Royal Caribbean Blog

This week has barely started and already there's lots of cruise news happening.  Since so much of it overlaps, I wanted to provide a round-up of what's changed recently.

There are smaller updates from across the fleet that I think are kind of interesting, neat, or otherwise good to know.

If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!

Spectrum of the Seas sailings in Hong Kong cancelled

If you read a headline about Royal Caribbean cancelling cruises today, don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds.

Royal Caribbean cancelled the January 6 sailing of Spectrum of the Seas from Hong Kong.

There weren't any actual Covid cases onboard. Rather, nine passengers on the previous sailing that departed on January 2 were identified as close contacts to someone that tested positive on land in Hong Kong.

The contacts have tested negative but the cruise ship will return to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong on January 5 to test all guests and crew who must take a second test on January 8th.

CDC still plans to make Conditional Sail Order voluntary

Despite the Omicron variant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the plan is still for the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) to become a voluntary program next week.

As you may recall, the CDC temporarily extended the CSO for an additional two and a half months back in October.

According to Cruise Critic, the plan is still for the CSO to expire on January 15, per the federal agency.

"After the expiration of the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO on January 15, 2022, CDC intends to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships," a CDC spokesperson told Cruise Critic via email.

Once the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO expires on January 15, the CSO will shift to a voluntary basis, where cruise lines and other stakeholders will work together without a federal mandate to do so to ensure proper protocols are followed.

NCL cancels cruises on sailings on 8 ships

 Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd announced a change to scheduled sailings on 8 ships due to the impact of the Omicron variant.

The reason for the cancellation has to do with crew staffing related to Covid cases onboard.

The Norwegian cancellations announced Wednesday include:

• Norwegian Pearl departures through January 14, 2022
• Norwegian Sky departures through February 25, 2022
• Pride of America departures through February 26, 2022
• Norwegian Jade departures through March 3, 2022
• Norwegian Star departures through March 19, 2022
• Norwegian Sun departures through April 19, 2022
• Norwegian Spirit departures through April 23, 2022

Royal Caribbean trademarks Royal Beach Club name

Royal Caribbean snuck in one more trademark filing before the end of 2021.

The cruise line registered a trademark for the phrase, "Royal Beach Club", which is the name of its private beach club experience it is developing in Nassau, Bahamas.

The first Royal Beach Club is set to open in Nassau, Bahamas, perhaps as early as 2023.

Read more: Royal Caribbean looks forward to big plans in 2022 and 2023

This new project is not intended to be for all guests on a ship to do. Rather, it will supplement the Nassau offerings. The beach club will be built on 7 acres on the western end of Paradise Island.

The Royal Beach Club will be able to accommodate about 3,500 together with 250 workers. 

A few weeks after registering a number of names for a cruise ship, Royal Caribbean has sent a survey to its most loyal passengers asking for their input on which one to choose for the next Oasis Class ship.

While Royal Caribbean's fifth Oasis Class ship, Wonder of the Seas, is just a few months away from launching, the cruise line is looking to move forward with its sixth and final Oasis Class ship.

In mid-December, Royal Caribbean registered 24 different trademarks for names of a possible cruise ship with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Earlier today, Pinnacle Club members in Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society received an email asking them for opinions on the names.

"The objective of this survey is to hear from you, our valued Pinnacle Guests, to see which of the final contenders for the next Oasis Class ship names are your favorite," the email stated.

The survey first asked to rank the names from least to most appealing.

It then asked to rate the appeal of each name, followed by choosing a favorite.

Here are all the new names trademarked:

• MAGNIFICENCE OF THE SEAS
• FANTASIA OF THE SEAS
• PARADISE OF THE SEAS
• HAVEN OF THE SEAS
• MELODY OF THE SEAS
• GRACE OF THE SEAS
• SANCTUARY OF THE SEAS
• ILLUMINATION OF THE SEAS
• UNITY OF THE SEAS
• INTRIGUE OF THE SEAS
• ARIA OF THE SEAS
• EUPHORIA OF THE SEAS
• SPLENDOR OF THE SEAS
• AWE OF THE SEAS
• ETERNITY OF THE SEAS
• EDEN OF THE SEAS
• VIBRANCE OF THE SEAS
• BLISS OF THE SEAS
• AURA OF THE SEAS
• UTOPIA OF THE SEAS
• JOY OF THE SEAS
• MARVEL OF THE SEAS
• NIRVANA OF THE SEAS
• DIVINE OF THE SEAS

The sixth Oasis-class ship is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2024. It is currently under construction at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France.

