Royal Caribbean Blog

Going to the Bahamas is about to get easier if you are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Bahamas Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis announced his country is easing restrictions for international travelers flying into the Bahamas.

Beginning May 1, EW reports the Prime Minister announced international travelers will be exempted from RT-PCR testing once they have been fully vaccinated and have passed the two-week immunity period — in line with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.

Anyone that has not been fully vaccinated will will still be required to obtained a negative RT-PCR test to enter The Bahamas.

The goal, according to the Prime Minister, is to expand its vaccination program across the country.

Prior to this change, all international guests had to provide a negative test result at least 5 days before arrival.

The change comes a month before Royal Caribbean is scheduled to begin sailings from Nassau, Bahamas on Adventure of the Seas.

Adventure of the Seas will sail 7-night cruises from her new homeport Nassau, The Bahamas

There has been no update by Royal Caribbean or The Bahamas about the Prime Minister's announcement yet.

Details on additional health and safety measures to be implemented by Royal Caribbean will be announced at a later date.

On April 2, the CDC announced that people who are fully vaccinated with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States.

The CDC also suggests waiting to travel outside the United States until you are fully vaccinated with an FDA authorized vaccine.

The CDC added you do not need to get tested before leaving the United States if you are fully vaccinated unless your international destination requires it. 

More information:

• How to get a health visa for your summer 2021 Royal Caribbean cruises
• Here's what you need to do before going on your Adventure of the Seas cruise from The Bahamas
• 20 Adventure of the Seas tips, tricks and secrets

Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas has arrived in Israel for the first time.

The newest cruise ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet sailed into Haifa, Israel at 7 am on Wednesday.

Odyssey will be in Haifa until Friday to be supplied, as well as for new crew members to join the ship.  

This is the first time Odyssey has been to Israel, and the Port of Haifa says Odyssey will return again to Haifa on May 12 for another two days to practice and restock.

Israeli news site Ynet reports today's visit, along with the subsequent visit a few weeks later is for the purposes of getting the crew onboard fully vaccinated.

A translated post states, "since the ship's crew has not yet been vaccinated, one of the goals to get to Israel right now is to vaccinate the entire crew on the odyssey here, before receiving the passengers."

Beginning this summer, Odyssey will offer cruises from Israel to destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Odyssey of the Seas originally was scheduled to sail out out of Civitavecchia, Italy in May 2021, but was redeployed to Israel due to the global health crisis.

Sailings this summer will visit ports in Greece and Cyprus, including Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos and Athens, Greece and Limassol, Cyprus.  

The cruises will be the first ever out of Israel by a major cruise line.

All photos by the Port of Haifa

Her summer 2021 cruise season will be available exclusively to Israeli residents who are fully vaccinated.

Odyssey will then cross the Atlantic to begin its inaugural North American season in November, offering 6- to 8-night itineraries from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean.

Odyssey of the Seas can accommodate 4,180 passengers and is a 16-deck-high, 1,138-foot-long ship. 

What makes Odyssey of the Seas different?

Guests sailing onboard Odyssey of the Seas will find plenty to enjoy onboard.

While not the largest cruise ship in the world (that distinction is held by Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas), Odyssey packs a lot to do onboard, including multiple pools, aqua park for kids, surfing simulator, observation pod, and sky diving simulator.

There are even bumper cars you can ride, along with an array of complimentary and specialty restaurant options.

• Caribbean-inspired pool deck– Sporting a whole new look across two decks, Odyssey’s two open-air pools, four whirlpools and Splashaway Bay, anchored by a Quantum Ultra Class first – The Lime & Coconut bar – are designed for all travelers to enjoy the sun and stars in style.  
• SeaPlex – The next-generation of a longtime Quantum Class favorite, this SeaPlex is the largest indoor and outdoor activity center at sea, and debuts this venue’s first Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade.
• Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar and Teppanyaki – Two Royal Caribbean restaurants new to North America join the varied lineup of dining options on board. The fresh take on the cruise line’s signature trattoria is the first to introduce its new wine bar concept while the other serves up East Asian flavors in the traditional Japanese style for which its named.
• Action-packed top deck – Returning guest-favorites include the gravity-defying SkyPad virtual reality bungee trampoline adventure, FlowRider surf simulator, skydiving with RipCord by iFly, and the iconic North Star all-glass observation capsule that boasts 360-degree views from 300 feet above sea level.
• One-of-a-kind entertainment – In typical Royal Caribbean fashion, Odyssey’s full-scale productions take top billing in teched-out venues such as the Royal Theater and Two70, where immersive technology, unparalleled special effects and world-leading performers and aerialists take the stage alongside six agile Roboscreensfor a multidimensional live show.

