Royal Caribbean Blog

While onboard Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley answered questions about a variety of topics related to cruising right now.

Mr. Bayley and Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, hosted a question and answer session with travel agents that covered many aspects of what Royal Caribbean is doing right now.

Questions touched on health protocols, the app, Perfect Day at Cococay, and more.

Here are some of the more interesting responses to the hot topics the executives touch upon.

Will antibody tests be accepted?

One question raised was if or when someone with antibodies from a previous Covid-19 infection would be acceptable to sail in lieu of a vaccine.

Mr. Bayley said he gets this question a lot, "I think I think we're going to get there. We're not there at the moment."

Besides discussions with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) about the issue, Mr. Bayley said another issue are the various countries who each have their own requirements, "Typically the standards are in each of the countries, often that defines the whole itinerary."

"I can't tell you how many meetings we've had with health authorities literally around the world and particularly obviously with the CDC."

"I do believe we'll get to a good place with antibodies, but it's probably a few more months away."

Chat feature in the app

Another question was about the chat feature in the Royal Caribbean app, and why it costs extra instead of being free.

Mr. Bayley admitted they wrestled with charging or not for the chat feature, "I remember that we had a lot of arguments internally within the company about a dollar ninety nine."

"I'm tempted to say we'll drop it, but nobody seems to be reacting against it. So we'll we'll drop it. Yeah. I think that will be good."

Will the Double Point promo come back?

Ever since the double points in Crown and Anchor Society promo ended earlier this fall, many cruise fans wanted to know if it will ever come back.

Mr. Bayley said he thinks the promo will come back, but they will use it "strategically."

"You'll see more of that coming, but it's not going to be a blanket open book."

Latest on Hideaway Beach

Mr. Bayley took some time to talk about the new port projects Royal Caribbean has lined up, including the next expansion for Perfect Day at CocoCay.

A new adults-only beach area is coming to CocoCay, that will open in late 2022.

"We are opening Hideaway Beach in, I'm hoping it's going to be at some point in '22."

"Hideaway Beach is going to be a adult only zone. It's going to have a beautiful natural lagoon area and a phenomenal pool and of course, stunning new cabanas and overwater cabanas and great dining and entertainment.

Why did Royal Caribbean decide to do adults-only? Evidently there was a lot of demand, "the feedback we've got is that people love Perfect Day, but there's a segment of our customers who want to have more quiet and not have kids all over the place."

Royal Beach Club & other projects

Mr. Bayley also gave an update on the new Royal Beach Club in Nassau, among other port projects.

"We're very close to finalizing the Royal Beach Club in Nassau, Bahamas, that is going to be on Paradise Island."

"Royal Beach Club is going to be an absolutely stunning beach club vibe, looking out to the beautiful ocean with a stunning beach. We're building a really world class, incredible kind of infinity pool."

"It's going to be very much infused in the Bahamian culture with lots of Junkanoo and great music."

Mr. Bayley wasn't sure exactly when it might open, saying it will probably open in 2023.

Moving on, he touched on other projects.

"We had other projects that we were working on before the pandemic. We were envisioning a new concept for Labadee. We were working on the project plan for Vanuatu off the coast of Australia."

"The Perfect Day in Vanuatu is absolutely stunning. I mean, it is game changing."

"New classes of ships that are coming and our vision for destinations, we think that we're going to really move forward and create a whole new blue open space for Royal Caribbean as a vacation company and very excited about that."

Icon of the Seas

Mr. Bayley also talked briefly about Icon of the Seas.

"We feel that Oasis Class was a game changer, particularly for the family market. But when Icon comes. We think it's just going to take it to a whole new level."

Masks

When might masks go away? No one knows quite yet, but Mr. Bayley is optimistic for a change in policy as we move in to 2022.

"I think it's pretty it's pretty certain that the mask policy is going to change for the whole industry, for everybody as we move into the first quarter... as long as we don't see any more variants appearing on the scene."

