Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean has posted a new mixed vaccine policy to its website to address cruise ship passengers who have gotten more than one brand of Covid-19 vaccine.

The cruise line had posted a mixed vaccine policy last week that banned them, but quickly removed the policy completely in order to review the issue further following a lot of guest concern.

Royal Caribbean's new mixed vaccine policy, which depends on the mix of manufacturers and where you are sailing from.  

The policy begins with the ideal scenario for a fully vaccinated guest: Royal Caribbean accepts vaccines that are fully approved or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. FDA or the World Health Organization. All doses of your vaccine should be from the same manufacturer and of the same type (e.g. mRNA), in the required number of doses to be considered fully administered (e.g. 2 shots of Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc., or 1 shot of Johnson & Johnson). 

The mixed vaccine policy breaks down depending on where you are sailing from:

Cruises Departing from U.S. Ports 

Despite the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prefence for vaccinations not be mixed, Royal Caribbean will still allow mixed vaccines in some situations.

Royal Caribbean will accommodate guests who are vaccinated with mixed mRNA vaccines, such as 1 shot of Pfizer and 1 shot of Moderna. The doses must be separated by at least 28 days and not more than 42 days.

Royal Caribbean does not accept 1 shot of an mRNA vaccine (e.g., Pfizer or Moderna) mixed with 1 shot of a viral vector vaccine (e.g., AstraZeneca). 

Mixed vaccines may not be accepted at all ports of call. Guests who are vaccinated with a mixed series may need to undergo additional testing at embarkation if they wish to go ashore in these ports.

Cruises Departing from Ports Outside of the U.S.

For cruises departing from ports outside of the U.S., Royal Caribbean will accept guests who are vaccinated with a mixed regimen consisting of 2 shots of the following manufacturer combinations: Pfizer and Moderna, or AstraZeneca with either Pfizer or Moderna.

The doses must be separated by at least 28 days and not more than 42 days for mixes of Pfizer and Moderna, and separated by at least 4 weeks and not more than 12 weeks for combinations of AstraZeneca with Pfizer or Moderna.

Mixed vaccines may not be accepted at all ports of call. Guests who are vaccinated with a mixed series may not be allowed to go ashore at these ports, or may need to undergo additional testing if they wish to go ashore.

The full policy has been posted on Royal Caribbean's website.

The practice of mixing vaccines is common in countries like Canada or Germany, where those governments have been openly advocating this approach for months.

The updated policy would have resulted in many Canadian cruise fans potentially unable to sail.

While Florida may have won its lawsuit against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to drop all the coronavirus-related cruise ship rules, the nationwide mask mandate will remain.

The CDC said late on Friday that it will enforce its transit mask requirements on cruise ships in Florida that opt not to abide by its Conditional Sail Order (CSO) following a court ruling.

In February 2021, the CDC instituted an order that requires people to wear masks on public transportation, which includes aircraft, train, road vehicle, vessel or other means of transport.

This is the same rule that requires the airlines to enforce passengers.

Enforcement of the CDC's order on cruise ships will fall to the U.S. Coast Guard.

A report by Reuters indicates the CDC will still require cruise ships to adhere to requirements that are not part of the CDC's CSO, including "reporting of individual cases of illness or death and ship inspections and sanitary measures to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases."

The CDC said it will not relinquish mask requirements it has for in indoor spaces on cruise ships for those lines that are not voluntarily complying with the CSO.

The CDC's announcement came the same day the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals changed its mind and would not block an injunction won by Florida against the CDC meant to lift cruise ship-related rules.

The reversal was because the appeals court feels the federal government failed, "to demonstrate an entitlement to a stay pending appeal."

The result is the CSO is no longer enforceable in Florida, although it remains in effect for other states, such as Texas, Washington, or New York.

In yet another change, a federal appeals court has reconsidered Florida's win over the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), and lifted the agency's Conditional Sail Order (CSO) regulations.

