A cruiser's manifesto: Cruise ship rules to live by

In:
16 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

There isn't a right or wrong way to cruise, but it seems there are several unwritten rules many repeat cruisers seem to follow.

These are the things we hold to be true, that all cruise sailings are not equal. As a result, we rely on tried-and-true advice to ensure a great vacation.

Whether you are brand new to cruising or have sailed for at least four score and seven years ago, these are the rules all cruisers live by to avoid problems later.

I will book my cruise as far in advance as I can to save money.

The key to getting the best price is to book your cruise as soon as you know you want to go on the sailing and lock in the cabin you prefer.

The ideal strategy for booking a Royal Caribbean cruise is if you live in a country where you can reprice your cruise up until final payment date. Residents of the United States, Canada and select other countries are able to contact Royal Caribbean if there is a price drop and take advantage of the lower price.

By booking 12, 18 or even 24 months in advance, you have the luxury of watching the price and making a price adjustment if there is a lower price offered. You can do this unlimited amount of times until the final payment date at 90 days prior to sailing. 

Booking a cruise one to two years in advance is not practical for many families, so a great time to book a cruise is between six and 12 months before sailing.

In addition to the lower prices, booking well in-advance of a cruise assures you of the ship and stateroom you want to reserve. Suites and some of the higher in-demand cabins are the first to be reserved, and waiting to book usually results in far fewer choices. Moreover, my observation is the price for a suite on Royal Caribbean tends to only go up over time at a greater rate than standard cabins.

Since booking many months in advance comes at the risk of guessing your own personal schedule and hoping for no surprises, I always recommend booking refundable cruise fare to avoid penalties if an unexpected reason to cancel a cruise occurs.

I will read about the ports I’m going to before I get there.

Your cruise ship will visit different ports of call during your sailing, so picking a great shore excursion for the few hours you have in each stop is very important.

Your first step is to determine the most popular activities in each port. Then, start looking at what tours are available, either on your own or through the cruise line.

The key is to determine which tours you want to book, and reserve it in advance. In some cases booking in advance will save you money, and everyone can benefit from having the luxury of time to consider all options.

I will try new foods.

Going on a cruise is one of the best times to try new foods, because so many of them are included in the cost of your cruise.

There is no penalty for not finishing something you ordered, so you should always feel free to order something to give it a try and know you can always have a backup order if you do not like it.

This is a great opportunity not only to indulge, but to also try out some new foods, like escargot!

I will be flexible, especially about my plans.

Even if you spend more time than any other human being before planning a cruise, you will still run into problem here or there.

The key is to not let little mishaps greatly impact your cruise and to understand sometimes you just have to let the little things go by.

Whether the weather does not cooperate, a port has to be skipped, or your kids decide they cannot be bothered to wake up before 11am, it is super important to adopt a "go with the flow" mentality to cruises.

As a major advocate of planning ahead, a little bit of footwork does go a long way to helping avoid some major pitfalls. However, there is always going to be some risk to any well-thought out plan.

It is a great idea to make plans and look forward them, but know in advance that no matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it.

The key is not letting this incident ruin the rest of your day or cruise. We all experience frustration, but try to remember the classic mantra of don't worry, be happy.

Read more7 things I wish more cruisers knew about going on a cruise

If a problem does arise, I will talk to someone about it while onboard.

A really common mistake I see is someone on a cruise runs into some sort of a problem that impacts their enjoyment of the cruise and does not say something to a crew member about it.

Whether it is a malfunction in the cabin, accident onboard, disagreement with a crew member, or anything else that stops you in your tracks, problems should be addressed onboard and not after the cruise.

I know that feeling of not wanting be a bother, but Royal Caribbean wants you to have a great experience, and problems should be identified so they can be fixed.

A classic example is slow service in a dining room, where a waiter may be handling too many tables or a kitchen delay slows everything down. Asking to speak to the head waiter to alert them that there is a problem is a helpful way to get the situation resolved quicker.

If you have a billing discrepancy on your bill, speak to Guest Relations on the ship. If something is not working properly in your cabin, alert your stateroom attendant.

Read moreThe top crew members to find if you have a problem onboard your cruise

I will take time while on my cruise to forget about the real world.

One aspect of going on a cruise that I love is the ability to disconnect from the world events for a little bit.

Whether it is politics, breaking news, or college football, it is nice to intentionally or unintentionally take a step back from the daily grind these updates can have on our psyche.

As someone who always buys an internet package, I am not advocating completely ignoring what is happening at home, but going on a cruise can be a nice break from the 24 hour news cycles and constant jibber-jabber that slowly eats away at us.