Another state is joining Florida in suing the CDC so that cruise ships can begin cruising again.

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R-AK) announced his state has joined in a lawsuit against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) over its shutdown of the cruise industry for well over a year.

The decision to sue the CDC is about protecting Alaska's businesses, according to the Governor.

"Alaska's cruise ship tourism season is facing a second canceled season due to the federal government actions, which is why I'm fighting to ensure our tourism business and communities have a chance."

"Alaska is joining Florida's lawsuit against the CDC and urging them to revoke the conditional No Sail Order so we can get Alaskans, families and small businesses back up and running, which is why I'm fighting to ensure our businesses and communities have a fighting chance."

Governor Dunleavy is following up on his threat from a couple weeks ago that he would sue the CDC if things did not progress between the federal government and the cruise lines.

Both states want the CDC to drop the Framework for Conditional Sail Order (CSO), which is not allowing cruise ships to sail in U.S. waters.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis (R-FL) announced last week his state has filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CDC, demanding cruise ships be reopened immediately.

The impact of no cruise ships in 2020 and 2021 to Alaska has cost the state a lot of tourist dollars. Gov. Dunleavy says over the course of the two lost cruise seasons, Alaska will have a $3.3 billion loss in Alaska, "that's in a state with about a fifty six billion dollar GDP, so it's going to be significant."

In addition to the CSO, Alaska has an additional hurdle to jump over for cruise ships to return to the state. 

Canada announced it banned cruise ships for a year, which makes operating cruises from the United States to New England or Alaska nearly impossible.

Due to U.S. laws, cruise ships that are foreign flagged (which is pretty much every cruise ship on major cruise lines) must stop in a foreign port if they sail from the United States. By Canada denying entry into their waters, that leaves no foreign ports for cruise ships to sail to within the vicinity of Alaska or New England.

With some cruise ships resuming service this summer, and perhaps more later in 2021, booking flights sooner than later may save you money.

With the bulk of the  United States public beginning to achieve access to the Covid-19 vaccine on a wide scale, travel is starting to seriously pick up and that means airfare prices are likely to rise to match demand.

Air travel has not returned to the numbers once seen before the global health crisis yet, but is on its way up. Last week, more than 1 million people were checked by Transportation Security Administration checkpoints, which is 30% less than in 2019.

United Airlines told investors in a regulatory filing that they expect a major rebound this year, "While it will take time for the vaccine to be widely distributed, the Company’s confidence is even stronger in the recovery and the trajectory of the rebound in 2021 and beyond."

Moreover, United reported last month that its bookings for the third quarter of 2021 are only down 40%, compared with the 70% decline in bookings in December and January.

Prices for flights are still low right now

Despite a general sense of recovery in many aspects of life, prices for flights remain lower than typical for this time of year.

Hopper economist Adit Damodaran said "good" prices for roundtrip airfare are 25% lower today than they were in 2019, "In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in Spring 2020, roundtrip airfare dropped around $60 with lower travel demand

"Similar to past years, we saw price increase into the summer, fall during the autumn shoulder season, and rise again into the holidays."

Willis Orlando from Scott’s Cheap Flights sees a different scenario playing out for international flights, "Airfares to Europe, Africa, and Asia have generally been higher than pre-pandemic levels."

Mr. Orlando believes widespread deals that occurred relatively frequently prior to 2020 on international rates "have been super rare."

Part of the reason international flight prices remain high is because of various restrictions governments have placed on travel to curb the spread of Covid.

Expect higher prices later in 2021

While prices are still lower now, expect airfare prices to go up throughout 2021 as case numbers begin to fall.

Kayak reports searches for summer travel have been up 27% each week since President Joe Biden earlier this month said all American adults will be eligible for a vaccine by May. In addition, airfares for top 100 most-searched U.S. destinations are up 7% month-over-month.

JP Morgan airline analyst Jamie Baker, said discounts for flights are becoming less prevalent, "Domestic airfares are rising. While discounts can still be found, they’re no longer falling into consumers’ laps."