Late on Friday, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decided to let stand the lower court's ruling in favor for the State of Florida, which removes restrictions on how cruise ships can restart operations.

Last weekend, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals voted to approve the CDC's request to prevent Florida's legal victory from going into effect while the appeals process plays out.

That decision was vacated on Friday, just before Florida asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and reverse the appeals court’s decision.

The reversal was because the appeals court feels the federal government failed, "to demonstrate an entitlement to a stay pending appeal."

The result is the CSO is no longer enforceable in Florida, although it remains in effect for other states, such as Texas, Washington, or New York.

It remains to be seen what, if any, change will occur with the cruise lines. Thus far, no line has announced plans to deviate from the CDC's plan.

The CSO outlines rules for cruise lines on how they can restart operations. Specifically, it requires each ship either guarantee at least 95% of its passengers and 98% of its crew members be fully vaccinated.  Ships that do not adhere to this mandate, must first conduct test cruises before they can sail with paying customers.

The CSO also requires cruise lines to get agreements with each port for how to handle Covid-19 cases, as well as regulate testing onboard.

Florida celebrated its victory swiftyly, "Today, following Florida’s application to the United States Supreme Court, we were excited to see the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals reverse its prior order and free the cruise lines from the unlawful CDC mandates," Taryn Fenske, spokesperson for Gov. Ron DeSantis, said in an email.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis sued the CDC in April as a way to combat the CDC holding cruise ships back from restarting cruises.

The CDC instituted a ban on all cruise ships from the United States in March 2020 due to the global health crisis. Then on October 30, 2020 the CDC imposed a four-phase conditional framework it said would allow the industry to gradually resume operations if certain thresholds were met.

Judge Steven D. Merryday ruled on June 18 in favor of the State of Florida in its lawsuit against the CDC to lift the Conditional Sail Order.

The intention of the ruling was to bring cruise ships in line with other forms of leisure travel and entertainment, such as airlines, railroads, hotels, casinos, sports venues, buses, subways, and others.

The CDC appealed the verdict and asked Judge Merryday for a stay to ensure the CSO did not get lifted while the litigation is sorted out in the appeals process.

While the CDC believes its regulations provides a framework based on the best available scientific evidence, Judge Merryday believes the agency overstepped its powers.

He said the CDC's actions were more than just about public health, "this action is not about what health precautions against COVID-19 are necessary or helpful aboard a cruise ship; this action is about the use and misuse of governmental power."

As a result, the CSO is now a recommendation rather than a requirement.

The tennis match between Florida and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continued again on Friday, with Florida looking to get the highest legal assistance possible.

Florida's Attorney General petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to essentially override the 11th Circuit decision to hold off on Florida's legal victory against the CDC to lift the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) while the appeals process plays out.

On Friday, Florida appealed to thee Supreme Court following the  an appellate court panel granted the CDC's appeal to delay the injunction.

Florida asked the Supreme Court to lift the appeals court order warning without action. "Florida is all but guaranteed to lose yet another summer cruise season while the CDC pursues its appeal," the state said in its filing to the Supreme Court.

In June, a federal judge ruled that the CDC had misused its governmental powers and as a result, granted Florida an injunction against the CSO.

The injunction would move the CDC's rules for cruise ships to be a consideration, instead of a requirement, similar to other industries, such as airlines, railroads, hotels, casinos, sports venues, buses, subways, and others.

The CDC first appealed to the judge in the case, who denied that request, but Circuit Court of the 11th District granted a stay.

In March 2020, the CDC instituted a ban on all cruise ships from the United States due to the global health crisis.

Florida Governor Ron Desantis sued the CDC in April 2021 as a way to combat the CDC holding cruise ships back from restarting cruises.

A federal judge agreed with Florida, saying the CDC can show no factor that outweighs the need to conclude an unwarranted and unprecedented exercise of governmental power.