Mr. Bayley shared the results of a survey the cruise line conducted about masks, "Sixty five percent of all of our customers feel comfortable with some kind of mask guidance. A lot of people do feel comfortable with it as being something optional."

"We're very thoughtful about it and have been because of our family market. :So we're very sensitive to making sure we're not alienating a large group of customers."

"I 'm never arrogant enough to think that we solved it all, but our protocols are really working. Sometimes we can be accused of being a little overcautious, but it's just it's just all working out."

"I think for the industry and for our business, week by week, month by month, these things are going to start slipping away and we're going to get back to quite a quite a normal environment.

Capacity numbers

One topic a lot of cruisers want to know his how full their ships will be in the near future.

Mr. Bayley shared some rough estimates for ships sailing over the next few months.

" In October, I think the Royal Caribbean International Brand fleet sailed at 50 percent load factor."

"In November it'll be 60 percent. In December, it'll be 65. As we move into January, we'll continue to increase it."

"We're monitoring and watching everything is occurring around us, and we're making sure that every time we increase our capacity, we believe it's very safe to do so. Our intention as we move into the spring is to get back to business as normal."

The second day of our Odyssey of the Seas naming ceremony cruise brings us to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Before I could get to the island, there were a few meetings I had to go to. As part of a media cruise, there are immersion sessions for the press to learn more about the ship, as well as opportunities to meet with different executives.

My morning began with a question and answer session with Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, where he answered questions from the press.

There were questions about protocols, restart, plans for the future and many things inbetween.

I'm working on summarizing the more interesting questions asked in a post that will go up later today. I will update this post with a link once it is published.

After that, it was over to the SeaPlex to meet with Royal Caribbean Group Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider to talk about the role technology plays with a ship like Odyssey.

Mr. Schneider talked about the importance of balancing tech with the guest experience, but not having tech just for the sake of having tech. Moreover, he shared how spaces like Zone Zero, Adventure Ocean, and interactive kiosks on Odyssey are a step forward for the cruise line with new offerings.

By now it was lunch time, so I headed back to my cabin to get changed and then walked off the ship to visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Freedom of the Seas was docked with us today.

I knew today would be an abbreviated visit to CocoCay, so I went right to the Coco Beach Club to have lunch. Since this was a media cruise for us, admission to the club was complimentary.

Once again, the food did not disappoint and I loved it. Filet mignon was another home run.

I managed a little time in the infinity pool before heading back to the ship to get ready for more sessions this evening.

One thing I had to take care of was getting another Covid test for my cruise tomorrow.  I'm staying onboard Odyssey for her 5-night cruise, and I had to get an antigen test.

Royal Caribbean provides tests for back to back cruisers (along with anyone that needs a test before getting off the ship) at no additional cost.  

Guest Services brought me down to the medical center to get my test.  Clearly the crew members were also getting their weekly test while I was there.

First up was a talk with Royal Caribbean International Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, to talk about the new Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.

Mr. Tamis not only talked about the new refresh to Giovannis, but also introduced the master pizzaiolo behind the new menu, Chef Renato Viola.

Read more: How Royal Caribbean reimagined its signature Italian restaurant

Next up was Royal Caribbean International Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, Nick Weir, showcasing the technology behind Two70 on Odyssey of the Seas.

Before dinner, I went down to Casino Royale to say hello to Chris Wong, who is not only the casino host, but a great YouTuber.

Chris shares his experience as a crew member on YouTube, and is a really nice guy.  I encourage you to check out his work.

Speaking of nice people, this event allowed me to reconnect with friends I had not seen in a long time, as well as meet new ones.

I even got to meet Odyssey of the Seas' Godmother!

Among the many people I was able to see this weekend, none topped having a minute to say hello to Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain.

I told him I wanted to thank him for all of us hard work, especially over the last 2 years, and he was gracious enough to pose for a photo with me.

Last but not least, I wrapped up my day with a great dinner at Izumi sushi.

After dinner, I made my way to Music Hall to check out the rock band performing there.