"Discounted fares increasingly require a hunt, and for many consumers that have been locked up for a year, they’re probably not up to the effort."

With lower demand due to the global health crisis, airlines reduced the number of flights offered and grounded aircraft. The reduced supply of available seats helped keep prices from plummeting.

Airlines are expected to add more seats as the peak summer season approaches.

Check the fine print before booking flights

If you are looking to book a flight for a cruise this summer or later, be sure you are clear on the terms if you change your mind and want to cancel later.

Many airlines relaxed their cancellation or change terms during the global health crisis, but some are rolling those changes back.

Depending on the airline (or the website you book your flight through), there could be new conditions and/or less means to get a cash refund.

Price flights through Royal Caribbean

While not new, Royal Caribbean's airfare booking program has become much more useful for cruisers looking to get a good price now for a sailing later in the year.

Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program allows guests to book flights through the carrier for a small fee. In many cases, Royal Caribbean has either negotiated better rates with select carriers or subsidized the prices to spur bookings through Air2Sea.

One really nice benefit of booking through Air2Sea is you can book flights with no money required until the cruise final payment date. In addition, Royal Caribbean will let you cancel your flight without penalty before your cruise final payment date.

If Royal Caribbean cancels the sailing later, it will refund you the money for the flights.

Plus, Royal Caribbean has always promised guests that book through Air2Sea will be accommodated if their flight is delayed and it impacts their ability to get to the cruise ship on time.

If you are any of Royal Caribbean's email lists, then you will very likely get plenty of emails advertising new discounts and sales on cruise fares, shore excursions, wifi and more.  But will any of these promotions actually save you money?

I'm back with an answer to another commonly asked Royal Caribbean question that one of our readers have sent in, which I hope helps a lot more people as well.

I got an email from Royal Caribbean for a new sale, but I've seen comments on Facebook that the prices don't actually change.  Someone even said they raise the price before the sale and then discount it after. Are these sales "fact or fiction"? - Erin A.

Social media is a terrific resource for learning and sharing, and you will definitely see a wide assortment of opinions when it comes to cruises.

I have seen some people write about saving hundred or thousands of dollars, thanks to a new sale, but I have also seen others complaining their prices only go up.

So will these cruise sales and pre-cruise discounts save you any money?

Like so many things in life, the answer is it depends.

Cruise fare sales

Royal Caribbean has sales quite often on cruise fares, and every few weeks has a new sale on things you can pre-purchase for your booked sailing.

Yes, every sale offered by Royal Caribbean could potentially save money compared to the price the day before, but not every sale means there are lower prices across the board.

In my experience, Royal Caribbean tends to have different targets or goals with its sales. But it is extremely rare that any one promotion has a flat discount across every sailing and date.  

However, that does not mean because one or more people report no discount that there are no savings.

When it comes to sales on cruises, a lot of the time savings depend on the type of booking. Kids Sail Free deals always see the best discounts if you have a third or fourth passenger in the same room.  30% off sales will net a completely different kind of savings.

Moreover, you may have already the lowest price for a sailing because you booked early enough to get that best deal.

Traditionally, Royal Caribbean cruise prices are generally set the lowest when a new sailing becomes available, and then prices increase over time.  Royal Caribbean calls this pricing model "low to high".

The idea behind the low to high model is it provides consumers with the confidence that they are getting the best deal.

Obviously there can be exceptions, because pricing is not linear, but there is no doubt the best prices tend to be early on.

Read more: How far in advance should I book a cruise to get the best price?

Does Royal Caribbean play games with their prices?

Erin also mentions the often repeated theory that Royal Caribbean raises prices before a sale in order to make the discount seem noteworthy.

In my experience, prices for cruises will fluctuate daily, or even hourly, depending on a variety of factors.

The best parallel I can provide to give an example of how cruise fare prices tend to go are jeans at the mall.  The ticket price is the baseline price for jeans, and cruise fares have similar list fares.  Later, the store puts those jeans on sale and the price goes down for a bit.  But once that promotion ends, the price for the jeans may go back up to its ticket price again.  And then a week or two later, a new sale on jeans brings the price down again.  And so forth.

Cruise fare prices are not exactly like merchandise in a store, but you will see an ebb and flow to their prices in a similar way.