A good rule of thumb is to not bring up these topics to other guests onboard (just like at parties on land, politics and religion are never good topics), and spend more time enjoying the beautiful scenery and discuss the fun you had that day.

I will have no regrets about partying until dawn but I will be respectful of my fellow guests sleeping while stumbling back to my stateroom.

This is an important mantra, because there is no judging the "which bars are still open at this hour" crowd.  But respect goes both ways.

There are lots of activities on a cruise, plenty of indulgences, and no work the next day to stymie sudden impulses, but that is not carte blanche for dragging others along unwillingly with you.

Leave the party at the lounge or bar, and quietly find a comfortable spot in your room to close your eyes and wake up many, many, many hours later.

I will be friendly onboard and aspire to meet some new friends.

Speaking of respecting other guests, you should always greet other guests with a smile and practice good manners.

One mistake I made early in cruising was ignoring other people I was cruising with, in the same way I might look at a land hotel as just a bunch of rooms with beds and I was on my way.

Not everyone necessarily wants a new friend, but a simple "hello" and "goodbye" in an elevator, or "how do you do" during a shore excursion is not only a polite way to keep things friendly, but you never know whom you may meet.

So many cruisers make new friends onboard by virtue of the fact they happen to be under similar circumstances, which leads to a conversation that might end up forming a new bond.

Speaking of being friendly, do not limit yourself to just other guests. The crew members onboard work very hard to make your vacation a great one, and you should feel free to strike up a conversation with them as well.  

Even if you do not meet your new BFF on a cruise, being cordial to each other is the least we can all do and is always a good idea.

After 2020, I will not take cruises for granted.

After the events of the last 12 months, it is clear we all took the ability to go on a cruise for granted.

So much of our world has changed, and with it the casual ability to go on a cruise vacation.  While other aspects of travel have returned, cruises remain shutdown and it has served as a good reminder of what we once had and why we should treasure the opportunity.

Travel has always been a luxury, so the old saying of "stop to smell the roses" is appropriate for whenever we are able to get back on a cruise again.

Royal Caribbean trademarks 15 names for possible cruise ship venues

In:
15 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean has started off 2021 getting busy at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Royal Caribbean Group filed 15 different trademark registrations with the PTO for names that sound like they might be used for cruise ship venue names.

Trademark registrations are notoriously vague, and rarely give much insight into what they may be used for onboard a cruise ship, but it can sometimes tip Royal Caribbean's hand in what they have planned.

All of these trademarks were filed on January 11, 2021.

Go Green

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Absolute Zero

Filed under: Cruise ship services

AquaDome

Filed under: Cruise ship services; Restaurant and bar services

Challenger's

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Roosevelt's Table

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Royal Dueling Pianos

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Royal Suite Club

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Cloud 17

Filed under: Cruise ship services; Providing recreational facilities in the nature of an adults-only pool area onboard a cruise ship

Lou's Jazz Club

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Playaway Park

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Surfside

Filed under: Cruise ship services

The Overlook

Filed under: Cruise ship services

The Lemon Post

Filed under: Bar services

The Yard

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Salty Sip

Filed under: Cruise ship services

Why do these trademarks matter?

If you are curious what might be next for Royal Caribbean, trademark filings are a good hint of what the cruise line may be thinking.

While a lot of trademarks get filed but never used, some do end up being the names of new venues, services or even cruise ships.

It can be argued that a trademark is filed when an idea reaches a point that there is a tangible chance the project may become a reality.  

Reading the trademarks rarely provide much insight into what the cruise line has planned, but these are important first steps for something new to become a reality.

Anyone looking at these registrations should remember that they are filed on behalf of the Royal Caribbean Group, which means these registrations could be intended for a sister cruise line brand, and not necessarily Royal Caribbean International.

With new cruise ships under construction, and other projects around the world in various stages of development, there is always a chance the dreamers at Royal Caribbean are ready to move from concept to reality, and locking in a name is part of that process.

What's your prediction?

Now is your chance to show us how much you (think you) know! Share your predictions what these trademarks will be used for on a cruise ship or private island in the future!

Top spots in the Caribbean you can go to now without the cruise ship

In:
15 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

There will not be any Caribbean cruises until at least May, but that doesn't mean you can't swim in the blue turquoise waters of the tropics until then.

While the cruise industry remains shutdown, many Caribbean islands will allow you to visit on your own.

Certainly the current global health crisis means there may be additional rules or tests required, nonetheless, there is no bad time for a Caribbean escape.