Prior to that ship, Icon of the Seas will be delivered in the 3rd quarter of 2023.

The yet-to-be-named megaship will follow sister ships Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, which are among the largest cruise ships in the world.

There's been quite a lot of speculation as to what the sphere-like object spotted in the shipyard building Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship might be, and today we have new photos to share of it.

I posted yesterday an exclusive photo from the shipyard constructing Icon of the Seas a large pearl-shaped object that is unlike anything we've seen on a Royal Caribbean ship prior to this point.

Since posting that photo, more photos have emerged of the construction of this object.

Ruslan shared close-up photos of the object, including a look at its construction prior to the photo shared yesterday.

What could it be?

After posting the photo yesterday, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared a link to the article on his Facebook page with the question everyone wants to know, "Hmmmmm what could this iconic thing be?"

There has been quite a lot of guesses shared on social media as to what this might be, and I'm not sure there's any clear consensus yet.

One of the most frequently guessed ideas is that it is a tank for the ship's liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Icon of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to be powered by LNG, but Royal Caribbean shared an update back in October 2021 that the LNG tanks had already been installed. Plus, those tanks look substantially larger than this sphere object.

There have been lots of other guesses (some serious, and some not) for what it might be, including:

• Gyroscope
• Next-gen bungee jump experience
• Repurposed alien spacecraft from Area 51
• Planetarium
• IMAX Theater

Whatever it ends up being, we'll have to wait for Royal Caribbean to reveal it at a later date.

Icon of the Seas will be the first ship in the Icon Class to launch.  She is scheduled to be delivered in Fall 2023, and there are two other Icon Class ships on order.

The other two ships will be delivered in 2025 and 2026.

Miami is the busiest cruise port in the world and is home to some of Royal Caribbean’s newest and most popular ships. As the hub of the cruising industry, Miami is a convenient port option for those looking for various options of ships and itineraries.

Royal Caribbean sails year round from the Port of Miami, officially known as PortMiami, and offers primarily Eastern, Western, and Southern Caribbean cruises. Whether you’re a seasoned cruiser or are planning your first cruise vacation, here is what you need to know when sailing from PortMiami.

How to get to the Port of Miami

Royal Caribbean opened Terminal A, a brand new, 170,000 square foot terminal at the Port of Miami, in 2018. Nicknamed the “Crown of Miami” due to its unique shape, Terminal A is where all Royal Caribbean cruise passengers will depart from when sailing out of Miami.

PortMiami is located on its own island, Dodge Island, just east of downtown Miami. The address of Terminal A at PortMiami is Dodge Island, 1015 N. America Way, Miami, FL 33132.

Whether you fly or drive to Miami, make sure to arrive the day before your cruise (or earlier if you plan to explore the area). 

Flying to Miami

Passengers arriving by air have two main airport options.

Miami International Airport (MIA) is the closest airport to the Port of Miami. This is the most convenient option for travelers, as the airport is located just a fifteen minute drive away from the port.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is another airport option if you are sailing out of Miami. The airport is around a 45 minute drive away from the port, but could be longer depending on traffic conditions.
We recommend choosing Miami International Airport due to its proximity to the port. Whether upon arrival or catching your return flight after the cruise, flying out of MIA is less of a hassle than traveling to and from Fort Lauderdale.

As the terminal is located on an island, the simplest way to get from the airport or a hotel to the port is through a ride sharing app, such as Uber or Lyft, or a taxi.

Driving Directions

If you are driving to PortMiami, there are a few different options to choose from.

From the north, via I-95:

• Take I-95 South to Exit 2D toward I-395 E/Miami Beach. 
• Merge onto MacArthur Causeway. 
• Use the left 2 lanes to take the exit towards Port of Miami Tunnel and follow the signs for your pier terminal.

From Miami International Airport (7 miles):

• Via Port Tunnel: Take 836 East through the toll. 
• Continue onto FL836 E/I-395 E, then keep right to merge onto MacArthur Causeway.  
• Use the left 2 lanes to take the exit towards Port of Miami Tunnel and follow the signs to your pier terminal. 