The major difference with cruise fare is the price of a cruise is also dependent on supply and demand.  The more cabins booked, the higher prices tend to go.

So the reason why the price of a cabin may go up before a sale is not a nefarious Royal Caribbean conspiracy to suck up all your money, but the fact cabins on that sailing have recently sold and now there is less supply, and prices adjust accordingly.

Airfare is priced similarly, and ultimately how many seats/cabins are left combined with booking trends dictate discounts (or lack thereof).

So the bottom line is, yes, sales can save you money on your cruise fare, but don't expect a discount on every sailing.

Read more: 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Do pre-cruise sales save money?

What about the sales on wifi, shore excursions, or drink packages? Will those sales save you money?

The answer is a bit clearer here, because it is easier to compare and track prices since everyone is getting the same offering (as opposed to cabins).

Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner sales definitely save money on most purchases compared to the price if you wait to book it onboard.

Drink packages, wifi, and even shore excursions will definitely cost more if you wait to book it once you get on the ship.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Information and Planning Tips

Spa treatments are a bit of a wash, as the price is basically the same onboard or online.  The spa offers special deals onboard, but they are almost always on combo packages that are not offered online, so you cannot compare the two.

Specialty dining packages are sometimes discounted online compared to waiting to book onboard. Individual restaurant reservations are more or less the same as onboard.

The really nice thing about the pre-cruise sales is you can easily track prices, and cancel and rebook if there is a better price. 

Cruise pros know to book something they want early, and then look for new price drops if they happen. Unlike cruise fares, there is no penalty for cancelling and rebooking, even within just a few weeks of the sailing.

Read more: How to cancel and rebook pre-cruise purchases on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner

Cruise planner sales can absolutely save you money, and almost certainly will not cost you more than booking onboard.

More mailbag questions:

• What's worth paying extra for on a cruise?
• What is the earliest flight I should book after the cruise?

Wonder of the Seas may be the fifth Oasis Class ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet, but she is going to have a significant addition which her sister vessels did not have.

Royal Caribbean made Wonder of the Seas sailings available to book, and announced the major features guests can expect onboard.

Wonder of the Seas will receive an eight neighborhood, which is the term for how the cruise ship is differentiated for easier navigation by guests.

In addition to the seven neighborhoods found on other Oasis Class ships, Wonder of the Seas will feature an eighth neighborhood: the Suite Neighborhood.

Deck 17 Deck Plan from Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean describes this as an area exclusively for suite guests onboard:

"The new neighborhood provides a private experience like no other, featuring world-class dining, a new sun deck for unparalleled ocean views, a private lounge and restaurant and much more. Moreover, loved ones can make it the getaway of a lifetime when they book the expansive and beloved Ultimate Family Suite."

Existing Oasis Class ships have had certain parts of the ship reserved for suite guests, but never a formal neighborhood just for them.

Based on released deck plans, it appears this neighborhood could be part of Decks 17 and 18.

While Wonder of the Seas is the first Oasis class ship to have an all suites neighborhood, it is not the first Royal Caribbean ship to offer a suite enclave.

Spectrum of the Seas, a Quantum Ultra Class ship that launched in 2019, has something called The Suite Club.

Spectrum of the Seas Golden Suite

Spectrum was also designed for the Chinese cruise market, and features 36 Golden Suites and 106 Silver Suites. The Golden Suites and Silver Suites have exclusive access, elevator, as well as a private restaurant and lounge. 

While Royal Caribbean has not revealed the full set of suite perks and amenities yet, Spectrum of the Seas had a different type of suite offerings, including the top tier Gold Suites. Gold Suite guests may access The Balcony, a private outdoor space with the best views of the sea; and The Boutique, which can be reserved for private shopping, intimate parties and wine tastings. Travelers in suites are also provided with a dedicated team of Royal Concierges who provide excellent value-added services, including concierge services, Royal embarkation, enhanced food and beverage experiences, and exclusive room service.

Wonder of the Seas will set sail from Shanghai and Hong Kong, China in 2022.

Currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire, France, Wonder will be the world’s largest cruise ship and the first of its kind to call China home when it arrives in March 2022.

The ship’s inaugural season cruises are now open for bookings.

You can now book a room on the world's next largest cruise ship in the world.

Wonder of the Seas sailings from China are now available for booking on Royal Caribbean's website, beginning with March 2022 sailings.