This concludes my two-night media cruise on Odyssey of the Seas, but the live blog fun continues this week when Jenna shares a live blog from a two-night media cruise on Navigator of the Seas from Los Angeles! The fun continues on Wednesday, November 17!

Another busy week of Royal Caribbean fun just wrapped up, but if you missed any of it, I have a concise look at all of it for you in this weekly news round-up!

Royal Caribbean announced the health protocols for its ships through March 2022.

The new protocols apply to Royal Caribbean sailings from Puerto Rico, Barbados and U.S. homeports through March 31, 2022. 

Surprisingly, Royal Caribbean released these protocols for sailings many months in advance. It had previously been releasing protocols one month at a time.

These protocols govern the rules and requirements passengers can expect if they want to go on a cruise between now and March 31, 2022.

Royal Caribbean News

• Richard Fain announces he is stepping down as Royal Caribbean Group CEO
• A look back to Richard Fain's legacy
• Royal Caribbean announces 2022 President's Cruise
• Royal Caribbean announced the Godmother for Odyssey of the Seas
• Will Royal Caribbean require kids to be vaccinated in order to go on a cruise ship?
• The best cruise lines for 2022 have been announced
• Why did Royal Caribbean put fewer suites on Wonder of the Seas?
• 20 free things to do on Odyssey of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean's past Black Friday deals
• Matt is live blogging from Odyssey of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean patents opening a cruise ship cabin door with facial recognition
• What to expect with Royal Caribbean's new virtual safety drill
• Why cruise ships are getting bigger
• What to do if Royal Caribbean's shore excursions are sold out

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 430th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring a review of Serenade of the Seas.

Meagan and Jeff cruised on one of the first sailings from Tampa since the restart, and share their experience on Serenade of the Seas.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: Don't wait for a Black Friday cruise deal!

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — Don't wait for a Black Friday cruise deal! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

5 things I purchased for a cruise that I regretted buying

Whether I thought they would make my life easier, or just improve the vacation experience, in practice, I've regretted a few purchases I made for a cruise.

At the time of purchase, it sounds like a revelation and I usually end up buying it because I think to myself how could I not buy it to improve my vacation.

Here is my own list of things I bought for a cruise that ended up being a terrible purchasing decision for me.

I'm back on Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship for her official inaugural sailing and naming!

Odyssey of the Seas has been sailing for a few months since the summer, but Royal Caribbean is celebrating her official welcome this weekend.

This is a 2-night cruise open to just members of the media and travel agents. Royal Caribbean invited me to be their guest on this sailing with a complimentary sailing.

I drove down to Fort Lauderdale the day before the cruise and tried a new hotel near the cruise port, Hyatt House Fort Lauderdale Airport - South & Cruise Port.

I got a good rate for it, and I liked the hotel.  I'll have a review of it to share later, but I think it makes my list of recommended hotels for a pre-cruise stay.

My check-in time was 1pm, so I took my time on Saturday morning before heading over to the port.

The embarkation process was fine, and I was able to get onboard the ship just as quickly as I could make it through the various checks.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of doing all the check-in steps in advance on the Royal Caribbean app to make it all super quick at the terminal.

My room was ready when I boarded, so I headed there first to drop off my belongings.

Royal Caribbean provided me with a a balcony cabin for this sailing on deck 9.

Balcony rooms are always a great room, and since it is just me on this sailing, I have more than enough space.

This room is close to the forward elevator bank, which means a short walk to my room.

With my stuff squared away in my room, it was time to head to lunch at the Windjammer.

I could quickly tell this was a celebratory sailing, because Royal Caribbean spared no expense with the lunch offerings. Filet mignon, lobster tails and a lot more to choose from across the different stations.

Next up on my agenda was to check out a few of the suites.

On these 2-night media cruises, Royal Caribbean opens up certain cabins for travel agents and media to look at so they can get a better sense of what is offered.

There are rooms across all categories, but I really wanted to see the suites.

