The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new warning against going on a cruise ship, raising its warning level to the highest again.

The CDC changed the warning because of the Omicron variant and the increase in cases onboard cruise ships. It recommends to avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status.

The warning level has gone from level 3 to level 4.

The CDC's 4-level system categorizes destinations, including international destinations and United States Territories, into the following four levels:

• Level 4: Very high level of COVID-19
• Level 3: High level of COVID-19
• Level 2: Moderate level of COVID-19
• Level 1: Low level of COVID-19

This is not the first time the CDC has issued such a high warning. It did so in November 2020 before lowering it to level 3 in June 2021.

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.

The CDC recommends people who go on a cruise should get tested 1–3 days before their trip and 3–5 days after their trip, regardless of vaccination status or symptoms.

Unvaccinated passengers should not only test, but self-quarantine for a full 5 days after cruise travel.  Royal Caribbean does not allow anyone above the age of 11 to sail on its ships if they are unvaccinated.

The CDC's warning

The basis for raising the warning level stems from the Omicron variant and an increase in cases onboard ships.

"Since the identification of the Omicron variant, there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases among cruise passengers and crew reported to CDC. Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of cruise ships meeting the COVID-19 case threshold for CDC investigation."

According to the CDC, cases reported on cruise ships have increased 31 percent over the last two weeks.

This compares to the overall rate of infection in the United States, which has increased 153 percent over the same time period, although it is likely a steeper difference as we know that testing rates are far higher on cruise ships than in the general population.

Cruise ships have strictest Covid protocols

Since restarting cruises in June, Royal Caribbean and the cruise industry have implemented the strictest health protocols of any private business.

Royal Caribbean has gone above and beyond measures enacted by any other industry to ensure guest and crew member safety.

Here is a short list of the protocols required by Royal Caribbean:

• Mandatory Covid-19 vaccination for passengers 12 years and older
• Mandatory mask wearing in all indoor venues unless seated and actively eating or drinking
• Social distancing
• Mandatory pre-cruise test of every single passenger
• Weekly testing of every single crew members
• Unvaccinated children get tested multiple times, including on embarkation day
• Hospital-grade HEPA filter of air circulation on cruise ships

While Covid-19 cases on Royal Caribbean ships have increased recently due to Omicron, none of the Omicron cases have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital.

Cruise industry reaction

Almost immediately after the CDC raised the warning, the cruise industry fired back.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) issued this statement defending the cruise industry's work to keep crew members and passengers safe.

"The decision by the CDC to raise the travel level for cruise is particularly perplexing considering that cases identified on cruise ships consistently make up a very slim minority of the total population onboard—far fewer than on land—and the majority of those cases are asymptomatic or mild in nature, posing little to no burden on medical resources onboard or onshore."

"No setting can be immune from this virus—however, it is also the case that cruise provides one of the highest levels of demonstrated mitigation against the virus. Cruise ships offer a highly controlled environment with science-backed measures, known testing and vaccination levels far above other venues or modes of transportation and travel, and significantly lower incidence rates than land."

"While we are disappointed and disagree with the decision to single out the cruise industry—an industry that continues to go above and beyond compared to other sectors—CLIA and our ocean-going cruise line members remain committed to working collaboratively with the CDC in the interest of public health and safety."

Royal Caribbean Group told investors on Thursday that Omicron variant fears have seen an increase in cancellations and reduced bookings lately, but it has thus far only had a short-term impact.

The business update was issued by Royal Caribbean International's parent company as a way to explain what they are seeing as it relates to the bottom line.

Here's a look at the important takeaways from the update.

Omicron

Across the brands of Royal Caribbean Group, the Royal Caribbean Group has carried since June 2021 1.1 million guests with 1,745 people testing positive – a positivity rate of 0.02%. 

As it relates to Omicron, none of the Omicron cases on its ships have been severe or needed to be taken to a hospital. The company believes this is a result of almost everyone onboard having been vaccinated and having a negative test before boarding.

When looking at all variants of Covid-19, Royal Caribbean Group has carried 1.1 million guests with 1,745 people testing positive – a positivity rate of 0.02%.

"Omicron is having a big short-term impact on everyone, but many observers see this as a major step towards COVID-19 becoming endemic rather than epidemic," said Richard Fain, Chairman & CEO.

"We don’t like to see even one case, but our experience is a fraction of the comparable statistics of virtually any other comparable location or industry. Few businesses are subject to such intense scrutiny, regulation, and disclosure requirements by so many authorities, and we welcome that scrutiny because of our commitment to safety. We intend to maintain our goal of delivering the safest vacation on land or sea and will constantly adjust our procedures to accomplish this even in the face of Omicron’s amazing transmissibility."

Impact on reservations

While Omicron has been front page news, so far its impact on bookings has only had a short-term impact.

Right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Royal Caribbean Group, "experienced a decline in bookings and increased cancellations for near-term sailings but to a lesser degree than that experienced with the Delta variant. "

Load factors for sailings in the first half of 2022 remain below historical levels, as expected. However, sailings for the second half of 2022 continue to be booked within historical ranges, at higher prices with and without Future Cruise Credits (FCCs), with strong demand from the critical U.S. market.