• Via Port Bridge: Take 836 East through the toll.    
• Exit at US1 N.E. 2nd Avenue/Biscayne Boulevard, proceed straight through one light, and then turn right at the second light onto Biscayne Boulevard (US1). 
• Stay in your left-hand lane and turn left into the Port of Miami on N.E. 5th Street. 
• Drive across the bridge and follow signs to your pier terminal. 

From Ft. Lauderdale International (26 miles):

• Via Port Tunnel: Take I-95 South to Exit 2D toward I-395 E/Miami Beach. 
• Merge onto MacArthur Causeway. 
• Use the left 2 lanes to take the exit towards Port of Miami Tunnel and follow the signs for your pier terminal.

• Via Port Bridge: Take I-95 South to Exit 3B, N.W. 8th Street. 
• Turn left onto 5th Street and continue straight until you reach the Port of Miami entrance. 
• Drive across the bridge and follow signs to your pier terminal. 
• Get on FL-836 E in Miami from Departures, NW 21st St and Exists 2-3-4

Parking

For those driving, parking is available at the Port of Miami at a rate of $25.00 per day for regular sized vehicles. There are both multi-level parking garages or open-air parking lots available. Oversized vehicles will incur an additional fee and are only able to park in Lot #2, which is adjacent to Terminal E.

There are independently-owned lots with lower daily rates located a few miles away. However, the official parking at PortMiami is the most convenient parking option as it is located adjacent to the terminal. No taxis or rideshares are needed when parking in the official lots, and there are free shuttles available to quickly take you from the parking area to the cruise terminal.

Parking rates are payable by cash, credit card, or traveler’s check. It is important to note that debit cards are not accepted as a form of payment.

Where to stay the night before your cruise

One of our most important pieces of advice when planning a cruise is to fly in the night before your cruise departs. This gives a time buffer in case of any travel delays that may occur as you make your way to Miami.

There are no shortages of hotels and places to stay in Miami the night before your cruise. Most passengers will opt to book a room in downtown Miami, many of which offer views of the ocean and cruise terminal.

We have written several detailed reviews of hotels in the Miami area, and RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers have also offered their hotel recommendations. Keep in mind that these are recommendations, so we cannot guarantee that your experience will be the same as someone else’s.

Hotel Recommendations:

Intercontinental Miami

Holiday Inn Port of Miami-Downtown

DoubleTree by Hilton-Grand Biscayne Bay

Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Midtown

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami Airport East (near Miami International Airport)

You can find more hotel recommendations and other tips for your next cruise from our readers on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards.

Several hotels offer shuttle service to the cruise terminal. However, we recommend against using a shuttle service and instead opting for a taxi or rideshare. Using a shuttle service means that you are tied down to the shuttle’s schedule instead of your own. Taking an Uber, Lyft, or taxi gives you complete flexibility on the time you travel to the terminal.

Which Royal Caribbean ships sail from the Port of Miami

Freedom of the Seas calls PortMiami home and offers 2, 3, and 4-night Caribbean sailings. Her 2-night sailings visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, while the 3 and 4-night sailings visit both Perfect Day at CocoCay and Nassau. The 4-night sailings also include a sea day.

Jewel of the Seas will sail from Miami until April 2022, offering 5, 6, and 8-night Western and Eastern Caribbean sailings, visiting ports including Cozumel, Puerto Costa Maya, Bimini, Nassau, Belize City, Antigua, Puerto Plata, and San Juan.

Oasis of the Seas will sail from Miami until June 2022, offering 3, 4, and 7-night sailings visiting ports in the Western and Eastern Caribbean, including Perfect Day at CocoCay. After the summer season sailing from Cape Liberty, she will return to Miami to restart cruises in November 2022.

Oasis of the Seas will also offer a 10-night Eastern Caribbean Holiday sailing in January 2023, visiting St. Thomas, Antigua, Barbados, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten.

Grandeur of the Seas will begin sailing from PortMiami in November 2022, offering 9-night Southern Caribbean sailings visiting destinations including Puerto Plata, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, San Juan, and Labadee. 

Grandeur of the Seas will also offer shorter, 5-night Western Caribbean cruises, with most sailings visiting Key West and Labadee.