The judge also said the CDC's claim that their actions are about protecting the public health was wrong, "this action is not about what health precautions against COVID-19 are necessary or helpful aboard a cruise ship; this action is about the use and misuse of governmental power."

Florida's legal victory was set to take effect on July 18, but the 11th Circuit's decision held that back while the CDC appeals the original verdict.

Read more: Why the court ruling in favor of the CDC doesn't really change anything

What exactly is the difference between a big or small Royal Caribbean cruise ship, and what do you get or give up with either?

Photo by Volnei M.

Royal Caribbean's fleet of 25 cruise ships means there are all sorts of sizes you can choose from, and each has its own set of advantages and drawbacks.  Certainly there are plenty of differences, but the major differences are key to understanding which ship is best for you.

Often new cruisers want to know which Royal Caribbean ship is the worst, or which ships to avoid, and the answer is all the ships are good, but the real question is what do you want in a ship.

Here are some important considerations when comparing big Royal Caribbean ships to smaller ones.

Small is still big, relatively speaking

When we talk about "big" or "small" cruise ships, in Royal Caribbean's fleet, they are all big ships in the grand scheme of things.

Royal Caribbean has a reputation among the mainstream cruise lines for offering innovative and large ships, and many of the smallest ships in the fleet would still be pretty darn large if they suddenly became part of another cruise line.

The smallest Royal Caribbean cruise ships can still accommodate over 2,000 passengers, so remember that just because you sail on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship, does not mean you will be on a yacht or expedition vessel.

If you truly want small ships, you would have to consider one of Royal Caribbean's sister brands, such as Celebrity Cruises or Silver Sea.

Public space

The bigger the ship, the more public space the ship can provide passengers.

Public space is areas of the ship where you can congregate and enjoy, such as a pool deck or promenade deck.

Larger ships have wide open spaces, including shopping districts, open air venues, and even a park.

That isn't to say a smaller ship has no public space.  Because larger ships have more deck space, Royal Caribbean can offer more areas for passengers.

Cost

It is always difficult to make generalizations about the price of a cruise, but overall, larger ships tend to cost more than smaller ships.

Because bigger ships tend to be newer than smaller ships, bigger ships come with a higher price tag.  Essentially, you are paying a premium to sail on the latest and greatest, so bargain hunters will find the best deals on smaller and/or older cruise ships.

That is not to say there are not deals to be had on even the newest ships in the fleet, just that if you were to compare prices over a wide swath of possible sailings, you would find a price advantage for smaller ships.

Dining choices

If variety of places you can eat, especially specialty restaurants, matters to you, then bigger ships are what you want.

Because big ships have more space to include more offerings, you will almost always find more restaurants on bigger ships than smaller ships.

There is generally the same basic complimentary venues, such as a main dining room, buffet, and grab-and-go spot.  So you will never go hungry or be at a loss of where to eat.

Kind of like a big city will have more restaurants than a small city, the same is true for big vs small ships. Bigger ships will have more complimentary dining venues, as well as more specialty restaurants.

For anyone that prefers specialty restaurant choices, a big ship will always offer more variety.

Ports you can visit

Not every cruise port in the world can accommodate big ships, so if you want to visit more exotic locations, you will need to sail on a small ship.

In the Caribbean, there is very little difference in port choices since most Caribbean ports can accommodate even the largest ships in the world.

But as you look to sail elsewhere in the world, you will find other ports of call that cannot handle a big ship.

This is especially true of any port that does not have a pier, and requires ships to tender.

In fact, Oasis Class ships are incapable of tendering, so that precludes them from being able to visit places like Belize or Grand Cayman.

Larger staterooms

Some families prefer to stay in one room, and cabins that can handle bigger groups tend to be found with more regularity on bigger ships.

Suites tend to be the predominant choice for larger rooms that can accommodate more than 4 people.

While small ships have suites, big ships have many more suite options.  

Views of the ocean

It may not seem like a big deal, but being able to see the ocean while you are inside a cruise ship can be important to some guests.