I saw the Royal Loft Suite first, and in case you were wondering, yes it is an amazing room.

This is a Star Class suite, which means it is a top-tier suite offering with so much space. 

There is just about everything you could want in this room, spread across two decks, with even a hot tub.

To compare, I looked at a standard loft suite and I am always impressed with how much space you have in these two-deck layouts.

I think the views off the aft of the ship are really nice, and an underrated aspect of these cabins.

Next up, each of the specialty restaurants was offering tasting samplings so everyone could stop by and get a taste of what it offers.

Far be it for me to pass up on quick bites!

The big event today was the actual naming, where Royal Caribbean officials and the ship's Godmother will name the ship.

The event was held on the pool deck, and the timing and weather could not have been better.  As the sun set, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain and Royal Caribbean International President & CEO Michael Bayley spoke before Godmother Erin Brown performed her duties of christening the ship.

A ship naming is an important occasion for any cruise line to celebrate all the hard work that it took to get the ship from concept to reality, but this particular ship naming had extra significance because it was the first ship to join the fleet since the pandemic.

Both Mr. Fain and Mr. Bayley's speeches centered around celebrating not just Odyssey's arrival, but the return of cruising. In fact, Mr. Bayley at one point was choked up talking about the road back to this point.

In addition, this was one final public event for Mr. Fain as the CEO.

After the speeches were made, a giant bottle of champagne was smashed across the bow of Odyssey, and she is officially part of the fleet.

In celebration, Royal Caribbean shot fireworks off near the ship, while we were still docked in Port Everglades. 

Dinner tonight took me to Teppanyaki, one of my favorite restaurants on any ship.

I love hibachi, and it certainly did not disappoint.  Everything tasted good, and the chef put on a great performance.

After dinner, I went down to the Royal Theater to see the adult comedy show, featuring Simeon Kirkiles. 

Between Mr. Kirkiles and the other comedian, there were some really good laughs.

Tomorrow we will be at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean has officially announced when its next President's Cruise will be and on what ship.

After hinting it will be an Alaska cruise recently, Royal Caribbean announced the 2022 President's Cruise will be on Ovation of the Seas.

It will be held on the June 24, 2022 sailing of Ovation of the Seas. It will be a 7-night cruise that will visit Juneau and Skagway, Alaska, as well as Victoria, British Columbia.

This will be the fifth President’s Cruise, and the first on a Quantum Class ship.

Royal Caribbean International CEO and President Michael Bayley, who is hosting the sailing, sent an email to Crown and Anchor Society members inviting them to join him for the festivities.

"I hope you’ll join me, our dedicated crew members and the Crown & Anchor Society team on board. There are more details to come as we plan a full schedule of events, including live performances, immersive destination experiences and more."

"I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. We are so appreciative of your unwavering support and understanding during the last 20 months. A larger-than-life President’s Cruise is just one way we want to thank you."

What is a President's Cruise?

Essentially, a Royal Caribbean President's Cruise is a regular sailing that anyone can book, but the appeal is for Royal Caribbean fans who want to go on a cruise together.

Hosted by the President and CEO of Royal Caribbean, it is a giant celebration of the cruise line for its loyal guests.

On past President's Cruises, there have been special events such as celebrity musicians who have performed onboard.

Patti LaBelle & Michael Bayley on a past President's Cruise

In addition, there are surprises and commemorative opportunities for anyone onboard.

Part of the appeal of a President's Cruise is a lot of loyal Royal Caribbean fans book it, making it a kind of homecoming experience among cruise fans.

More about Alaska cruises

• What is the best time to cruise to Alaska?
• What Is an Alaska Inside Passage Cruise?
• What to pack for a cruise to Alaska?
• Top 10 tips for planning your Alaska cruise
• 6 mistakes & 3 things we did right on our Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska

One big change that Royal Caribbean has implemented this year is Muster 2.0. Otherwise known as eMuster, this is a streamlined and digital upgrade to the traditional muster drill.

