Royal Caribbean Blog

If you're vaccinated against Covid-19, you'll need to wear a bracelet to distinguish between vaccinated and unvaccinated guests, and this band can sometimes be a nuisance to wear.

When cruises first restarted last summer, Royal Caribbean was using silicone wristbands that could be taken off at any time. In the fall, they primarily switched to a ribbon band that, once tightened, cannot be loosened.

While the ribbon band may seem convenient as it will not fall off throughout the cruise, many passengers find the band’s design to be inconvenient.

Royal Caribbean Blog readers shared recently on our message boards the tips and tricks they use in order to make the wristband experience a lot more comfortable while onboard.

Put the wristband on loosely at first

When you receive the wristband at the cruise terminal, do not tighten it too much. Because you cannot loosen it once it has been tightened, a tight wristband can quickly become uncomfortable. Putting the wristband on loosely at first will allow you more flexibility to take it off when it isn’t needed. 

If you tightened the wristband too much, get a new one. Some guests find that they made their wristband way too tight. Don’t fret, though. If your wristband is too tight, simply go to Guest Services and ask them to cut it off. They will give you a new wristband.

Put the wristband on your non-dominant hand

If you’re right handed, be sure to put the wristband on your left hand. The wristbands all come in one size, and more often than not, there will be a lot of extra material hanging off once you tighten it to your wrist.

This “tail” can get in the way when you are eating or doing activities onboard. Frankly, it can be a little annoying! Be sure to put it on the hand you will not be using as much so it stays out of the way as much as possible.

Cut off the long tail after tightening the wristband

If the long tail on your wristband is really bothering you, go to guest services and ask if they can cut the tail of your wristband to make it shorter.

There will be no need to worry about the wristband dipping into your mashed potatoes or tomato sauce at dinner if the long tail is no longer there!

You don’t have to wear the wristband on your wrist

All vaccinated guests must wear a wristband, but it does not necessarily mean you must wear it on your wrist. 

You can put it around your ankle, tie it to a lanyard, or even loop it on your belt. As long as you remember to take it with you each time you leave your stateroom or change outfits, you will not have a problem.

Use items to tie the wristband’s tail back

Some passengers have brought rubber bands and clips onboard to secure the wristband’s tail. By using small rubber bands, the tail is able to be moved out of the way, making it much more comfortable for guests during the cruise.

Likewise, another tip shared was to purchase these cord locks which allow you to adjust how tight or loose your wristband fits.

Royal Caribbean Blog reader Ashley Dillo stated that “When I am given the wristband I just pull the nylon all the way through the black plastic piece like I'm tightening it all the way and it slips off. Then I thread the ends through the cord lock and it makes it adjustable for easy on/off.”

If you've been on a cruise recently, what did you think of the new ribbon wristbands? Do you have any tips and tricks for making them more comfortable? Join the discussion on our message boards and let us know!

Beginning February 25, Royal Caribbean will make masks optional for fully vaccinated passengers.

The cruise line announced last week it would make the change as a result of opting into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) highly vaccinated program, which requires 95% passengers to be vaccinated.

While the vaccine requirement is now at a higher threshold than it was previously, it does allow Royal Caribbean to make face masks optional for fully vaccinated passengers.

Masks had been a cornerstone of Royal Caribbean's health protocols since cruises began sailing from the United States in July 2021. Spikes in Covid cases due to the Delta and Omicron variants forced Royal Caribbean to keep, and even tighten mask wearing, since that time.

Royal Caribbean had already rolled back its mask wearing rules to pre-Omicron as of February 15, 2022.  This new change on February 25th will make them mostly optional.

Mask rules for U.S. sailings

So where and when will masks still be required? And when can you take it off?

Royal Caribbean has released the new mask requirements for sailings departing the U.S. and Puerto Rico on or after February 25, 2022.

Ninety-five percent of guests must be fully vaccinated, excluding children under five years who are not eligible for the vaccine. 

Unvaccinated children to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowded settings. Masks are required for all children while at the Adventure Ocean youth program. Guests under 2 do not have to wear a mask at any time.