Explorer of the Seas will begin sailing from Miami in late April 2022 and will offer primarily 6 and 8-night Western and Southern Caribbean cruises, along with one 5-night and one 9-night sailing. There are two options for 6-night sailings. The first will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Jamaica, and Labadee. The second will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay, Jamaica, and George Town, Grand Cayman.

There are also two options for 8-night Southern Caribbean sailings, visiting Labadee, La Romana, Willemstad, Curacao, Oranjestad, Aruba, and Kralendijk, Bonaire.

Symphony of the Seas has called Miami home since its inaugural sailing in 2018, and she will continue to sail from Miami in 2022 and 2023. While Symphony of the Seas will offer two 8-night cruises, the majority of her sailings are 7-night Eastern or Western Caribbean cruises with a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Depending on the sailing, Symphony of the Seas will visit Puerto Costa Maya, Roatan, Cozumel, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Labadee, and San Juan. Each sailing will visit Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Harmony of the Seas will be sailing from Miami starting in March 2023, offering 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises that include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Other than CocoCay, Harmony of the Seas will visit St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel, depending on the sailing.

What time should I schedule my flight home after my cruise from Miami?

One mistake some cruise passengers make is scheduling their flight home too early or too late on disembarkation day. Rushing to the airport to catch an early flight can be stressful, whereas waiting at the airport all day for a late flight is also not ideal.

Here are some things to consider when selecting a flight home:

• Are you flying from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale?
• What time will the ship arrive in port, and what time will disembarkation begin?
• What time of day will you be traveling to the airport?

It can be tempting to select an early flight on disembarkation day. After all, you may look at your itinerary and see that you arrive in Miami at 6AM. However, the time that a ship arrives in port and the time that passengers actually begin disembarking is not the same. A good estimate is to assume you will get off the ship around two hours after the ship’s scheduled arrival time.

Therefore, when cruising from Miami, we recommend booking a flight no earlier than 11:30AM for flights out of Miami International Airport and no earlier than 12PM for flights leaving Ft. Lauderdale. Doing so will give you a little wiggle room in case of any unexpected delays.

Royal Caribbean's stricter face mask protocols that were added as a result of the Omicron variant will be around for at least another few weeks.

The policy requires cruise ship passengers to wear face masks while indoors, regardless of vaccination status except while eating or drinking. 

The mask rules will remain in effect for sailings departing on or before January 31, 2022, at which point it will be reevaluated. 

This includes at venues reserved for vaccinated guests only.

Royal Caribbean first tightened the mask rules on December 17, 2021 for a period of time through January 5, 2022.

Masks are NOT required to be worn:

• In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting.
• In the pool or any activity where they may become wet.
• In your stateroom when you are with your traveling party.
• While visiting our private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, unless you are in a crowded setting.
• By any guest under the age of 2.

Masks ARE required to be worn:

• While indoors in public areas of the ship, unless seated and actively eating or drinking.
• While visiting public ports of call, where local regulations may require them.

Read more: What it's like to go on a cruise with Royal Caribbean's stricter mask rules

In addition to the face mask rules being extended, Royal Caribbean's ban on smoking in the casino will also be extended.

"In alignment with the expansion of the mask policy, smoking will not be permitted in the casino for all cruises departing on or before January 31, 2022."

Mask rule matches other lines

Other cruise lines have added similar rules to combat the rise in Omicron variant Covid cases.

Carnival Cruise Line requires its passengers to use masks on all sailings until at least the end of January 2022. Carnival also banned smoking in its casinos until further notice.

Holland America matched Carnival's stricter mask rules and indoor smoking policy.

Norwegian Cruise Line also added a face mask rule for sailings through the end of January.

Passenger reaction

Cruise ship passengers have generally has mixed reactions to the stricter mask rules, usually aligning with whether they have ever supported mask wearing or not.

On the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards, Swar liked the fact smoking has been banned in the casino because as a non-smoker, they hope it stays around, "The casino is so much better without the smoke! I hope it is a permanent change. Not a smoker, but used to do cigars."

Oliver Max took the stricter mask rules in stride, "I leave on a cruise from Galveston on Sunday. It’s a little disappointing but I’m not going to let it ruin my vacation. I’m still going to have fun."

Royal Caribbean has been quiet about its next new class of cruise ship, but it looks like we're starting to get our first look at construction taking place, including something that I have no idea what it could be.

Ship blocks for construction of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas arrived recently to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.