The muster drill is a mandatory safety briefing during which passengers learn where to go and what to do in case of an emergency onboard. The drill must be completed by all passengers on the first day of a cruise before the ship can depart.

Prior to the cruise shutdown, the muster drill was an activity many passengers disliked. Passengers had to gather at their muster station at the same time as everyone else in their group. This often led to large crowds and a lot of waiting around outside in uncomfortable temperatures.

Muster 2.0 is a new and improved hybrid model, completed partly on the Royal Caribbean app (or stateroom television) and partly in-person at your designated assembly station. It is a quick, flexible, and stress-free experience.

If you haven’t been on a cruise yet this year, it’s important to know when and how to complete the new emuster drill. After all, you don’t want to be that one passenger who is delaying the ship’s departure!

Here’s what you can expect when doing the emuster drill on your next cruise.

What to do first: Download the Royal Caribbean App

The first step to completing Muster 2.0 is to make sure you have the Royal Caribbean app downloaded on your smartphone. Royal Caribbean’s app is free and is available on both iOS and Android devices.

After the app is downloaded, login to your Royal Caribbean account. You should see your next sailing appear on the app. Once on the main page, select the safety button in the bottom left corner. This will take you to the page where you can begin the emuster drill.

No smartphone?

If you do not have a smartphone, you can complete all necessary Muster 2.0 steps on the television in your stateroom once you get onboard.

Keep in mind that you could download the Royal Caribbean app on a tablet as well.

Muster 2.0 Steps

On the safety page within the app, you will see three steps that you must complete. Next to each step, you will see a box that says “incomplete”. As you complete each step, each box will change from “incomplete” to “complete”.

Step one: Watch the short safety video

The first step on the emuster drill is to watch a short, animated safety video demonstrating how to properly put on a lifejacket. At the end, you click on a checkbox next to your name to confirm that you have watched the video.

Step two: Listen to the emergency horn

If there is an emergency onboard, you will hear a very loud, high-pitched beeping sound. The emergency horn on Royal Caribbean ships consists of seven short beeping noises followed by one long noise. It is important to know what the horn sounds like so that you are aware of an emergency should the horn blast through the cruise ship’s speakers.

To complete this step, simply press the blue play button in the “Emergency horn” box. Make sure your phone’s audio levels aren’t up all the way as the emergency horn can be quite loud.

Step three: Locate and visit your assembly station

Step three of the emuster drill differs from the first two steps in that it requires going to your assembly station onboard the ship.

After you’ve listened to the emergency horn, scroll down to the box that says “Visit Assembly Station” and click “Find on deck”. A deck plan of the ship will pop up showing you exactly where your assembly station is located.

With your phone in hand (or SeaPass card if you do not have a smartphone), go to your assembly station. If you need help locating your assembly station, simply ask one of the crew members.

Once you arrive at the assembly station, a crew member will give you a very brief safety demonstration. After this is done, they will scan your SeaPass, indicating that you have completed the emuster drill.

It’s a good idea to double check that all steps on the app’s safety page have been marked as complete. Once you see a green “complete” box next to each step, you have successfully completed the emuster drill.

How to do Muster 2.0 with children

Children also have to complete the emuster drill, although the process is a little different for them. When an adult in the cabin watches the safety video and listens to the emergency horn, the children in that cabin are automatically considered to have completed those steps too.

Children must also accompany the adults in their cabin to the assembly station to have their SeaPass cards scanned, indicating that they have completed the emuster drill.

Royal Caribbean also has a safety section for children located at the bottom of the safety page on the app or on the stateroom television. It is called “Learn about safety with Lulu & Mika” and goes over the safety information in a fun, cartoon-style video.

The video is not mandatory to watch, but may be helpful to give children a better idea of what to expect in an emergency situation.

When to do the Muster 2.0

In the weeks leading up to your cruise, you may be eager to get everything done ahead of time. You can watch the safety video and listen to the emergency horn at any time on the app, but unless you see the “Incomplete” box next to each step, the muster drill has not officially opened for your sailing yet.