Masks should also be worn at the cruise terminal during the boarding and screening process, as well as during disembarkation. 

Masks are optional at Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee.

The new rules are listed on Royal Caribbean's website.

Europe

At this time, Royal Caribbean has not yet determined its Covid-19 protocols for cruises in 2022 from Europe.

Royal Caribbean will convey those protocols at a later date.

Matching other cruise line policies

Royal Caribbean is not the only cruise line dropping mask rules.

Each of the major cruise lines has announced similar policies, including Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line. Both of these lines have either already stopped requiring that facial coverings be worn in most indoor settings or will do so beginning next month.

Virgin Voyages also announced it will drop its mask requirement.

Disney Cruise Line and MSC Cruises have not yet announced changes to their face mask policies, although Disney's theme parks made masks optional there.

Cruise fan reaction

Having to wear masks on cruise ships has been a hot button topic for cruise fans, and the general public. The 

Few health protocols have been as contentious as having to wear a mask on a ship.

On the Royal Caribbean Blog Facebook page, there were quite a lot of comments regarding Royal Caribbean's decision to drop masks in exchange for requiring 95% of passengers be vaccinated.

Christie Smith wrote, "I really like this. It's a good step in the right direction."

Lindsay Murphy is waiting for more protocols to erode, "Maybe someday I'll cruise again, but to me it's just not worth it, vaccinated or not. I'll wait my turn."

There's new cruises you can book from cities in the northeast United States.

Royal Caribbean released for booking its northeast 2023-2024 deployments from cities such as Bayonne (New York City) and Baltimore.

Five cruise ships will offer cruises from New York and Baltimore to destinations around the Caribbean, Bahamas, Canada and beyond.

The array of new sailings include 4 to 11 night cruises to destinations in Bermuda, Perfect Day at CocoCay, and New England.

Bayonne/New York City

Four ships will offer cruises from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey between 2023-2024.

Liberty of the Seas will offer 4-, 5- and 9-night cruises to Canada, Bermuda and the Bahamas.

Anthem of the Seas will sail a 6-11 night cruises to the Caribbean and Bahamas in the winter of 2023-2024, before sailing a transatlantic to Southampton in May 2023.

Oasis of the Seas will return to the New York City area in summer 2023 to offer cruises to Canada, the Bahamas, and Caribbean.

If you want something more exotic, Jewel of the Seas will sail from Cape Liberty in the fall of 2023 and offer 10- and 11-night open-jaw sailings between Cape Liberty and Quebec.

Something truly out there is Jewel's single voyage roundtrip from Cape Liberty to Greenland.  It's a 14-night cruise that visits Nuluk and Qaqortoq in Greenland, before stopping in Newfoundland, Canada on its way back.

Baltimore

Vision of the Seas will replace Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore in 2023.

Guests can book a variety of cruises from Baltimore on Vision of the Seas, including cruises that visit Bermuda, Perfect Day at CocoCay, southeastern United States, and the Southern Caribbean.

More deployments to come

Royal Caribbean has more 2023-2024 cruises to announce in the coming weeks.

The current deployment schedule is as follows:

• Week of February 28: Long Caribbean 
• Week of March 7: Short Caribbean
• Week of March 14: Los Angeles
• Week of March 28: Barbados & Panama
• Week of April 4: Australia
• Week of April 11: China
• Week of April 18: 7-night Caribbean
• Week of June 6: Singapore

Keep in mind that the deployment schedule is subject to change.

Planning on booking a 2023 cruise? These stories will help:

• 5 things to look for before you book a cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• Should I take a short or a long cruise?
• Why you shouldn't book the cheapest cruise you can find
• Why you should take a cruise to Bermuda

One of our more popular questions we hear on the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards is “Where should I stay when I travel to this port?” We can recommend hotels in almost every port, but there’s a new(ish) player in town that we should bring to the table as an option.

When AirBnBs first started popping up, they were marketed as kitchy hostel alternatives or fun travel destinations. Since then, the program has evolved to include hosts almost everywhere–from studio apartments to castles! You can find some pretty neat places to stay around the world with AirBnB.