The new sailings are loaded on the cruise line's website, for dates between March 2022 and January 2023.

Wonder of the Seas will offer cruises from both Hong Kong and Shangai (Boshan), China.

Between March and November, guests can sail roundtrip from Shanghai to Japan. Wonder will transition to warmer climates and homeport in Hong Kong, November 2022 through January 2023.

"China continues to be one of the most important parts of the world for Royal Caribbean. We have won the trust of our partners and the favor of travelers and built on that significantly since we first set sail 12 years ago. By introducing Wonder of the Seas and the iconic Oasis Class to China, our strong commitment to the market’s growth is reaffirmed yet again for years to come," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

With a gross tonnage of 236,857, the ship is 362 meters long and 64 meters wide, and it features a total of 18 decks and 2,867 staterooms to accommodate up to 6,988 guests. 

Wonder will be the first of its kind to be designed with eight neighborhoods, introducing the new Suite Neighborhood alongside returning favorites Central Park, the open-air AquaTheater, sporting a new look and where jaw-dropping, high-diving acrobatic and aquatic performances take place; Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea; and a 25-meter zip line 10 decks above the Boardwalk neighborhood.

Eight Distinct Neighborhoods & Highlights

• Central Park – The first living park at sea, home to more than 20,000 plants — not to mention some of the fleet’s most coveted specialty restaurants and high-end boutiques. Travelers can unwind in one of the many nooks tucked away in this open-air oasis during the day or drop by in the evening for live music under the stars.
• Boardwalk – Family friendly fun abounds on Boardwalk, a stretch at the end of the ship that is outside and always buzzing with activity. The can’t-miss features and experiences include twin rock-climbing walls, a classic carousel and deck-defying AquaTheater shows.
• Pool & Sports Zone – It is all about the action in this neighborhood. Travelers can catch waves on the fan-favorite FlowRider, soak up rays in any one of the pools and whirlpools, soar while on the 10-deck-high zip line, and brave a 10-story plunge down Ultimate Abyss. Friends, old and new, and families can also go head-to-head on the basketball or volleyball courts or tee off in a round of mini golf.
• Entertainment Place – Where world-class performers light up the stage night after night in headline shows and original productions at the Royal Theater, breathtaking ice-skating spectaculars and more. Travelers can even choose to brave the stage themselves at Spotlight Karaoke by belting out their favorite tunes in front of a live audience.
• Royal Promenade – The pulsing heart of the ship, where shopping, dining and entertainment come together. In the morning, guests can drop by for a cup of tea or coffee. As the day goes on, they can watch and dance as the signature neighborhood comes alive with pop-up musicians and performers.
• Vitality Spa & Fitness Center – Here is the place to charge up the day or recharge the spirit. The dedicated spa and fitness center offers a lineup of dynamic exercise classes within the full-scale gym and indulgent spa treatments designed for the ultimate in relaxation. It’s also home to Vitality Café, which serves up a menu of light and tasty fare like nutrient-rich smoothies and fresh sandwiches.
• Youth Zone – Even the littlest explorers will find plenty of adventure just for them. Home to the award-winning Adventure Ocean youth program and a nursery for infants and toddlers, this colorful, action-packed area is full of innovative common spaces, educational activities, games and other thrills. Young adults have their dedicated teens spaces too, where adults and younger kids can’t cramp their style.
• Suite Neighborhood – Wonder is the first Oasis Class ship with an eighth neighborhood – one just for suite guests. The new neighborhood provides a private experience like no other, featuring world-class dining, a new sun deck for unparalleled ocean views, a private lounge and restaurant and much more. Moreover, loved ones can make it the getaway of a lifetime when they book the expansive and beloved Ultimate Family Suite.

"It will be a remarkable moment to see years of partnership realized when the industry’s newest, most innovative ship becomes Shanghai’s new city skyline and takes cruise travel beyond imagination."

Wonder of the Seas will be the first Oasis Class cruise ship to sail from Asia, and she will immediately head there once she is delivered to the company.

Up until now, all of Royal Caribbean's cruise ships have been sailing out of North America to the Caribbean almost exclusively.  Royal Caribbean has offered a few summer seasons from Europe for various ships, and attempted to sail Oasis of the Seas out of New Jersey in 2020 and 2021.