You will receive a notification on your phone when you can start working on the steps of the emuster drill. If you don’t receive a notification, simply check the day before your sailing to see if the emuster drill is available.

A good idea is to complete the first two steps of the emuster drill the night before your cruise so that all you have to do once onboard is go to your assembly station. You can even choose to do this immediately after boarding so that you are done with the emuster drill within the first few minutes of being on the ship.

Whatever you do, don’t forget to do the emuster drill! Some passengers may be so excited to explore the ship or grab a drink by the pool that they completely forget about it. The ship will not leave port until all passengers have completed every step.

Royal Caribbean is constantly working to improve the cruise experience for its guests, and Muster 2.0 is no exception. What used to be an experience many passengers disliked doing on the first day of a cruise is now an easy, straightforward process that will allow your vacation to begin without any hassle.

It's not your imagination, there are less suites on Royal Caribbean's next new Oasis Class ship than older Oasis Class ships.

As soon as Royal Caribbean began opening up bookings for Wonder of the Seas, many guests began noticing there were less suite cabins to choose from than you would find on other Oasis Class ships.

Considering how lucrative suites are for the cruise line, as well as how in-demand suites can be for passengers, it seemed a strange decision to change the amount of suite cabins.

Royal Caribbean's executives recently talked about why there are less suites on Wonder of the Seas.

A new neighborhood

One big change on Wonder of the Seas is the ship will have an eighth neighborhood, dedicated to suite guests.

The Suites neighborhood on Wonder of the Seas is an area that doesn't exist on other Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ships.

Read more: Wonder of the Seas neighborhoods tour

In order to make room for the new amenities suite guests will enjoy, the amount of suites had to be cut back so there could be room for it all.

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, explained to travel agents during a meeting onboard Odyssey of the Seas that ship designers needed to take space from somewhere to be able to make the new neighborhood a reality, "We are going to have a private deck area for our suite guests and we're dedicating more room for our suite guests, which unfortunately kind of cuts into the amount of suites we can have."

The benefit of having less suites is the exclusivity suite guests enjoy will be even higher on Wonder of the Seas.

Ms. Freed also noted that unfortunately the swapping of Allure of the Seas to Wonder of the Seas in Europe in summer 2022 resulted in some guests being left without an available room, "We had to unfortunately downgrade some people who are in top suite categories because we had fewer suites on the line there. But that's all been sorted out now to the best of our ability."

Suites have never been more popular

Something else anyone that books suites on a cruise ship typically may notice is that there is much more demand for them than ever.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO and Chairman Richard Fain said the cruise line is seeing big time demand for suites, "We are selling our top categories quickly."

"So while the ships are going less full than we would like, we're oversold in the Star Class and the top categories."

In fact, on Royal Caribbean's 274 day world cruise, Ms. Freed mentioned all of the suites have either been deposited or booked.

Now that the Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for kids under 12, many want to know if Royal Caribbean will require kids to be vaccinated in order to sail.

Ever since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved vaccines for 5-11 year-olds, cruise fans have wanted to know what Royal Caribbean might do.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain was asked at a media event aboard Odyssey of the Seas on Friday if they would require kids to be vaccinated as well.

Mr. Fain said he thinks there will be an update to the protocols soon, but the cruise line has no change yet to announce for vaccine requirements.

"I think we will be coming out with protocols for the smaller children soon," Mr. Fain explained.

"Now that they've authorized vaccines down to the five, we're looking at how that's going to affect us."

Mr. Fain went on to talk about changes in protocols, and how while masks are required onboard Royal Caribbean ships, the reality is the time someone needs to wear a mask actively is around 20% of the time (thanks to vaccinated zones and outdoor areas).

"I think we're moving in the direction where every cruise will have 100 percent of the crew vaccinated and ninety five or more percent of the guests."

A follow-up question was asked by a travel agent about the notion of selling a Royal Caribbean cruise to a family in January or February. Mr. Fain responded he thinks there will still be room for unvaccinated kids onboard.