While we still stay in hotels plenty, we do usually opt for AirBnBs when we are cruising. Because ports are in big cities, and where there are big cities, there are also conferences, sports events, music festivals, and the like, hotel prices fluctuate depending on their expected volumes.

Even when we planned a year in advance, we were sometimes pressed to find a reasonably priced hotel close to the airport or the port.

We first tried an AirBnB in Fort Lauderdale a few years ago, and found it so convenient that we keep going back, not just to AirBnB, but even to that same rental! Our Fort Lauderdale host has a pod of 3 rentals on one property, and they are all super cool studios. The pictures in this post are from our most recent stay in their Bird Studio.

How to book with AirBnB

Step 1:  Download the App

The app is available on both Android and Apple. You can also book from a computer, but you’ll want the app while you are traveling. 

Step 2:  Search for where you’re going, and when. (ie, Fort Lauderdale, January 1, 2022) How many people are coming?

Step 3:  Read through the provided list of hosts and locations to stay. Read reviews, look at photos of the properties. Check out the map. You can sort by the price, amenities, etc. 

Step 4:  Book! One thing I love about AirBnB is that the pricing is straight forward and up front. There are a few fees (cleaning and service), but you know what they are going to be before you book.

To show you what the booking process looks like, I chose a property at random from the list, but there are locations at all price points, usually starting at $50+ per night.

Not a bad deal considering on a surge weekend, hotel prices can start at $200 per night!

Step 5:  Arrival. When it’s time to check in, there’s obviously no front desk.

You’ll get a welcome email and/or text from the host with instructions and a code to the security lock on the door. This code is unique to you and only activates at your check in time, and deactivates when you check out. That way no one else knows your code, and can get into the rental while you are staying there. 

AirBnB Tips

With so many different options in rentals, the sky really is the limit on where you can stay when booking with AirBnB. When we are cruising, we are looking for mostly simple accommodations to get us through the night, but it’s important to look at the amenities to find what is right for you.

We do always look for Superhosts, which are “experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.” This way we know the rental will be clean and safe, and they’ve been well rated. They’ve had plenty of renters in and out, and know what they are doing. 

Know what you need and want out of a stay. Are you just there to sleep for a night? Will you be eating meals at the rental? Are you staying several days and may want entertainment like a pool or something close to the beach? Are you ok with just a bed  and a bathroom, or do you need a kitchen, living room, etc.

Remember there are tons of options in every price range, so really take advantage of the search. 

You get a rating too! Take care of the property, clean up after yourself. There is a cleaning fee, but you’ll most likely need to take the trash to a central location, put the towels in a laundry bin, etc.

Think about this as being a guest in someone’s home. Sure, they are going to come in and do the major cleanup, but we aren’t going to leave it trashed, either. And you have a great line of communication with the host, so if something does happen, you can let them know.

For example, the battery was dying on the front door lock, so we let them know it needed to be charged before the next guest arrived.

Plan ahead. Because you won’t have complimentary breakfast, and AirBnBs are often in neighborhoods, you’ll need to figure out dining options in advance. You also need to think about transportation, if you’re not renting a car or driving to the port.

We often look for AirBnBs within walking distance to a grocery store, so we can pick up snacks and water. We also usually have a DoorDash dinner that evening. Uber or Lyft is our ride from the airport and to the port.

Hotels will always be the travel standard for overnight stays. However, AirBnB has become a fun and creative alternative that has very competitive pricing, while also helping the local community economy. Many hosts have built annexes to their own homes or converted garages to capitalize on the tourism market, and so staying in an AirBnB often pays back into the neighborhoods where you’re staying.

We’ve found that AirBnB does take a little more effort than staying in a hotel does, but the price difference and location experience is worth it to us. Oh, and Mr. Mills would be upset if I didn’t mention his favorite part of staying in AirBnBs:  He can usually find one close to OrangeTheoryFitness, which, if you know, you know.

Have you stayed in AirBnBs before? Do you use them while cruising? Let us know in the comments.

