule changes to Royal Caribbean's comprehensive health protocols are not unexpected, as the cruise line has said the policies would be adjusted.
Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain has talked about the importance of continuously learning from these early sailings to improve overall, "We will proceed cautiously and we will learn from our experiences."
"And unquestionably, we will invest in all these areas more than most of our guests will ever fully see or know."