"Probably by then we'll still be, if they don't want to vaccinate their children. I would still encourage them to do so. The vaccines are simply so effective and so safe that they owe it to the children and they owe it to their friends and loved ones to do so. But I don't think we're about to implement that requirement because the only just became available."

Safer than Walmart

In talking about the vaccine requirements, Mr. Fain referenced a recent article by USA Today that indicated cruise ships health protocols are proving to be extremely effective.

CDC data shows not only are have there been very few cases this summer on cruise ships in the United States, but cruisers feel more secure with the protocols in place on a ship than they do visiting other businesses with little to no protocols.

"We have cases on board just as you have cases everywhere. But the cases are handled easily, efficiently and people are taken care of, and it doesn't spread. So we don't have these big outbreaks onboard."

Mr. Fain called that a "dramatic change" for the cruise industry, because many in the public never thought it would happen and certainly not as quickly as it has compared to other segments of society.

Fain pointed to the vaccines as the major factor in making cruise ships so safe, "I think the reason we're seeing that is because the vaccines work and because they are preventing the spread."

Don't expect a change after January 15

Some have speculated that once the CDC's Conditional Sailing Order becomes voluntary on January 15, 2022, that protocols will erode or go away quickly. Mr. Fain rejected that notion.

"I want to make it clear the controlling protocols today in almost every case, not every case, but almost every case is our own standards, not the CDC. We are acting significantly in excess of CDC requirements. And I actually don't expect January 15th when they have said that they would go through a purely voluntary program that will have any noticeable impact on us."

Mr. Fain said they worked hard to make cruises safe, and they are not going to abandon what has been working.

In terms of the pre-cruise testing, Mr. Fain said it is his preference to allow everyone three days instead of two days to get a negative test, but a lot of those decisions are based on what is happening in society.

"There are two days and we would much prefer it to be three. And that is one constraint that the CDC has imposed on us. We're not sure that the science supports that."

"You've seen how quickly it's changed over the last two months, and I think it will continue to quickly change, especially if we start getting more people vaccinated."

"I think we need to get through the winter months because the winter months traditionally resulted in an upsurge as people have people who aren't lucky enough to live in Florida who have to go indoors."

In the future your stateroom door might be opened by your face instead of a card.

Royal Caribbean filed paperwork with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a "multifunction smart door device", that among other things, can be opened via facial recognition.

The new patent is for a device that would be installed within or near stateroom doors of a cruise ship. Each smart door device can control access to a stateroom based on facial recognition or a wireless credential.

This smart device can perform other functions such as controlling stateroom personalization features, providing an electronic peephole function, allowing controlled access for authorized crew members, accommodating remote unlocking, and providing notifications. 

It could also be used by a passenger's mobile device.

Cabin doors on Royal Caribbean ships are all opened by a SeaPass card, which guests are issued at the start of the cruise.  Crew members have master key cards that can open the doors as well.

On some new ships, Royal Caribbean has added the ability for guests to open their cabin doors via the Royal Caribbean app.

Royal Caribbean thinks this device can be utilized for service, safety, or security purposes, such as for anonymized foot traffic analysis, hazard detection, and stateroom access auditing. 

It is a prime example by Royal Caribbean of Internet of Things (IoT) devices that aims to  provide connected services to improve passenger comfort and efficiency.

The patent authors include Joey Hasty, Gregory Morwick, Alastair Partington, Jay Schneider. Mr. Schneider is Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer.

How it works

According to the patent, a wide angle camera would be able to sense a face of a person within its view and then use one or more facial recognition software algorithms to determine if the person is authorized to unlock the door.

The patent also includes the possibility for the facial recognition software to be able to set guest stateroom preferences comprise at least one of a default climate control setting, a default in-room media setting, a default lighting setting, or a default window shade setting.

There is even a provision in the patent for the wide angle camera that serves as the facial recognition sensor, to transmit a live stream to a guest's mobile device, similar to how some smart locks for houses function.