Bigger ships tend to be more inward facing, whereas small ships feature many more windows and ocean viewing opportunities.

Part of the reason for this difference is based in the evolution of cruise ships over the last few decades, where cruise ships started becoming destinations in and of itself.

Not everyone minds missing out on the scenery going by, but on sailings where the landscape around you matters more (i.e. Alaska or Northern Europe), being able to see outside from bars, lounges, and other public spaces becomes more important.

Motion in the ocean

Another generalization that may not be true for everyone is bigger ships are going to offer passengers potentially a smoother ride than small ships.

Modern cruise ships are equipped with stablizers, but simple physics tells us a larger ship is going to need more ocean current to be "rocked" than a smaller ship.

That is not to say if you sail on a small ship you will feel like a boat in a bathtub with an angry toddler nearby, but many repeat cruisers will swear by bigger ships offering a more stable ride.

Onboard activities

In addition to public space, big ships have more room to offer the fun activities you probably read and heard about on a cruise.

You will absolutely find more water slides, pools, simulators, and things to do on a big ship compared to a small ship.

Royal Caribbean's smallest cruise ships lack water slides at all, and the Radiance Class have a single kiddy water slide that is only suitable for young children.

Whether or not these whiz-bang activities matters to you is an entirely different question, but families tend to gravitate towards ships that have more to do, and bigger ships have plenty of them.

Entertainment

Whether you love Broadway musicals or production shows, the big ships have them.

Did you know Royal Caribbean has full-length Broadway musicals you can see onboard for absolutely no additional cost? It's true, but only on their large ships.

Small ships have production shows too, but they are not nearly as ornate as big ships, and the shows on small ships almost certainly have not been updated in many years. Once again, that is not inherently a bad thing, but for some people this matters.

Casino

For the gamblers, all ships have a casino, but the big ships have a bigger casino space.

More space in the casino means more games, including slots and tables.  This becomes more important in the evenings when lots of passengers head to the casino to gamble, and tables fill up quickly for the lowest stakes games.

Even the smallest Royal Caribbean ships offer the same kind of games, so you are not compromising when it comes to picking a ship and losing out on your favorite game.

Intimacy

No, not that kind of intimacy.

Small ships make it easier to get around the ship and meet the crew members and other guests, which means you get to know everyone else onboard just a little bit better.

The people sailing with you are a major component of the vacation, and being able to meet up with friends and family onboard, or find your favorite waiter, is easier on a small ship.

Not only that, getting from point A to point B is easier on a small ship and requires less walking.

Every Friday, I love to show off the Royal Caribbean photos that blog readers have sent us to be featured in a weekly post.  

As we wrap up the work week, it is always nice to take a virtual break and enjoy a glimpse of being back on a cruise.

Each week, I invite anyone to send in their favorite Royal Caribbean photos to be considered for a future post.

Without further ado, here is this week's collection of cruise photos!

Our first photo this week is from Karen Koch of Ovation of the Seas in Alaska.

This photo was taken in Skagway, and the clouds above and below the mountains in the background make for a very pretty view.

These Fourth of July fireworks were submitted by Gabrielle Owens, and taken earlier this year!

Gabrielle saw these fireworks while on Freedom of the Seas was docked at Perfect Day at CocoCay. 

As someone who was also on this sailing, it was incredible to see fireworks from Royal Caribbean's private island.

Speaking of Freedom of the Seas at CocoCay, here is another photo from that location!

Zack Montrose sent in this beautiful photo of Freedom of the seas docked in CocoCay during her first cruise back.

Dirk sent in this photo of Explorer of the Seas in Lisbon, Portugal.

Here is a photo of Allure of the Seas docked in St. Maarten, taken by Alyssa.

Alyssa took this photo while on her honeymoon cruise in 2019, and she is excited to be heaeding back for an August 2021 cruise.

Here is a photo by Steve Cohen of a classic cruise scene: sunset at sea.