Wonder of the Seas is under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France.

This is the third Oasis Class ship built at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Naizaire, France (Harmony and Symphony of the Seas).

Her debut was pushed back from 2021 to 2022 due to the global health crisis. The impact of worldwide port and shipyard closures has created delays in the construction schedule and delivery of Wonder. 

She is now scheduled for deliver in Spring 2022.

Few politicians have been as outspokenly in favor of cruise ships being able to restart operations as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but he has drawn a line with restart plans.

Many cruise lines have proposed or announced plans to require adults, or even all cruise passengers, to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to sail in the short term.

Speaking to Fox News, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said he does not think private business should be able to require a vaccine for its passengers.

"I'm very supportive of getting our cruise lines back up and running," Gov. DeSantis said in an interview. "We think they should be able to sail. But we also don't think that they should be able to require your personal health information in that regard."

Backing up his opinion is a new State of Florida Executive Order that prohibits Covid-19 vaccine passports (EO 21-81).

Section 2 of the Executive Order prohibits businesses from requiring their customers to "provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business."

Royal Caribbean has not officially decided if it will require its cruise ship passengers to get a vaccine as a matter of fleet wide policy, although it is requiring the vaccine for select ships that will be restarting cruises outside the United States this summer.

Part of that decision to require vaccines for adults on ships sailing from Israel, Bahamas, Bermuda or Cyrpus, also lays with the government of those countries, with whom Royal Caribbean has negotiated with to gain permission to sail from there.

On March 1, 2021, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain reitterated no decision has been made yet on if Royal Caribbean will require its guests to be vaccinated in order to cruise.

"So this raises the question of whether we will require vaccines on all of our sailings. The answer is, we don't know yet."

Mr. Fain is a major support of the vaccines, and believes they are the fastest and best method to get Covid-19 under control.

"Whether we will require vaccines of all of our guests on all of our ships hasn't been decided yet, but we are prepared to go where the science leads us."

Rival cruise line Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) believes by requiring vaccines of every single person onboard its ships initially, in addition to comprehensive protocols including universal COVID-19 testing, is the key to way to get its ships back into service faster with approval from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The Biden Administration said on April 9 they have no plans for a vaccine passport system.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki when asked about vaccine passports at a press conference April, 6, 2021 responded: "There will be no federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential."

Instead, the Biden Administration feels private businesses can best police the issue themselves, without government interference. 

Andy Slavitt, acting director for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said in a White House press briefing on March 29, 2021, "unlike other parts of the world, the government here is not viewing its role as the place to create a passport, nor a place to hold the data of — of citizens. We view this as something that the private sector is doing and will do."

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain shared a very positive message to start everyone's week.

For many months, Richard Fain has shared quick video updates with the travel agent community to keep them abreast of what is happening, and his own thoughts on the state of cruising.

In his latest video update, Mr. Fain shared an incredible amount of optimism that cruises will be allowed to sail in the United States sooner, rather than later.

Mr. Fain alludes to positive discussions with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as well as talks with the federal government, and even goes as far as to say summer cruises to Alaska are still possible this year.

In short, positive news regarding the treatment of Covid-19 and the vaccine rollout, coupled with strong data from cruise ships around the world that new health protocols on cruise ships are effective have given the cruise lines a compelling dataset to use in discussions with the CDC and other health authorities.

"Based on that data, over 30 countries have already granted permission for cruising. And we're optimistic that the CDC will too."

"Based on the advances in science and the data provided by our experiences abroad, the CDC is engaging in a constructive dialogue with us in the industry to enable a return to service in a safe and healthy manner."

In regard to summer cruises, Mr. Fain said that the possibility still remains for there to be a summer cruise season this year.

"We're also pleased that the science and the data have advanced so far in just a few months. The CDC has publicly stated that this could enable cruising to restart as early as mid-July."

"We agree with that assessment and we're more optimistic than ever that a realistic path forward can be achieved in that time frame. That would enable a summer season in Alaska and elsewhere."

Mr. Fain says the final decision on when cruises will be able to restart lays with the CDC, "as they should be, and I caution you that we can't prejudge their decisions."

"The new leadership seems ready to have the kind of dialogue that could lead to a constructive outcome."

Part of the optimism for this forward progress in having productive conversations with the federal government comes from the support the travel community has shown recently.