Of course, the door could be opened by crew members. It would be set up to allow one or more crew members to access the stateroom based at least in part on a facial recognition result or a proximity-based credential, and based at least in part on evaluating a business rule stored in the local data store.

These business rules could limit access to certain hours of the day, or determine whether the stateroom is occupied or unoccupied before allowing a crew member to enter.

Facial recognition is the future

One of the patent's authors, Jay Schneider, has spoken publicly about the value facial recognition will have for the cruise industry.

Earlier this year, Mr. Schneider talked about why facial recognition, and not wearables, are the best long-term solution for guests being able to customize their trip.

"There are use cases where a wearable on your arm or a lanyard, et cetera, might be relevant, but your face is a better wearable for you long term than having to distribute something to you."

Royal Caribbean has already implemented facial recognition technology in some of its cruise terminals, where the embarkation and disembarkation process is sped up thanks to facial recognition.

One of the impactful changes to going on a cruise due to Covid-19 are the rules related to shore excursions, which can mean limited options for those traveling with unvaccinated passengers.

As of now, Royal Caribbean requires anyone getting off a ship in a port of call to be on a tour booked with the cruise line if they have someone unvaccinated in the group. This means families with unvaccinated children cannot book their own tours, or wander around the port area.

Hopefully this rule gets rolled back soon, but in the meantime it can lead to an issue of trying to find a shore excursion when there are limited options that easily sell out among what Royal Caribbean offers.

Here are some alternatives and tips for what to do if you find yourself with many Royal Caribbean shore excursions sold out.

Leave the kids onboard the ship

Not all families will be able or interested in doing this, but you can leave your children on the ship with Adventure Ocean.

Adventure Ocean is always open any hours your Royal Caribbean ship is in port. In fact, they will even open up early if you have a Royal Caribbean tour booked that requires an early morning departure.

By leaving your kids in Adventure Ocean, the vaccinated people in your group can explore on your own via a private tour or just walking around.

Another option is to leave the unvaccinated kids onboard under the supervision of an adult in the group. Perhaps that person is not interested in disembarking, or is simply doing a favor for everyone else.

Book a tour on your own

First and foremost, if the tours Royal Caribbean is offering are either sold out or not to your liking, going on your own is the natural next option.

Fully vaccinated passengers can choose between a tour on their own or a Royal Caribbean excursion, so booking something on your own (or even just walking around and exploring at your leisure without an organized tour) is a good option.

The key to finding a reputable and fun tour to do through a third party is to do research ahead of time before your cruise departs.

Read more: How to book third party excursions

Book a tour with Private Journeys

A relatively new and lesser-known option is Private Journeys, which offers private tours that are organized by Royal Caribbean.

Private Journeys is a shore excursion option offered directly by Royal Caribbean, where guests can create a completely customized shore excursion in any port your ship visits.  You provide Private Journeys with an idea or basis of what you want to do, and then they work with local tour guides to come up with an excursion.

In the weeks and months leading up to your cruise, you and your Private Journeys representative will custom craft a tour for you and your family.  Just like a group tour, these tour operators are vetted and organized by the cruise line.  All you have to do, is show up.

I have tried Private Journeys twice (in Belize and Curacao), and think it is a great choice for anyone that wants to tour at their own pace, and like the benefits of what Royal Caribbean provides.

Check back later

The premise of this post is about what to do if the shore excursion you want is sold out already, but you should check back periodically to see if it becomes available.

People cancel tours all the time, so if someone were to cancel their excursion, the option to book it would be re-enabled again for anyone to book.

In addition, Royal Caribbean may add additional inventory online or on the ship. There is no way to know with certainty what to expect, but you should keep an eye to see if the tour comes back as a bookable option online.

If all else fails, consider going to the Shore Excursion desk to see if there is any additional space, or to be put on a waitlist.

Read more: 7 things worth checking again on a Royal Caribbean cruise