Tug boats brought these giant pieces of what will become the hull of Icon of the Seas to the shipyard so that they can be joined together.

Janne-Petteri Kumpulainen shared photos of the pre-assembled blocks being brought in on a snowy day.

Cruise ships are built in a module process, where engineers break down the ship into smaller pieces that they later assemble. The reason ships are built in this manner is so that different engineers and specialists can work simultaneously, which cuts down on overall construction time.

Once the blocks arrive at the shipyard, they will be joined and welded together.

In addition to Janne's photos, a source that wishes to remain anonymous sent in a photo from the shipyard of a large pearl-shaped object that is destined for Icon of the Seas.

What is it? Your guess is as good as mine. Share your guesses in the comments!

Over the past years, Royal Caribbean has looked to distinguish each new class of ship with an attention grabbing feature that instantly draws the attention of the public. The Ultimate Abyss, North Star, and Central Park are just some examples of signature features onboard.

Perhaps this dome is part of something completely different for Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean has hinted at Icon of the Seas being a "game changer" new ship for the cruise line.

Back in April 2021, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked briefly about the new ship, "We have the brand new Icon class coming, which is going to be a real game changer."

"When you think about what a game changer Oasis class was and is, Icon is the next generation the evolution of Oasis."

Not much else is known about the Icon Class, but according to Royal Caribbean Group SEC filings in April 2021, the unnamed Icon Class ships will have a capacity of approximately 5,600 passengers.

Each ship will be powered by a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology.

Icon of the Seas is scheduled for deliver in the third quarter of 2023.

As the Omicron variant began to generate higher case counts on cruise ships, Royal Caribbean enacted stricter rules about face masks on its ships.

The new rules require all passengers to wear their masks indoors, even in vaccinated areas, and the question of how much these new rules impacted the cruise experience began to arise.

I sailed on Navigator of the Seas about a week after the stricter mask rules went into effect, and wanted to share my experience with these new protocols for anyone going on a cruise soon.

Keep in mind that my experience is not indicative of what your experience will or will not be. I hope it sheds some insight into what the written policy really means in practical terms.

What is the stricter mask rule?

On December 17, 2021, Royal Caribbean announced passengers on all sailings through January 5, 2022 will be required to wear masks indoors at all times, unless actively eating or drinking.

Before this change, fully vaccinated passengers could go maskless in designated areas.

This policy is in place for all sailings departing before January 5, 2022, at which point it will be reevaluated.

Masks are not required to be worn outdoors, in the pool, in your stateroom, or at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

My experience with the new rules

When Royal Caribbean announced the new rule, it sounded as if you would have to wear your mask indoors at all times, and possibly even between bites or sips of food.

In practice, the rule has not been quite that restrictive.

Both on my sailings and on others reported by RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers since the new rule went into effect, it seems the rule has changed two fundamental things that used to happen onboard:

• Eliminating the loophole of someone walking around with a drink as a way not to wear their mask
• Walking into a vaccinated zone and removing your mask without food or drink

While more crew members are reminding passengers to put on their mask or pull it up, they are not patrolling hallways looking for mask compliance. I believe there is a renewed emphasis on ensuring masks are being worn indoors, but not to the point it's overbearing.

My experience on Navigator was if you are seated in a bar, restaurant, or lounge, as long as there was food or drink in front of you, you were fine without masks and not asked to put the mask on between bites or sips.

Across my seven nights onboard, I spent lots of time in the main dining room, pub, Schooner Bar, and casino.  In all scenarios, masks were required upon walking in, but as soon as I sat down with food or drink, there was no issue with my mask down.

My observation was nearly every other passenger was compliant with the mask rules indoors.  Just like airports, supermarkets, and schools, you would occasionally find someone who was not wearing their mask, but it was extremely rare and I assume a crew member would remind them to put it back on.

The issue of masks below someone's nose seems to be an issue greater than the cruise lines can solve, but I did observe some crew members asking passengers to fix their mask, especially in the casino.

Not only were guests doing a good job of wearing their masks indoors, but I noticed many passengers wearing their masks outdoors.  Granted, the low humidity and cooler temperatures of a December cruise on the West Coast make wearing a mask outdoors far more tolerable than if this was June.

In summary, I thought the new rule was not that much of a departure from what it had been before, especially in bars or restaurants when eating or drinking.