Steve took this photo while onboard Oasis of the Seas in January 2018.

Speaking of Oasis of the Seas, here is a photo from my favorite AquaTheater show (so far), Aqua 80s.

Fran B. took this photo of the Marty McFly scene. If you're like me, you're now humming "The Power of Love" to yourself.

Allure of the Seas is back for another photo, this time docking at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Michael Kho took this photo as the ship was backing up to dock.

This photo by Matthew Carr takes us back to a time when the pier at Perfect Day at CocoCay was still being constructed in January 2020.

Matthew took this photo from Mariner of the Seas, while watching Navigator of the Seas.

Our final photo this week is of Ovation of the Seas docked in Sydney Harbour.

Photo was taken by Matty May.

Thank you to everyone for sharing photos with us this week.  If you want to share your best Royal Caribbean photos, use this form to send them in!

Passengers sailing from The Bahamas on Adventure of the Seas in August will have to get their Covid-19 tests complete closer to their sail date.

Royal Caribbean changed their policy for when guests sailing on Adventure of the Seas from The Bahamas need to get either a PCR or antigen test result.

Instead of 5 days before the sail date, all guests age 2 and older will need to take a negative test for Covid-19 no more than 3 days before arriving in The Bahamas.

Any kind of negative Covid-19 test will be accepted (PCR or antigen).

The new rule kicks in on August 1.

Changing testing requirements for cruises from The Bahamas have been a regular occurrence since cruises started back up on Adventure from The Bahamas.

Initially, The Bahamas required tests for all, then dropped it for vaccinated visitors.  Royal Caribbean added antigen testing for all passengers as an early requirement, and then changed it to PCR tests.

Cruise line health policies have had to be adjusted due to changing needs and best practices advised by health officials.

Royal Caribbean says its test requirements more stringent than what The Bahamas mandates for inbound travelers.

Adventure of the Seas is the only Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailing from The Bahamas, and was the first ship to restart operations in North America, following the cruise industry shutdown.

With cruise ships you can sail on back again, many cruise fans are eager to get back on the ocean and enjoy the kind of vacation they have been without since early 2020.

Not only is it exciting to get back on a cruise again, but a lot of people that love to cruise want to make up for lost time, and do as much as they can now as a way to soak in the cruise experience.

In the travel industry, that sort of mindset is being referred to as "revenge travel", where someone tries to get out there and travel again as much as they can since it was not available last year.

If the upcoming cruise you have booked is your first sailing back after many months, here are some creative ways to make the most of your time back onboard.

Share the wealth with the crew members

While cruisers have been without cruising for fun since early 2020, crew members have been without their career for the same amount of time.

Many of the crew members that are back onboard are finally getting an opportunity to work again, and all that time off from working on a ship may not have been while fully employed back home.

Just keep in mind the hard working crew when that check comes to your table, or when your drink order is served to you.

Book an unlimited dining package

Anytime you have the word "unlimited" associated with a consumable, you know it tends to lean in the direction of exorbitance.

With Royal Caribbean's unlimited dining package, now is as good a time as any to enjoy all the different specialty restaurant choices available on your ship.

Specialty dining was always something nice to sprinkle in, but eating all of your meals at these fantastic restaurants is the perfect way to get back into the swing of cruising again.

Read more: Royal Caribbean specialty dining packages guide

Splurge on your cabin

I think most people that cruise a lot tend to gravitate towards a certain cabin category, so maybe this is the time to splurge and move up a category.

This does not mean you have to book a suite, but try the next room category above what you might ordinarily book. 

Moving up to a higher stateroom means more space, and if you do go for a suite, more Crown and Anchor Society points, as well as extra amenities.

Read more: What are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

Redeem your credit card points

While you may not have been able to travel much over the last 16 months, very likely you were still buying things (probably online). So now is a great time to redeem all those credit card points to enhance your cruise vacation.