Note:  RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com is not sponsored by AirBnB, but we wanted to share our experience with the service as an alternative to hotels.

The newest and biggest cruise ship in the world has arrived in the U.S. to begin offering cruises from her new home.

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday night.

With less than two weeks until her first sailing, Wonder of the Seas will debut with cruises from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March and April.

Port Everglades welcomed the massive new cruise ship as she pulled into port on Sunday.

The new ship arrived in the evening, with her first sailings beginning March 4, 2022.

Wonder of the Seas measures 1,188 feet and has a gross tonnage of 236,857.  At double occupancy, she can handle 5,734 passengers along with 2,300 crew members.

Royal Caribbean released new photos of the ship, taken from the air to show off the splendor of this new ship.

Entertainment on Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean revealed which shows passengers can look forward to seeing on Wonder of the Seas.

Three premier production shows have been announced, with a fourth show to debut later this year.

While Wonder of the Seas does not have a Broadway show like other Oasis Class ships, she does have a number of original performances.

Here's a look at each of the shows announced for Wonder of the Seas.

inTENse

Set in the Aquatheater, inTENse features an all-female cast performing aerial and diving acrobatics.

In this new show, expect diving, slacklining feats, tumbling, aerial acrobatics and more, punctuated by inspiring lighting and sound.

365: The Seasons on Ice

The ice skating show in Studio B will tell the story of the earth’s changing seasons.

"Performers will embody the flow of time as their characters and their every move are accentuated by innovative projection mapping, colorful lighting and images, and sound, which transform the venue from one season to the next."

Voices: An Intimate Performance on a Grand Scale

In the Royal Theater, you will find a new type of show for Royal Caribbean that focuses on the power of live performances.

The Royal Theater’s bespoke show, featuring a wondrous medley of music, singing and dancing, will underscore the unifying power of performance art.

Effectors II: Crash ‘n’ Burn

Coming later in 2022, Royal Caribbean will deliver the sequel to its super hero inspired musical, Effectors II: Crash ‘n’ Burn.

Effectors first debuted on Spectrum of the Seas & Odyssey of the Seas, and is about a group of superheroes with awesome abilities based entirely on creativity. 

Royal Caribbean says the latest installment of The Effectors is, "bigger and bolder, featuring trailblazing applications of autonomous technology pioneered by Royal Caribbean."

Live music

In addition to the production shows, Wonder of the Seas will offer a variety of live music around the ship.

• Live country music at The Mason Jar Southern Restaurant & Bar
• Live Caribbean music and DJs poolside at The Lime & Coconut
• Music Hall offers live performances every night with a tribute band, jazz ensemble, or Royal Caribbean house band.
• The Stowaway Piano roving pianoplayer plays their own twist on classic tunes wherever the piano can roll.
• Boleros features a six-piece band playing salsa, cumbia, merengue, samba and more.
• The English pub, Cask & Clipper, serves acoustic performances every night.
• Piano performers in the signature Schooner Bar.

Ready to sail in 2022

Her inaugural sailing will take place on March 4, 2022 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  She will sail to the Caribbean from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale between March and April 2022. The 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries include visits to Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau, The Bahamas; Roatan, Honduras; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Starting in May, Wonder heads to Europe to offer 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises will visit ports such as Naples and Florence, Italy; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Provence, France.

After her summer season, Wonder returns to Florida to offer year-round sailings in November 2022, when she sails from Port Canaveral. Destinations range from Perfect Day at CocoCay and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Cozumel, Mexico.

The last day of our cruise visits Nassau, Bahamas.

We did not have any plans to do anything onshore for this visit, although I left the possibility open to maybe walk off for a beer later.

Since we had no plans, we slept in a bit and woke up to a cloudy and windy day.  Independence docked earlier in the morning, and I noticed we were docked at what I believe is one of the new piers they built.

We were further down into Nassau Harbor, with Celebrity Apex docked behind us.

After getting breakfast, we went up to the sports deck. Originally I was going to take the kids to do the SkyPad again, but it wasn't open until 1pm. 