Casino

Speaking of the casino, another change Royal Caribbean made was to ban smoking in the casino.

Previously, the casino was designated a vaccinated-only zone and you could take your mask off. In an effort to keep masks on, smoking was banned in the casino.

As a non-smoker, I certainly welcomed the change and while seated at a table or slot machine, masks were worn.

Unlike the bars or restaurants, I would put my mask on between sips of a cocktail, especially at table games where passengers and the dealer were close to each other.

Passenger reactions

My experience is going to vary from others, so I wanted to share other comments from folks that cruised over the last two weeks.

Neesa summed up her thoughts on the new rule by thinking about the bigger picture, "It is humbling on board, I am interacting with staff and feel compelled to comply as I want them to feel comfortable,  they are important and looking in their eyes I can agree, I'm doing it for them. I respect them and the job they are doing."

Flowrider was also on Navigator of the Seas and shared their mask rule observations, "Just got off the Navigator.  Mask was indoors the whole time, not outdoors.  When we were in line to be served food at Johnny Rockets or El Loco Fresh they asked us to put it on.  No mask required at the pool."

"Once we got off the ship in Mazatlan/Cabo/Puerto Vallarta we took masks off.  Nobody ever asked us to put the on except for obvious indoor settings, i.e. in a store/shop."

"MDR or Windjammer you wear it like before.  Sitting at the table the mask is off.  Walking around to buffet mask is on."

tonyfsu21 sailed on Oasis of the Seas last week, "masks indoors on ship. You can remove while dining and drinking at restaurants and bars. You DO NOT need to wear a mask outdoors on pool deck and other areas. Outdoor in ports (no mask) inside vehicle on way to an excursion you must be masked."

tonyfsu21 also talked about his experience in the casino, "I played the machines all night with a beer in hand and a lowered mask. In between beers walking around casino I had my mask on. Not really sure about the tables but I’m assuming the same. At the end of the day, there are no police and this is not like a prison it’s vacation and the staff knows that."

ChessE4 voiced their support of the new change, "With the explosion of COVID cases in Florida, I can see why masks would be required on cruise ships and elsewhere.  Things will get better, but we need to take note of our current situation."

Over the past week, Omicron variant news has dominated the news cycle and there's already been a number of changes in the cruise industry, but the exact news has been misconstrued in a few cases.

Between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning vaccinated passengers to not go on a cruise ship, and news reports about missed port calls making the rounds on social media, a lot of misconceptions about where cruising is right now have emerged.

Not everyone follows the daily changes in the cruise industry, so it can be difficult to keep tabs on what has or has not changed. And certainly a government warning gets a lot of attention, even if it's just a recommendation.

Before you read what Aunt Sally posted on Facebook as something she heard, here are three really important untrue myths about going on a cruise right now that are totally untrue.

Cruises are being cancelled again

When the CDC announced it had raised the warning level for going on a cruise ship back up to its highest level, that got some folks thinking cruises were cancelled again.

The CDC warning is just that, a recommendation and nothing has changed in terms of mass cancellations. In fact, not one scheduled Royal Caribbean cruise has been cancelled.

Example of incorrect reporting of the CDC's warning

This is not the first time the CDC has changed its warning level for the cruise industry, but just like its warnings for visiting different countries, these are just suggestions it offers to the general public.

No cruise line has made any hint of cancelling cruises, so ships are definitely still sailing.

Cruise ships can't visit any ports

Some Caribbean ports have denied entry to certain cruise ships due to some passengers having tested positive for Covid-19 onboard.  While that fact is true, the amount of ships and port calls affected has been quite small.

So how many ports have denied ships?

Royal Caribbean Group provided an update that as of December 30, 2021, 16 scheduled visits had been cancelled out of a total of 331 visits.

Certainly each country has the right to refuse a ship to visit, but these are being handled on a per-ship basis.

The company expects these disruptions to continue in the near term and then decline as the world adjusts to the current trends. 

Most importantly, cruise lines have arrangements with their departure ports that a cruise ship sails from and how the port, health district and cruise lines plan to respond in the event of an outbreak with medical care, transportation and housing, if needed. This was set up before any ship restarted cruises in 2021 as part of the CDC's Conditional Sail Order.

The important takeaway is that cruise ships are not being locked out of every port and stuck at sea.