Beginning January 26, the CDC will require all travelers, including U.S. citizens, flying to or through the U.S. from international destinations to provide proof of either a negative test or documentation of recovery.

The test must:

  • Be a viral test (molecular or antigen)
  • Be taken within the 3 calendar days prior to departure
  • Show written proof of the traveler’s negative laboratory test result

Documentation of recovery must include:

  • Proof of a positive test result
  • A letter from a licensed health care provider or public health official clearing them for travel

Many Caribbean islands are welcoming tourists to return, albeit with their own testing requirements and protocols. Here are my picks for the top Caribbean beaches you can visit without too much hassle this winter.

St. John

When I visited St. John for the first time, I knew instantly it was the most beautiful beach I had ever been to.

Much of St. John is a national park, and that means it is very undeveloped and among the most natural and quiet beach you will find in the Caribbean.

Many tourists hit Trunk Bay, but nearby Cinnamon Bay Beach is a bit less crowded and equally stunning.  

Health rules: St. John is part of the USVI, which means you must provide a negative PCR test within five days of arrival. Otherwise, you must self-quarantine until the test results arrive.

St. Lucia

St. Lucia may be known for the two ancient volcanoes, the Pitons, but it has a great beach scene as well.

Locals love the not-so-well-known black sand beach of Anse Mamin.  It is idyllic as it is scenic, with a beautiful backdrop against the Caribbean blue water. It is located near Anse Chastanet and the two beaches are linked by a rocky path below the cliffs.

If you prefer to get out and do some exploring, the Pitons are a world-renowned hiking destination.

Health rules: All arrivals over age 5 must have a negative PCR test within seven days of arrival. You must also complete a travel authorization form and submit to screening, which includes temperature checks.

Aruba

Aruba has been one island that has been welcoming tourists for many months, and features some absolutely stunning beaches to see.

Oranjestad offers plenty to do, including Palm and Eagle Beach.  These are well-known and stunning beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see.

If you want a lesser-known beach, hit up the black-pebbled Andicuri Beach on Aruba's east coast.

The island sees little rain throughout the year, so no matter when you arrive, you’re likely to enjoy warm temperatures and sunny skies all day long. 

Health rules: You must answer health questions and upload a negative test result, along with purchasing Aruba Visitors Insurance.

Barbados

You might have just heard Royal Caribbean will offer cruises from Barbados in December 2021, but if that is not soon enough, you can visit now and get a head start on what the island as to offer.

Barbados is home to Bathsheba Beach on the easy coast, which you will quickly notice the massive rock formations (which are actually remnants of ancient coral).  Bathsheba Beach is also famous for drawing surfers from all over the world, who come to participate in local and international surfing competitions.

Barbados is known for many things, including at one time being the largest producer of sugar cane, and with that came a famous rum-production industry. You can visit the Mount Gay distillery if you need a break from the stunning beaches of the island.

Health rules: Persons traveling to Barbados from High and Medium-Risk countries must have a negative test result in order to enter the country. These tests must be taken at an accredited or certified facility/laboratory within 3 days prior to arrival. 

Cozumel

One of the most famous Caribbean cruise ports is still open and welcoming to tourists.

Cozumel is home to many beautiful beaches, including some well-known all-inclusive beach day spots. You will find many different beaches to visit on the island's west coast. There are iconic spots like Paradise Beach or Mr. Sanchos, as well as more secluded beaches.

Another popular option is to stay at a resort on the island, such as Cozumel Palace Resort or Allegro resort. In fact, many of the resorts offer their own on-site antigen (rapid) testing.

Health rules: Mexico does not require any test results upon arrival, but you must fill out a health form.

Is Royal Caribbean cruising from Barbados a new strategy for the cruise line?

In:
14 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

When Royal Caribbean announced it would begin offering cruises from a new homeport of Barbados, it seemed like this was aimed at bypassing the regulations that have shut down the cruise industry in the United States.

Many have welcomed the newly announced sailings on Grandeur of the Seas, which will begin in December 2021 and sail from the Caribbean island of Barbados.

Royal Caribbean has never homeported a cruise ship in Barbados before, and the sailings include a variety of exotic ports of call that are also new places to visit.

Read moreRoyal Caribbean will offer cruises from Barbados in December 2021

Ever since Royal Caribbean decided to keep Grandeur of the Seas in the fleet, she has had no additional scheduled sailings added.  So perhaps putting Grandeur in Barbados was just the best available choice on short notice?