Instead, we saw the pickleball court was set up and took the kids to try it out.

Pickleball is essentially tennis with a whiffle ball and hard racquets. It was a lot of fun, although the wind made the game very difficult to keep the ball in play.  My lower back did not agree with it either, but I still enjoyed it.

A friend signed up for the ping pong tournament they held aboard the ship, and about a half dozen people participated. He came in second place at the end of the competition.

Lunch brought us back to Playmakers.

Unfortunately, they seemed to be a bit short staffed and our waiter told us the kitchen is a bit overwhelmed.  We told him to bring out whatever he had, when he had it.

The meal took longer than I planned, but Playmakers is usually slow to begin with.

After lunch the kids wanted to try the family scavenger hunt.  They had 15 minutes to answer a bunch of questions and take photos of various things around the ship.

They didn't win, but they liked being able to run around the ship for a few minutes and play.

We had planned to go see Grease, but opted instead to take a break and let everyone relax. Sometimes a lot of vacation fun needs a reset to keep everyone even-keeled.

Dinner tonight brought us to Chops Grille.

After dinner, we played a bit in the casino and then had some drinks at Playmakers to round out our evening.

Overall, it was a fun weekend on Independence and it gave us exactly what we wanted: a weekend getaway to CocoCay.

Thanks for following this live blog. Our next live blog is in less than two weeks when I check out the brand new Wonder of the Seas!

Stray observations

For the departure options after the cruise is over, there are segmented self-assist times.

I had never seen this before, but essentially instead of a luggage tag number, people who want to walk off the ship on their own have assigned times.

I suspect this is because on a 3-night cruise there will be a lot of people looking to do self-assist and they want to prevent a mass of humanity trying to get off the ship at the same time.

I found a tribute to travel writer John Honeywell, better known as Captain Greybeard, on the sunning deck above the Sky Bar.

Hope you are having a great weekend.  Here is all of this week's Royal Caribbean cruise news.

The big cruise news this week was Royal Caribbean's announcement it will begin requiring at least 95% of the ship be fully vaccinated and make face masks optional onboard.

Royal Caribbean confirmed it has opted into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) voluntary Covid-19 reporting program.

As a result of opting into the, "highly vaccinated program", at least 95% of passengers and 95% of crew will be fully vaccinated on Royal Caribbean ships.

Royal Caribbean News

• CDC lowers warning level for Covid-19 on cruise ships
• Royal Caribbean relaxes crew member shore leave and quarantine rules
• Royal Caribbean updates: Mariner cancellations, Icon of the Seas, & more
• Study: Cruise ships had 8,000 percent lower rate of Covid-19 hospitalizations compared to land
• Matt is live blogging from Independence of the Seas this weekend
• Royal Caribbean brings back double points promotion for Australians
• What is the best time of year to see wildlife in Alaska?
• How to meet people on a cruise ship
• What's the best cruise ship cabin for my family?
• Books for Black History Month to read on your next cruise
• A Royal Caribbean Love Story: A couple finds love after meeting on cruise ship

New RCB Video: 22 Tips for Royal Caribbean cruise in 2022

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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 — 22 Tips for Royal Caribbean cruise in 2022 — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 442nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available featuring a review of Matt's Brilliance of the Seas cruise.

In this episode, Matt reviews his 4-night Western Caribbean sailing on Brilliance 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.

Guide to pre-cruise Covid test

Before you cruise, you'll need a negative Covid-19 test result and the rules and requirements can be a little confusing.

To simplify things, we've written a complete guide to testing policies and requirements as of February 2022.

With this article, you should have an easy understanding of how to get a test done before you sail.

Harmony of the Seas vs. Anthem of the Seas

Trying to decide between Harmony of the Seas or Anthem of the Seas?

The Quantum and Oasis Class ships are among the biggest in the world and come with seemingly endless dining venues, entertainment choices, and activities.

Take an in-depth look at how each of these ships compares to the other.

All about Quantum Class ships

Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class cruise ships are packed with signature activities, diverse dining options, and technology integrated throughout the ships.