Can't visit their own private islands

This rumor was based in some truth, that has since snowballed into false information.

On December 30, guests on Freedom of the Seas reported their ship was unable to dock at Perfect Day at CocoCay because Bahamian officials refused to let passengers off the ship.

Similarly, Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic was also held up from docking at Castaway Cay in The Bahamas.

In the case of both ships, Bahamian officials allowed the passengers to disembark later that day.

It appears that this was some kind of a paperwork mistake on the side of The Bahamas, but nothing has been confirmed.

Regardless, since that day, other cruise ships have had no problems visiting Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Where to get reliable cruise ship updates

Certainly this post should help get everyone up to date, but what about tomorrow or next week? How do you avoid this false information entirely?

First and foremost, Royal Caribbean will always convey updates to your sailing via email when a change has been officially made. Your travel agent is also a reliable source of information to ensure nothing has changed.

I'm generally a fan of Facebook groups for sharing tips and experiences, but unfortunately there can be false or misleading information shared in some groups. Take any updates you get on social media with a grain of salt, unless there is printed evidence to the contrary.

You can also reach out to Royal Caribbean via social media as a way to double check something you may have heard about.

Read more: My favorite Royal Caribbean cruise hacks

Lastly, you can check with the folks on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards (yes, this is a self-serving tip). Our community is good at helping direct cruisers with questions and expectations.

Welcome to the first week of 2022, and here is your look at all of the Royal Caribbean news you might have missed in the past week.

Unfortunately, this past week was dominated by Covid-19 related news and the impact of the Omicron variant on the industry.

The major headline came from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raising the warning level for going on a cruise ship back up to its highest level.

Based on the increase in Covid cases due to the Omicron variant, the CDC made a recommendation against going on any cruise ship, regardless of vaccination status.

According to the CDC, the virus that causes Covid-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships, and the chance of getting Covid-19 on cruise ships is very high, even if you are fully vaccinated and have received a Covid-19 vaccine booster dose.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean sets expectations for impact Omicron can have on cruise ships with email to passengers
• Royal Caribbean says Omicron variant fears have only had a short-term effect on bookings
• Why you need to be flexible if you want to go on a cruise right now
• Oceanview vs Balcony staterooms on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• CDC investigation of Royal Caribbean cruise ship with Covid-19 cases on it reveal only mild symptoms
• Royal Caribbean will cover cost of international passenger Covid tests in January
• 'Glad we decided to stay on this cruise' says passenger on Royal Caribbean ship this week
• Royal Caribbean app walkthrough and tips

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 435th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring a look ahead to what Billy and Matt want to see happen in 2022 for the cruise industry.

Matt and Billy try their best to make predictions at a few things that they want if they could wish for it in the coming year.

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: How to do the at-home Covid-19 test Royal Caribbean accepts!

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 — How to do the at-home Covid-19 test Royal Caribbean accepts! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Navigator of the Seas Live Blog

In case you missed it, Matt was live on Navigator of the Seas for a 7-night Mexican Riviera cruise.

Everyday of the cruise, Matt shared a look at what happened onboard and onshore.  This was also the first full sailing with Royal Caribbean's stricter new protocols.

You can catch up on what it's like to be on a cruise ship with all of the updates:

• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 1 - Embarkation Day
• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 2 - Sea Day
• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 3 - Cabo San Lucas
• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 4 - Mazatlan
• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 5 - Puerto Vallarta
• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 6 - Sea Day
• Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 7 - Sea Day

There are a number of different types of cabins on a modern Royal Caribbean cruise ship. Something to suit every budget and preference.  

Balcony rooms are the most prevalent cabin type, but for those who don’t think they need a balcony as they just won’t spend time on it, an oceanview (outside view) stateroom provides some natural light and views, at a more affordable price.

There is no right or wrong answer as to which is best, and the pros and cons vary by ship and sailing.

Here are some factors to consider when selecting an oceanview versus a balcony cabin.

Price

Price is an important consideration for planning any vacation and travelers want to get the most they can within their budget.

Oceanview and balcony rooms vary in price, but generally, a standard oceanview room is less expensive than one with a balcony. The cost gap varies from ship to ship and sailing to sailing.  For some itineraries it is as small as $50 per person, for others, it can be $500 per person.