In any other year, the decision to homeport a cruise ship in Barbados might be seen as a bold move to shake up traditional offers. But in a world where there have been no Royal Caribbean cruises in North America for almost a year, things are seen through a different prism.

Nearly as soon as Royal Caribbean made the announcement that Grandeur of the Seas would sail from Barbados, many cruise fans assumed the decision was a result of a continued impasse with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In the nearly three months since the CDC lifted the No Sail Order, there has been little visible progress in any cruise line moving towards getting approval to sail again.

Earlier this week, Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said his company was still waiting on information from the CDC in order to move forward with its plans.

At the same time, sailings on Quantum of the Seas in Singapore have performed well and served as a good example of how new health protocols can work effectively.  So perhaps Royal Caribbean was looking at Barbados as another opportunity to get a ship back into service.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reached out to Royal Caribbean to see if the decision to offer cruises from Barbados had anything do with the CDC and getting more ships that can sail without US approval.

The cruise line issued this statement as an answer, "We made the decision to sail Grandeur of the Seas out of Barbados to provide our guests with the opportunity to explore the beautiful islands of the Southern Caribbean."

"We continually review our itineraries to provide the best vacation experience possible. "

New itineraries

Not only are the cruises announced from Barbados sailing from a new homeport, the places Royal Caribbean will visit are equally new.

There are three different itineraries offered with these cruises:

  • 7-night Southern Caribbean Island Hop: Departing Bridgetown, Barbados (new) and visiting Scarborough, Tobago (new); Port of Spain, Trinidad (new); St. George’s, Grenada; Kingstown, St. Vincent (new); Roseau, Dominica; and Castries, St. Lucia
  • 7-night Southern Caribbean Adventure: Departing Bridgetown, Barbados (new) and visiting St. George’s, Grenada; Kralendijk, Bonaire; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; and Port of Spain, Trinidad (new)
  • 14-night Ultimate Caribbean: Departing Bridgetown, Barbados (new) and visiting St. George’s, Grenada; Kingstown, St. Vincent (new); Kralendijk, Bonaire; Oranjestad, Aruba (overnight); Willemstad, Curacao; Port of Spain, Trinidad (new); Cartagena, Colombia; Colon, Panama; and Puerto Limon, Costa Rica

Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, told travel agents that if these cruises prove popular enough, these cruises could return in Winter 2022-2023.  She added it might not be on Grandeur next year.

To help ensure the logistics of getting to Barbados does not hinder bookings, Royal Caribbean has secured space with several airlines that will offer direct flights from cities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to ensure there are enough seats for anyone that wants to cruise.

In addition, Royal Caribbean has partnered with hotels in Barbados to offer a cruise and stay package, another option rarely, if ever, seen before from the cruise line.

Cruise fans weigh in

As soon as the news was announced, many cruise fans saw this as a small step to bypassing the CDC.

Peggy Weatherington's excitement on our Facebook page mirrored a lot of others sentiments, "I have been wondering when a cruise line was going to do this to get around the CDC."

Twangster posted on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message board that he believes Royal Caribbean is saying the truth about the CDC not being part of the decision, "I don't think this is in anyway related to the CDC.  Hedging one small ship doesn't really accomplish anything in terms of bypassing the CDC.  The target audience will result in a lot of Americans on board but some Brits as well given the easy flights to the former British territory."

We asked our readers when they think cruises will restart

In:
14 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean just delayed their reopening again, and it is not clear yet when cruises might restart.

Big questions remain about when exactly Royal Caribbean will be able to restart cruises in the United States or Europe. While no one knows the answer, I wanted to know what cruise fans thought about the chances of cruises restarting.

Spoiler alert, the opinions were far from unanimous.

There are some good signs out there to keep an eye on for when cruises might restart, but the entire situation is constantly changing, with optimism one day and dejection the next. The cruise line has been tight lipped about the day-to-day changes in terms of cruises being able to restart as well.

So I asked RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers on Facebook when they think will the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship from USA or Europe sail with paying passengers?

After a few days, almost 900 responses to our poll, and the results were quite mixed - 290 said sometime in 2022, 266 said July 2021, 139 said May 2021, 50 said September 2021, 42 said October 2021, 29 said April 2021, and then the results fell off from there.

The majority felt there was a chance of cruises for summer 2021 (July) or already feel 2021 is a lost cause and voted for 2022.

Plenty of pessimism

After a year of of no cruises, there was plenty of people who are starting to see things as "the glass is half empty" when it comes to cruises restarting.