Mr. Fain points to the public statements of support for cruise lines have, "demonstrated that there is a strong desire to see cruising treated like so many other businesses and allowed to operate under safe guidelines."

"That loud voice has been clear and it seems to be being heard in Washington and in Atlanta."

Mr. Fain's comments follows a groundswell of public support recently for cruise ships to be able to sail again.

Leading the charge has been the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), who has spearheaded a campaign to tell lawmakers people want cruise ships to be able to resume service.

In addition, a series of public statements (and even a lawsuit) from local officials, as well as bills in Congress have been introduced with the singular goal of compelling the CDC to allow cruise ships to sail again.

Cruise ships have been shutdown in the United States since March 2020, when the cruise industry volunteered to stop cruising in the early days of the global health crisis.  Since then, the CDC instituted a ban on cruise ships.

Since then, many other aspects of travel have either not been halted, or been allowed to restart, including airlines, hotels, theme parks, and casinos.

Members of the House of Representatives have introduced their own bill to get cruise ships sailing again.

Coinciding with a similar bill in the United States Senate, Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) introduced H.R.2554, which would allow cruise ships to sail again and circumvent the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Framework for Conditional Sail Order (CSO).

The text of the bill is not yet available, but it is co-sponsored by 14 members of congress:

• Rep. Young, Don [R-AK-At Large]
• Rep. Weber, Randy K., Sr. [R-TX-14]
• Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]
• Rep. Gimenez, Carlos A. [R-FL-26]
• Rep. Diaz-Balart, Mario [R-FL-25]
• Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12]
• Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, Jenniffer [R-PR-At Large]
• Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17]
• Rep. Carl, Jerry L. [R-AL-1]
• Rep. Posey, Bill [R-FL-8]
• Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-18]
• Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11]
• Rep. Lesko, Debbie [R-AZ-8]
• Rep. Franklin, C. Scott [R-FL-15]

The bill mirrors another bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) last week.

Salazar represents Florida's 27th Congressional district, which includes PortMiami.

Rep. Salazar believes the suspension of cruise ships has cost the the U.S. economy too much money, "The suspension in U.S. cruise departures has resulted in the loss of $5.64 billion to the State of Florida’s economy, the loss of 91,450 jobs, and the loss of $4.44 billion in wages. The ripple effects of these devastating losses are being felt across the nation."

If passed, the CRUISE Act would have four major tenants.

• Requires the CDC to issue recommendations for how to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 to passengers and crew onboard cruise ships.
• Establishes an interagency “Working Group” that will develop recommendations to facilitate the resumption of passenger cruise ship operations in the United States. The recommendations will facilitate the resumption of passenger cruise ship operations in the United States no later than July 1, 2021.   
• No later than July 1, 2021, the CDC must revoke the order entitled “Framework for Conditional Sailing and Initial Phase COVID-19 Testing Requirements for Protection of Crew.”
• Ensures that HHS and CDC retain all appropriate authorities to make and enforce regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases on any individual cruise ship.

Last week, she walked to to the CDC and met with the Deputy Director of the CDC to work on a way for cruise ships to sail again.

I walked over to the @CDCgov myself and met with the Deputy Director.

She assured us that they would come to the table & work with us.

I’ll never stop fighting until @PortMiami is OPEN & our ships are back at sea! pic.twitter.com/Wenur0qGcz

— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) April 15, 2021

In the video, Rep. Salazar commented that she “had a very good meeting” with the Deputy Director, “who assured me that we were gonna be talking to the Director very, very soon.” She also added that the Deputy Director assured that they “were gonna work together, so we could open the Port of Miami and have those cruise ships back at sea.”

Alaska Congressman Don Young is one of the co-sponsors of the bill, and feels strongly about cruises being able to restart because of the deep financial impact no cruises is having on his home state.

"Every day that passes without the lifting of CDC’s Conditional Sailing Order is one day closer to the loss of the 2021 Alaska cruise season. No federal agency should have the ability to deprive Alaskans and their businesses the opportunity to earn a living for over 31 months."

"We must trust the science; vaccines are effective and proper protocols can be put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. With the livelihoods of countless Alaskan small businesses in the state's ports and Alaska Native communities on the line, I not only call on the CDC to recognize this perilous moment for so many small business owners, but I also ask my colleagues to cosponsor this critical bill."