For a family of 4 that can add up to a lot of money that can be used for other activities like shore excursions, specialty dining, or drink packages.

Read more: Interior vs Balcony staterooms on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Advantage: Oceanview staterooms

Room Size

All cabins are not created equal.  Balcony staterooms are slightly larger than those with an oceanview but again differ between ships, so it is important to know what you are getting. It is always a good idea to have a look at the ship’s deck plans to review room features and location prior to booking.

As an example, on the Symphony of the Seas, currently the largest ship sailing in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, most oceanview rooms are 179 square feet whereas a standard balcony cabin is 182 square feet, plus  50 square feet of balcony space. Not a lot of difference in the actual room size.

By contrast, on the Adventure of the Seas, part of the Voyager class, a standard oceanview is 161 square feet and a balcony room is 198 square feet plus 46 square feet of balcony space. A bit more of a difference in size.

While it sounds like a balcony room is a runaway win, there are the family oceanview cabins to consider.

On many Royal Caribbean ships there are family oceanview rooms, which are usually located at the very front or very rear of the ship and offer a ton of living space, meant to be shared by families of 4 or more guests. 

These family rooms have only portholes, but can include an extra bathroom and separate sleeping area for the kids.

These family oceanview rooms are a great alternative to a suite, or even two connecting rooms, provided you can snag one before they get booked up.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Perks of a balcony

A standard balcony room will typically have 2 chairs and a table. There are partitions that separate guests from their neighbors, and some can have obstructed views by a portion of a lifeboat, equipment, or part of the ship.

Some guests see great value in having a balcony. With Royal Caribbean offering free continental breakfast room service, cruisers can savor a more relaxing start to their morning on their balcony or enjoy the fresh sea air breezes flowing through the cabin.

Read more: Balcony room on a Royal Caribbean cruise: Is it worth the price?

The itinerary is also a consideration. How much time you will relax on your balcony may vary depending upon whether you are sailing in the Caribbean or traveling north on a voyage to Alaska where even in summer the temperature may only reach the low 60s.  Some trips like the Mediterranean cruise may only have 1 sea day, providing much less time to use a balcony.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Room Availability

Oceanview cabins just aren’t as plentiful as those with a balcony on most cruise ships.

On the Symphony of the Seas, only 6% of cabins are oceanview, whereas 65%  have balconies (not including suites). Adventure of the Seas has more, with oceanviews making up 14% of total rooms. A little more choice makes them a little easier to get.

There are also a few larger oceanview rooms, such as the Ultra Spacious Ocean View, which has 328 square feet and sleeps 6, a great option for a larger family not wanting to get two cabins There are also a number of accessible oceanview rooms.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Location

Balcony rooms are located throughout the ship. Some people have strong preferences about location, preferring midship or lower level decks, especially for those who suffer from sea sickness.

Oceanview rooms don’t necessarily have the same selection, on the Symphony of the Seas, most are concentrated in the bow (front) of the ship, especially on lower decks. The new Odyssey of the Seas, has oceanview cabins on various decks, providing more options for location.

Given the limited number of oceanview cabins on cruises, you are more likely to get the desired location with a balcony.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Cruise Length

The duration of your cruise can be a major factor in deciding which stateroom category makes more sense.

The difference in prices between oceanview and balcony can be more significant on longer cruises. If you want to splurge for a balcony, a shorter cruise with savings of less than $50 per person, might be the time to try it and assess the value for yourself.

For a longer cruise of 7 nights or more, guests will have more time to spend on their balcony, however, the cost differential will be higher.  Look out for deals on repositioning cruises, with great deals on all rooms, including balconies, because they are harder sailings to fill.

Advantage: Balcony staterooms

Verdict

Whether it is worth it for you and your traveling party to pay more for a balcony stateroom depends upon your preferences, budget, and how much time you will be spending in your room and use your balcony.

If you like having extra space with views, balcony staterooms score points. And if you don’t get to travel very often and want to experience a little extra and treat yourself, it can be a good way to go. Sitting on a balcony, with peaceful ocean views can be a great opportunity to de-stress and recharge on vacation.

For those who want to maximize their budget (and maybe travel more) the savings from an oceanview room can be put to use elsewhere. There are plenty of public places onboard to relax and enjoy the sea air. And if you have a busy, port intensive itinerary, a lack of balcony may not be missed.