While cruise cancellations are nothing new, every round of cancellations seems to instill concern among cruisers that more bad news is yet to come.

In addition, the current surge in the global health crisis around the world has some worried that the case for cruises to restart in the current climate is simply impossible.

Some voting with their heart

Based on the comments from the poll, it seems a lot of people may have also voted based on when their cruise is scheduled and hoping for the best.

Eddie Vilkins, "I’m only hoping for July because that’s my booking."

Tyler Diedrich, "I am guessing Mariner in May. Just because I have a killer deal on a suite on this sailing!"

Jennifer Melchior, "July 2021 cause we have a cruise scheduled for that month!"

Brenda Hunt voted for July because she thinks things could improve rapidly by then, "I am hopeful by July. This way all those that want to be vaccinated will most likely will be by then. In the meantime, they can create a plan for what to do for those those that can’t or won’t get vaccinated."

The poll was an interesting look in the different opinions people have for when they expect Royal Caribbean cruises to restart. It is understandable why the answers were so widespread because no one really has solid information on when cruise ships might be able to sail again.

As always, I will keep an eye out for new updates related to cruises being able to restart.

Royal Caribbean extends Future Cruise Credits expiration date until September 2022

In:
13 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

You will have more time to use your future cruise credits from all of those cancelled cruises.

Royal Caribbean announced it has extended the expiration date of its future cruise credits (FCCs) until September 2022.

The FCCs are valid to book by by April 30, 2022 and sail by September 30th, 2022.

Prior to this change, you had until April 2022 to use your Future Cruise Credits. This provides an extra 4 months of sailings to apply a FCC, including the ability to apply them towards summer 2022 cruises.

This change applies to:

  • Global sailing suspension FCCs
  • Cruise with Confidence FCCs
  • Non-refundable deposit credits issued after March 13, 2020
  • Pre-Cruise Planner Onboard Credits

Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, told travel agents the change was made based on feedback travel advisors have shared with the cruise line.

Future Cruise Credits are issued at the time of cancellation to be used within a certain timeframe, but with more and more cruises being cancelled, there is concern guests might run out of time to redeem them.

What can future cruise credits be used for?

Future cruise credits are vouchers that guests typically get when a cruise is cancelled in lieu of a refund, which are similar to gift certificate.

Future cruise credits have become widely available due to the current voluntary cruise shutdown that Royal Caribbean is engaged in, which means while cruises are being cancelled due to the global health crisis, Royal Caribbean is offering guests future cruise credits.

Royal Caribbean allows guests to use their future cruise credits to pay their cruise fare, including the deposit.

It cannot be used towards add-on purchases, like drink packages, shore excursions, port fees or taxes.

More information

Royal Caribbean will offer cruises from Barbados in December 2021

In:
13 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean announced it will begin offering roundtrip cruises from Barbados at the end of 2021 on Grandeur of the Seas.

The new itineraries were announced on Wednesday, which will the first time Royal Caribbean has offered a homeport from Barbados.

Get ready for sun-soaked adventures to captivating southern Caribbean isles onboard Grandeur of the Seas, sailing from the newest Royal Caribbean home port — beautiful Bridgetown, Barbados. With its idyllic pink-sand beaches, emerald hills and valleys, and rich Bajan flavor, Barbados is an unforgettable destination in its own right. And for the first time ever, this tropical paradise unlocks spectacular shores in the southern Caribbean, Central America and beyond — including three new ports in Tobago, Trinidad and St. Vincent. Go the extra mile to go the extra isle on weeklong escapes that hit a different destination every day, or linger longer on 14-night adventures that offer late stays and overnights in top-rated ports. The adventure begins in Barbados, Winter 2021

The new sailings run between December 2021 and April 2022, although more sailings could be added if the sailings prove to be popular.

A variety of 7-night sailings are available to book immediately. There are three different itineraries, including two separate 7-night sailings and a 14-night sailing with stops in St. Lucia, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, Grenada, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and more.

Royal Caribbean is also working on adding  options for embarkation tours (ending at the pier) and debarkation tours (ending at the airport). These options will include panoramic bus tours and beach stops. These options are a work in progress and have not yet been finalized.

Being a Caribbean island, getting to Barbados means taking a flight, and Royal Caribbean is working on a new system that will allow guests to book outside of 11 months for certain cities that will have nonstop flights to Barbados.

This new functionality will be available in February 2021 for the U.S.

Royal Caribbean will offer transportation between the Barbados airport and the cruise terminal.

A close relationship with Barbados

Ever since the cruise industry shutdown in March 2020, the government of Barbados has been open to working with Royal Caribbean.