Here's a look at everything the Quantum Class has to offer, and how the ships within the class differ from each other.

The second day of our Independence of the Seas cruise brings us to the pièce de résistance of the sailing: a visit to Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Our ship docked around 7:30am or so, and the ship was cleared right at 8am.

We took the kids up the Windjammer for breakfast, which was super packed since everyone else was trying to eat something before getting off the ship. It's times like this I miss having Park Cafe or Cafe @ Two70 to have an alternative venue for breakfast.

As we disembarked the ship, Harmony of the Seas pulled in to join us.

The weather was beautiful with no clouds in the sky, warm temperatures, and low humidity.

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We purchased tickets to the CocoCay water park for this visit, so we headed right to Thrill Waterpark.

The kids went up and down the slides and all over the park, while the adults mostly stayed around our chairs and the wave pool. The water was a bit chilly, but I was just enjoying being outdoors.

We had lunch at Snack Shack, which is located inside Thrill Waterpark (there's two other locations around the island).

After lunch, we decided to take a break from the slides and head to the beach. We chose Harbor Beach as something different to try.

The appeal of Harbor Beach is this cove has no waves at all.

The kids loved it because there are rocks on one side that are home to many hermit crabs, which they found great pleasure in finding.

We ran into a few friends from Harmony of the Seas during the day, which was a really nice surprise.

We eventually headed back to the ship as our time came to a close at CocoCay. I showered and then immediately took a nap after a full day of fun on the island.

Dinner tonight was in Playmakers.

Playmakers is really large, and located on deck 4 between Boleros and Casino Royale. It's an impressive space, and our waiter Cyrus took good care of us throughout the entire meal.

After dinner, we went down to Studio B to see Freeze Frame ice skating show.

The show is a journey through the music of the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Great hits to enjoy as you watched the skaters do their thing.

After the show, we had a few drinks at the pub before calling it a night.

Tomorrow we will be in Nassau, Bahamas.

Stray observations

I bought this Perfect Day at CocoCay Tervis cup!

In the back of the ice skating show set, there is a large newspaper with an article from right before the Oasis Class ships launched with a contest to name the Project Genesis ships.

I found the Stowaway piano player in front of Boleros. This is the same stowaway piano player I saw on Odyssey of the Seas last summer.

I'm back on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship this weekend, this time checking out Independence of the Seas.

Since it's President's Weekend, my kids have off from school on Monday and that's a natural fit for a weekend cruise.

We had originally booked connecting Royal Promenade rooms for this cruise, but prices came down at the last minute and my travel agent was able to upgrade us to connecting balcony rooms for just $50 extra.

Independence is sailing from Port Canaveral and offering a 3-night Nassau and Perfect Day at CocoCay itinerary.

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A week or so before the cruise, Royal Caribbean alerted us that embarkation would be pushed back an hour so that the ship could undergo additional cleaning. This is not unheard of over the last few months, although it is the first time I encountered it.

We had a 11:30am check-in time, but Royal Caribbean said for everyone to arrive one hour later than when they had booked.

We left our house and drove to Port Canaveral, which is about an hour drive door to door.

When we got to the terminal, they were letting people into the building to check-in, but they were holding passengers in the waiting area until the ship opened up boarding.

Luckily, by the time we finished checking in, boarding began.  They started with suites and pinnacles, and then went in reverse Crown and Anchor Society before opening it up to everyone.

The weather started off a little cloudy, but everything cleared up as the afternoon progressed.

Onboard the ship, we grabbed lunch at the Windjammer.

The cabins weren't open until 2pm, so we took the kids up to the sports deck for a ride on the Sky Pad.

I booked the unlimited dining package for this cruise, and it's always a good idea to book your reservations for restaurants on the first day. I was able to get the days and restaurants we wanted without much issue.

We signed the kids up for Adventure Ocean next. On this sailing, there are 600 kids onboard and they are limiting parents to 3 hours per child for advanced reservations.

My wife took a well-deserved visit to the spa, while I took the kids to the pool deck. Independence of the Seas has a rather large Splashaway Bay, and they enjoyed the slides.

