There's plenty of cruise news out there, and I have a fresh look at some of the bigger stories from this week.
There are smaller updates from across the fleet that I think are kind of interesting, neat, or otherwise good to know.
If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!
Coast Guard investigating SpaceX launch scrub due to Harmony of the Seas
A SpaceX cruise ship attempt to launch a rocket last weekend was cancelled due to Harmony of the Seas veering into the "exclusion zone", and now the United States Coast Guard is involved.
Prior to any SpaceX launch, there is an exclusion zone established so that no planes, ships, etc are able to enter the space, which adjoins against the second busiest cruise and shipping port in the country at Port Canaveral.
Harmony of the Seas entered that zone, which cancelled the launch. SpaceX was able to launch the rocket the next day.
The Falcon 9 rocket was carrying an Italian satellite into orbit
U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson David Micallef confirmed that the Coast Guard will look into what happened, "Our primary concern is the safety of mariners at sea, and we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local port partners to ensure safe and navigable waterways."
Singapore cancels two Quantum of the Seas cruises due to Covid-19
Two sailings on Quantum of the Seas from Singapore had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 cases among the crew.
According to the cruise line, 0.6% of the crew tested positive for Covid-19, and so the sailings were cancelled "in an abundance of caution."
The crew members that tested positive were immediately isolated. Close contacts were also quarantined and tested.
According to the Singapore Cruise Society, the affected sailings were the January 31, 2022 and February 3, 2022
The ship will under go a deep cleaning and disinfection during her time off.
Wonder of the Seas arrives in Cyprus
The newest and largest cruise ship in the world made a brief stop in Cyprus as it prepares to begin cruises.
Wonder of the Seas arrived in Limassol, Cyprus on January 31st in order to bring more crew members onboard.
Cyprus' Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos welcomed the ship upon her arrival, "The benefits for our economy and tourism are huge, when leading shipping companies dock in Cyprus. We welcome to the Port of Limassol the largest cruise ship in the world, the Wonder of the Seas of Royal Caribbean."
Wonder is now headed to Cadiz, Spain as a final stop before her transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The first sailing of Wonder of the Seas will be March 4, 2022.
Labadee sign painted
Labadee re-opened last week, and the sign that spells out the private destination's name has been repainted.
Prior to the pandemic, the letters had a colorful look to them, against a blue background.
Royal Caribbean repainted the letters with a green background and a white floral motif.
Royal Caribbean also shared new aerial photos of Labadee.
Royal Caribbean trademarks "Accessory Place"
In January, Royal Caribbean Group trademarked the phrase "Accessory Place".
According to the paperwork filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the trademark is intended to cover the category of retail store services featuring jewelry.