It has been an open port for cruise ships to use for resupply and crew member repatriation.

In addition, the Americas Cruise Tourism Task Force is co-chaired with Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley.

While Royal Caribbean did not mention it as part of their announcement, sailings from Barbados do have an extra benefit of being outside the purview of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Since Grandeur of the Seas would sail from Barbados and not visit any U.S. ports, it would not be subject to regulations and requirements of the CDC.

Special offer for repeat cruisers

In addition to today's announcement, Royal Caribbean is offering a special promotion for members of the cruise line's customer loyalty program.

A special one-day preview of  up to$450 instant savings offer, which is on top of 60% off the second guest's fare. 

The Up to $300 Off Preview Sale provides Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members with an additional day to take advantage of our savings offer.

Up to $300 Off Preview Sale applies to new bookings made on 1/13/21.

Up to $300 Off Preview Sale provides instant savings of up to $300 USD per stateroom on select sailings departing on or after 5/1/21. Savings amount determined by category booked and sailing length:

  • On sailings 5 nights or less, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $150 for Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $75 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $100 for Balconies and $300 for Suites.

Offer open to residents of US, Canada, Puerto Rico and select countries in the Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean Group CEO says decision will be made if covid vaccine will be mandatory to cruise

In:
12 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Of all the new health protocols and changes, perhaps no single rule is as hotly debated right now as if cruise lines will require a Covid vaccine in order to be allowed to sail.

The vaccine is being distributed around the United States and in many other countries in the world, and many people want to know if the vaccine will be mandatory in order to go on a cruise.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain was asked that very question during an interview with Porthole Cruise Magazine.

Mr. Fain indicated that the decision of if a vaccine will or will not be required will be decided on by the Healthy Sail Panel of health experts that Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH)  created, "The purpose of the panel is to advise us on things like that."

"Exactly how are we going to require it? Are we going to just use it as an adjunct? I think all of that is going to come out reasonably soon."

Mr. Fain's response put the decision on if requiring the vaccine is a good idea on the panel of experts so that the cruise line can make the best decision based on the panel's guidance.

"We have the experts and we'll let them guide us."

Royal Caribbean's answer echos what NCLH CEO Frank Del Rio said last month, when he indicated his company is exploring the possibility of requiring a vaccine.

It will certainly be a requirement for the crew," Del Rio told John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Group, one of the largest organizations of travel advisors.

Mr. Del Rio also indicated there is a legal aspect to requiring it, along with the science behind if it makes sense to institute as a policy.

Booking trends remain good

Despite the nearly year-long shutdown, people are still interested in booking new cruises.

Mr. Fain attributed the booking trends to the notion of pent-up demand for vacations, "I think people are so tired...I think there's a huge pent up demand."

The example Royal Caribbean has seen was cruises resuming in Singapore, where demand to book a cruise has been very strong.

"I think there's a lot of pent up demand and I think people were really ready to get out and get on with their lives."

Not surprisingly, early cruises back may have a lot more veteran cruisers, rather than new cruisers.

"Obviously the early cruises are going to be more experienced cruisers than in the past."

"But we still in the long term need to continue to grow the market. Our industry is growing. And so I think we will continue to market to first time cruisers."

Mr. Fain said he was surprised how many first time cruisers in Singapore have booked cruises on Quantum of the Seas, "I think a lot of people say, wow, this is this is actually a great thing."

Royal Caribbean cancels all of its March and April cruises

In:
12 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Royal Caribbean's hopes to restart cruises will have to wait until at least May.

Royal Caribbean announced it will cancel all of its cruises scheduled in March and April 2021, following similar announcements by Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line to forgo sailings in March due to a combination of the global health crisis and attaining government approval to sail again.

The cruise line said as a result of the change, sailings will not be able to resume again until at least May 1, 2021.

There are two exceptions to this round of cancellations:

  • Quantum of the Seas sailings from Singapore, which have successfully been sailing since December 2020.
  • China sailings on Spectrum of the Seas, February 16-28, are suspended.

It also means there will officially have been no Royal Caribbean cruises from the United States for exactly one year, as the global cruise shutdown began in mid-March 2020. 

Today's announcement by Royal Caribbean confirms many cruise fan's fears that the despite the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) decision to lift the No Sail Order in October 2020, there is still no progress in cruises actually resuming anytime soon.

In a statement by the cruise line, Royal Caribbean said more time is needed before cruises can resume.