If you have to fly, redeeming credit card points for an airline flight can really take a bite out of the total vacation budget you have to set aside.

You could also use points for a pre-cruise hotel stay, rental car reservation, or redeem points at various shopping sites for an assortment of cruise-related purchases.

Read more: How to book a cruise with your credit card reward points

Try an activity you've never done onboard

If you are anything like me, you not only missed being able to go on a cruise, but realized how much we took cruising for granted.

One way to take better advantage of your time on the ship is to try an activity or offering you have never done before.

Here are some ideas for activities a lot of people see, but often say "I'll do that later":

• Climb the rock climbing wall
• Try the FlowRider surf simulator
• Attend the napkin folding demonstration
• Eat at Chef's Table
• Play a round of mini-golf
• Order the escargot in the main dining room

Read more: 15 really cool things to do that you can only find on Royal Caribbean cruise ships

Go on a sailing that visits Perfect Day at CocoCay

If you are looking to book your first cruise back, make sure it visits Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean's makeover of their private island in The Bahamas is really impressive, and a day at CocoCay is a fantastic opportunity to truly savor a Royal Caribbean cruise.

While cruise ships are sailing at limited capacity, it will really feel like you have the island to yourself, and that means faster service and more options during your day there.

Read more: 40 Perfect Day at CocoCay tips, tricks and secrets

Catch the sunset at sea

Seeing a sunset at sea is something that never gets old, and it should be a must-do on your list when you get back onboard.

When conditions are right, and the clouds give way to an unobstructed sunset, a sunset is an incredible sight.

While activities like water slides, zip lines, or ice skating garner a lot of attention when it comes to marketing a cruise, sometimes the simple pleasures are what endears us all to cruising time and time again.

Stay onboard during a port stop

While I think visiting the ports of call your cruise ship visits is always a fun opportunity to explore the world, consider on one of those stops staying onboard to maximize your ship time.

During the cruise industry shutdown, I spent a lot of time daydreaming about being back on the Royal Promenade or in a hot tub on the pool deck, and staying on the ship while most others are on shore excursions is a great way to take advantage of everything a ship offers.

I think you can make an equally compelling argument that going on an awesome shore excursion is a great way to make up for lost time as well, but the more time you can spend onboard to immerse yourself in the cruise ship experience is not a bad idea either.

Read more: Cruising 101: Staying on the ship on port days

Royal Caribbean is asking regular people to volunteer to help go one of the cruise line's test sailings.

Before Royal Caribbean's cruise ships can restart operations, the line needs people to go on simulated voyages as a volunteer and help test out the new Covid-19 protocols and rules.

Some of the first invitations to top tier Crown and Anchor Society members, as well as travel agents, are starting to be sent out via email.

The first test sailings Royal Caribbean conducted were comprised of Royal Caribbean employees who volunteered their time to help out.  But the cruise line is now asking regular people to do test sailings to help get ships back into service.

We now have our first look at what an invitation to a test cruise looks like.

A RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader was selected to sail on the Ovation of the Seas test cruise from Seattle to Alaska at the end of this month.

In case you were wondering, the anonymous person selected for this test cruise is a travel agent, Platinum Crown and Anchor Society member, and signed up to be a volunteer the very first day Royal Caribbean publicized the opportunity.

Ovation will sail a 5-night simulated voyage to Ketchikan, beginning on July 30. If all goes well, her first revenue sailing is scheduled for August 13.

Only volunteers 18 years of age or older, who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, are eligible to join.  One guest in the room must be at least 21 years old.

The two pieces of identification test cruisers need are a valid Passport book or Passport card, and hard-copy of vaccination card as proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 using an FDA or WHO authorized vaccine.

These test cruises are mandated by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC), and volunteers are required to be notified of the riskiness of being part of a test cruise.