Once we got in the rooms, we dropped off our belongings and then headed downstairs to complete the muster drill.

Our next stop was up to the Sky Bar to enjoy sail away. We ended up staying in port a bit longer than expected, but it was a beautiful afternoon in terms of weather, so we enjoyed being outdoors.

As we sailed away, it was time to prepare for dinner and change.

We had dinner tonight in Izumi hibachi.

Dinner was great, and we had a really good chef who had some original material.

After dinner, we enjoyed some music at the pub.

Tomorrow, we will be visiting at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean has opted into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) voluntary Covid-19 reporting program.

On the final day to opt into the program, Royal Caribbean announced it will join as part of the, "highly vaccinated program"

This means at least 95% of passengers and 95% of crew will be fully vaccinated on Royal Caribbean ships.

The benefit of requiring at least 95% vaccinated passengers is face masks will no longer be required indoors on Royal Caribbean ships.

The new program will go into effect beginning February 25, 2022.

Royal Caribbean will join the "highly vaccinated program", which is defined as ships with at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are fully vaccinated, but with less than 95% of passengers and 95% of crew who are up to date with their Covid-19 vaccines.

Prior to this change, Royal Caribbean had not required 95% of its passengers to be vaccinated, unlike sister company Celebrity Cruises.

Cruise lines that choose to participate in CDC’s Covid-19 Program must advise CDC of the vaccination status classification for each participating ship. 

In addition, each ship must maintain these thresholds for each voyage.

On the CDC website, Royal Caribbean's ships appear in the listing of the Cruise Ship Status Dashboard under the category of "Highly Vaccinated".

Inside the new CDC program

 The new optional system for foreign-flagged cruise vessels operating in U.S. waters will mark ships in one of three categories, depending on the level of vaccinated passengers and crew on board:

1. Not Highly Vaccinated: ships with less than 95% passengers and 95% crew who are fully vaccinated.
2. Highly Vaccinated: ships with at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are fully vaccinated but less than 95% of passengers and 95% of crew are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.
3. Vaccination Standard of Excellence: ships with at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

The new CDC program is a follow-up to its Conditional Sail Order, which expired in mid-January.

By opting into the Highly Vaccinated program, Royal Caribbean ships will be expected to uphold surveillance, documentation and reporting of Covid-19 cases onboard to the CDC, as well as continue subjecting them to the agency’s color-coded system that designates which cruise ships are being monitored or investigated for high case numbers.

95% vaccinated

The move to require at least 95% vaccinated may seem like a big change until you realize Royal Caribbean was already basically at that threshold.

Thanks to high vaccination rates among adults and the addition of children between the ages of 6-12 that have recently gotten vaccinated, the average sailing was already hovering around the number.

In late December 2021, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said a typical sailing has anywhere between 95 to 98 percent fully vaccinated onboard population.

Michael Bayley speaks out

Mr. Bayley posted on Facebook an update on Royal Caribbean’s decision to opt into the new program. 

As many may know the CDC conditional sail order expired in  mid January and we continued to operate voluntarily under the program.

Recently the CDC issued the next phase of guidelines consisting of three categories each built on the same foundation of protecting health and each with specific guidelines based on vaccination and booster status. All cruise lines had until today to opt in or out of the program.

Today Royal Caribbean confirmed we will participate in the CDC's voluntary Program.

Specifically, we will operate under the program's Highly Vaccinated category beginning with sailings departing from the U.S. as of Friday, Feb. 25. Requirements include sailing with 95% of crew members fully vaccinated, which Royal Caribbean already exceeds with 100% of its crew fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible.

Ninety-five percent of guests must be fully vaccinated as well -- this excludes children under five years who are not eligible for the vaccine. The updated protocols will include face masks being optional for all fully vaccinated guests and expected for unvaccinated children.

All kids will be required to wear face masks during Adventure Ocean youth program activities.

We are thoughtfully working through the details regarding other changes to our health and safety protocols which we will share with our guests and travel advisors before Feb. 25.