Prior to the new round of cancellations, Royal Caribbean had cancelled cruises through the end of February 2021, but they will extend that window by an additional two months.

Compensation

Guests affected by the cancelled cruises between March 1 - April 30,  2021, have three options for compensation.

Lift & Shift: Select next year’s sailing with the same itinerary type, sailing length, stateroom category, and within the same 4-week window of the original cruise date, and you can take your existing reservation and move it to next year.Option expires on  January 26, 2021.

125% Future Cruise Credit: To account for the inconvenience this has caused, guests are eligible for a 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that is based on the total cruise fare paid at the guest-level if neither of the other options is selected. This will be automatically issued on or before February 12, 2021 if no other option is selected.

Taxes and fees, as well as any pre-purchased amenities or onboard packages will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date. 

If you previously opted to take advantage of our Cruise with Confidence policy, the 100% FCC will stand, and this new option is ineligible.

Additionally, if you redeemed your Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit on a sailing that is now cancelled, their original FCC will be reinstated, plus 125% of any amount paid by the guest on the cancelled reservation.

Refund: If you prefer a cash refund, you can do so by requesting this option on-or-before March 31, 2021.

You can expect their refund to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date. 

If you redeemed a Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit on an impacted sailing and would now prefer a refund instead, Royal Caribbean will process this request in the amount of any new funds paid above the original certificate and, in turn, will reinstate the Cruise with Confidence FCC for future use.

Cruise Planner Purchases: If you had purchased any cruise add-ons, such as shore excursions, drink packages, wifi and more, you could opt to convert your Cruise Planner purchases  to an Onboard Credit valued at 125% of the total amount paid. This offer expires on January 26, 2021.

No indications yet when test cruises might start

While more cruise cancellations are almost expected at this point, the bigger question is when will test cruises actually begin.

It seems cruise fans are becoming more frustrated with the lack of progress in getting closer to cruises resuming, rather than the actual cruise cancellations.

While cruise cancellations due to the global health crisis are not new, it has been more than two months since the CDC issued the Conditional Sailing Order and neither the CDC nor Royal Caribbean has given any updates on things moving towards resuming sailing.

Read moreWhat does the Conditional Sailing Order mean for cruises to restart?

Before any cruise line can restart operations in the United States, it needs to meet the new requirements set forth by the CDC.

The CDC believes these strict requirements and checkpoints are necessary in order to protect the health of the public during this time.

There are three phases for Royal Caribbean to receive permission to offer cruises again:

  1. Testing crew members
  2. Simulated cruises to test out new protocols
  3. Apply for a Conditional Sailing Certificate

Read moreEverything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

The CDC told the Washington Post last week that, "no cruise line had applied for a certificate yet."

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain told travel agents in December 2020 that no one could have imagined cruises would be shutdown for over a year, "We never imagined that it would take this long and we never imagined that we could survive with such a lengthy shutdown."

Mr. Fain believes the arrival of a vaccine will aid the cruise line's efforts to restart cruises, "Today we envision that the key, but not the exclusive factor, will be the vaccines rather than purely the protocols."

"Although the first cruises will be later than we expected, the resumption of cruising will ramp up faster and be more robust."

5 things Royal Caribbean has done to boost bookings since cruises shutdown

In:
11 Jan 2021
By: 
Matt Hochberg

Since the onset of its voluntary shutdown, Royal Caribbean has been aggressive with new policies and offers meant to  get people cruising again.

There was little doubt when cruise ships shutdown in 2020, cruise lines would need to do a lot to get people booking cruises again. While revenue is basically nothing (Royal Caribbean actually had negative revenue last quarter), there have been some creative strategies announced that seek to improve consumer confidence and drum up sales.

Despite everything happening in the world, there are still lots of people who want to plan for a day where they can get back on a cruise ship. This demand has driven Royal Caribbean to find new ways to boost sales, and in the nearly year-long shutdown, there have been a few significant steps taken to keep people booking cruises.

While the new to cruise market may be all but dried up for the time being, loyal cruisers are still eagerly waiting to get back on a ship and many of the new policies and offers are clearly aimed at this audience.

Here is a look at the top five notable things Royal Caribbean has done to help get more bookings during the cruise industry shutdown

Flexible cancellation terms

Even before cruises shutdown, Royal Caribbean revamped its cancellation terms to make things simpler and more flexible.

Dubbed the Cruise with Confidence program, Royal Caribbean sought to give consumers the knowledge they could have more time to decide if they really want to go on a cruise.