"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires this written notification to advise all volunteer passengers that they are participating in health and safety protocols that are unproven and untested in the United States for purposes of simulating a cruise ship voyage and that sailing during a pandemic is an inherently risky activity. "

In the email sent to volunteers that are picked for a given test sailing, the registration system is on a first-come, first served basis, and the faster you sign up, the better your chance of getting a room.  People that take longer to sign up will be put on a wait list.

"Registration will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis and will be capacity controlled. Should the event reach the desired capacity, the registration tool will indicate such and grant you the ability to join our waitlist."

Here are some of the more interesting rules for volunteers who opt to cruise.

Invitations to register for test sailings are non-transferable.

Each guest will be granted one double occupancy stateroom to invite a guest of his/her choice.

Staterooms will be assigned at random and cannot be preselected nor changed once confirmed.

Certain volunteers will be designated as “unvaccinated” to aid in simulating protocols for unvaccinated guests. Volunteers designated as “unvaccinated” will need to undergo COVID-19 testing and may be restricted from entering certain venues.

There will be limited opportunities to dine in specialty restaurants at a 50% discount.

Room service will be available. Breakfast is complimentary and all-day menu will be available for extra charge.

Beverages will be available to purchase at 50% off once onboard. Beverage packages will not be available.

Shore excursions will be available to reserve at 35% off.

VOOM Internet will be available at a 50% discount.

Photo purchases available at a 50% discount for Printed Photos, Digitals and Retail (electronics excluded).

Retail shops and Spa services will be available.

The standard daily gratuity charge will be automatically added to each volunteer’s SeaPass account once onboard.

Masks

• While onboard, masks will be required in indoor spaces, unless actively eating or drinking
• Masks not required in venues designated as vaccinated-only.
• Masks not required in your stateroom
• Masks not needed in pool area or for activities where they could become wet
• Masks are not required outdoors, unless in a crowded setting

Why is Royal Caribbean doing test cruises?

Some have wondered why Royal Caribbean International did not follow sister brand Celebrity Cruises in mandating 95% of its guests be fully vaccinated, and it has to do with the fact Royal Caribbean International is a family brand.

The simple answer is families, as Royal Caribbean is a family brand and too many children are not eligible yet to be vaccinated. 

Royal Caribbean International's senior vice president of Hotel Operations, Mark Tamis, emphasized the decision to conduct test sailings was an easy one for the cruise line, "When the first set of potential regulations were published, it was such an obvious choice of the path that we had to go down."

"Once there were two clear paths, 95% or under 95%, it wasn’t even really a consideration."

Mr. Tamis called the decision "obvious" given how many kids sail with Royal Caribbean, along with the cruise line's dedication to remaining a family brand. "A good 20 to 25 percent of our guests are kids."

Read more: Families and kids are the reason why Royal Caribbean is doing test cruises

We now know the name of the show Royal Caribbean's newest show on Odyssey of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, posted on Twitter the name of the new show for the Two70 venue.

While Odyssey of the Seas launched months ago from the shipyard, the entirety of the entertainment onboard has not been known.

Guests on Odyssey of the Seas can enjoy "The Book" in Two70, which has a subtitle of "Seven Chapters, One Adventure."

Mr. Weir revealed the poster artwork on Twitter.

He added, "Using the powers of observation and deductive reasoning, (plus previous clues), the name of the production should be fairly easy to determine."

According to Weir, the show will be fine tuned this summer, and will feature a character known as The Librarian.

"Here is the mysterious Librarian, in his special library, with his equally special collection of books."

The Book will be in addition to the Oceanides show previously announced for Two70 on Odyssey of the Seas.

Two70 is the venue Royal Caribbean designed on the aft of its Quantum and Quantum Ultra class ships that offers immersive scenery on a 270 degree wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The projection surface in Two70 measures 135 feet wide and 22 feet tall, and has a 12k digital screen along with  8-foot-tall, 4-foot-wide robotic screens.

Odyssey of the Seas will set sail from Fort Lauderdale on new 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises, beginning July 31.