The Cruise with Confidence program added the option to cancel a cruise up until 48 hours before the sailing in exchange for a future cruise credit.  Before the program was introduced, there were hefty penalties for canceling a cruise in the weeks leading up to a cruise.  If you tried to cancel a cruise a few days before the sailing, you would have gotten nothing back on your cruise fare.

This new policy mirrored what the airline industry did as well, by relaxing cancellation terms to avoid people pre-emptively canceling trips due to all the fear and doubt in the world today.

Royal Caribbean went on to also introduce Lift & Shift, as a way to easily defer a booked cruise to the same time next year while also protecting the price they originally paid.

Read moreRoyal Caribbean Lift and Shift information & frequently asked questions

By adding the freedom and flexibility to reschedule or cancel closer to the sail date, guests have a sense they have options if they change their mind later.

Cruise with Confidence has been extended, and expanded a few times, and appears to be here for the long haul until consumer confidence goes back up in terms of being able to plan cruises.

It is perhaps the most significant policy shift by the cruise line during this tumultuous time in cruising.

Read moreWhy you shouldn't cancel your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise

Double points

Perhaps no indication that everything is different now was the double Crown and Anchor Society points offer for 2021 cruises.

Essentially, Royal Caribbean will offer guests who book a cruise for 2021 (and early 2022) double the amount of points per night in the cruise line's customer loyalty program.

This may not sound like a big deal, until you realize such an offer has never been extended for such a long time, or with such wide availability.

By offering more loyalty points, guests can move up the ladder of the Crown and Anchor Society and reach higher tiers faster, which means more perks and benefits sooner.

Clearly the added loyalty points offer is aimed at repeat cruisers who look at the Crown and Anchor Society as a challenge to maneuver higher and higher at a faster pace.

Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program has long been one of the most lucrative cruise line loyalty programs out there, and moving up has never been easier with the double points offer.

Read moreTop 8 Royal Caribbean Double Points questions

Deeper discounts

Royal Caribbean rolled up its sleeves with some of its booking promotions in 2020, offering deeper and more wide ranging discounts than ever before.

Many RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers have reported deeper discounts on sales, which says something when there is a sale running nearly year round.

In the early part of the cruise line shutdown, many companies scaled back their marketing efforts because it was difficult to gauge how to appropriately advertise to consumers with everything going on.  In time, Royal Caribbean joined other companies in bringing back promotional offers, and many saw better deals than compared to before the industry shutdown.

A great example is the Kids Sail Free deal, which has always been a popular choice for families. In 2020, Royal Caribbean took the unprecedented step to offer Kids Sail Free during the summer.

Typically this offer is full of blackout dates, including the summer because kids are out of school. 

Instead, Royal Caribbean allowed the Kids Sail Free deal to extend into summer to the delight of many families.

Read more: Kids Sail Free 2021-2022 Dates & Tips

Extended future cruise credits

While Future Cruise Credits (FCCs) existed before the cruise industry shutdown, their role and ability to be used has been enhanced since the cancellations began.

Future cruise credits have become widely available due to the current voluntary cruise shutdown that Royal Caribbean is engaged in, which means while cruises are being cancelled due to the global health crisis, Royal Caribbean is offering guests future cruise credits.

Future cruise credits are vouchers that guests typically get when a cruise is cancelled in lieu of a refund. You can think of them as a kind of gift certificate.

Any FCC has redemption rules which stipulate how and when they can be used. In the nearly year-long shutdown, Royal Caribbean has tweaked and modified the program to make it easier for guests to use (and keep) their credits.

An early change was to allow someone to use their FCC towards a cruise deposit, instead of just the cruise fare. Before this was changed, you would have to put a cash deposit down first on a new reservation, and then apply a FCC to the reservation.  

Royal Caribbean has also extended future cruise credits that were set to expire before the end of 2021 to ensure everyone had more time to use their vouchers.

Then the cruise line offered the ability to combine FCCs when a cruise was cancelled.

Read moreRoyal Caribbean Future Cruise Credit: What you need to know

Extended offers when more cruises cancelled

Time and time again, Royal Caribbean has extended its policies when it became clear more time was needed for cruises to restart and bookings to be made.

No one has had a crystal ball during this process, so Royal Caribbean has consistently extended programs like Lift & Shift, Double Points, Cruise with Confidence and more in order to ensure these offerings can be better utilized when cruises do resume.

The flexibility in the terms and conditions of offers, booking promotions, and policies has demonstrated these enhancements will remain until at least cruise ships can return to service so that the spirit of these offers can be used.

Read moreHere are your options if you want to cancel or defer your booked cruise