Onboard experience

Royal Caribbean also addressed the impact Omicron has had on passengers and crew.

Just like all aspects of travel, the labor supply is being hit hard by Omicron because of the increase in workers testing positive, which means less employees to work.

Similar issues are impacting the company’s onboard service capabilities.  

In addition, the company is experiencing service disruptions at selected destinations and to date has cancelled or significantly modified 16 destination calls out of 331. The company expects these disruptions to continue in the near term and then decline as the world adjusts to the current trends. 

Fain concluded, “We are constantly learning and adjusting as Omicron appears to be ushering in a new phase in the fight against COVID-19."

"We expect these factors to have a negative impact in the short term but are optimistic they will lead us to a more pervasive but less severe health environment. Taken together, this should enable us to produce a strong transitional year in 2022 and a very strong 2023.”

With the cruise industry being targeted by the media for Covid-19 cases onboard its ships, Royal Caribbean sent an email to passengers booked on a cruise over the next few weeks to give them realistic expectations.

A number of cruise ships have reported Covid-19 cases onboard, as well as had to skip ports of call due to the country denying entry, and even cancelling shows onboard its ships because of cases among the performers.

Royal Caribbean sent an email to passengers booked on a cruise between now and January 17, 2022 to inform them that unexpected changes are likely and should be expected.

In the email, Royal Caribbean said the increase of Covid-19 cases from the Omicron variant has caused many changes, "with the increase in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, our public health guidance continues to evolve and we want to let you know what to expect as we prepare to welcome you onboard."

Royal Caribbean also pointed out that its crew members are fully vaccinated and boosted, along with its vaccine mandate for passengers, "All our crew members are fully vaccinated, have received booster shots when eligible, and are tested on a weekly basis with high contact front of house service staff tested every three days.

"All your fellow guests 12 and older are fully vaccinated and tested before boarding. And the small number of children sailing who are 11 and under get a second test at the terminal and are increasingly vaccinated. Typically, your onboard cruise community vaccination rate is in the 95% range."

While the cruise lines implement health protocols that no other form of travel comes close to matching, nothing is foolproof and Covid can still be spread onboard, "Even with such a high onboard community vaccination rate and enhanced protocols in place, there is a possibility of positive cases arising during your sailing, just as there is an inherent risk of COVID-19 anywhere people congregate or gather. "

In terms of ports not allowing cruise ships, Royal Caribbean talked about the collaborative effort they have with these countries, "We also work with local governments in all the ports of your itinerary who are informed of the ship's public health status before arrival and together, we decide if we can debark in their country."

"When we make these decisions, we consider the number of COVID positive cases onboard, and also the number of cases in the destination community along with factors such as the community vaccination status. Should we need to cancel a port of call, we will always do our best to find an alternate destination or work through a resolution for our missed port."

Royal Caribbean also warned guests that changes in onboard activities can occur, including:

• ice skating
• rock climbing
• laser tag
• production shows
• Adventure Ocean

Under the media microscope

Royal Caribbean's email comes in the wake of a great deal of news reports about Covid on cruise ships.

Just like in 2020, many mainstream media outlets are reporting on every single case of Covid on a cruise ship.

Unlike 2020, Royal Caribbean is armed with a slew of protocols and strategies that no other form of domestic travel uses.

Aaron Saunders, the News & Features Editor for CruiseCritic pointed out the stark reality of the lengths the cruise lines go to in order to keep customers safe, unlike airlines, trains or any other form of domestic travel.

To those slagging off cruise ships: ships have vaccine requirements. Testing protocols. Masking rules and HEPA-filtered HVAC systems.

US domestic travel is the Wild West by comparison. Your flight crew may now even be able to return to work only five days after having COVID. 🤦‍♂️

— Aaron Saunders (@deckchairblog) December 28, 2021

Ashley Kosciolek, a travel writer for The Points Guy, feels not only has the media been unfair in its reporting of Covid on cruise ships, but they lack proper knowledge of what the lines are doing, "I've been on 10 since June and would gladly do 10 more."

"I challenge any of the people whining about it to take a cruise. I guarantee they'd eat their words.

Our last port of call on this cruise brings us to Puerto Vallarta.

Interestingly, we changed time zones again and are essentially on Central Time, even though we are still on the west coast of Mexico.

Navigator docked right on time at 8am. Our tour didn't begin until 11, so we let the kids sleep in a bit before getting everyone ready to go.

I had arranged a tour through Royal Caribbean's Private Journeys program for today, which means we have a private shore excursion booked through the cruise line. The plan was to visit Sabal Playa, a beach resort on the north side of Puerto Vallarta.

I went through Private Journeys because at the time, I wasn't sure if my kids would be vaccinated or not. Royal Caribbean doesn't allow unvaccinated people to go on their own tours, so by booking an excursion through Royal Caribbean, I was able to get around the problem.

We walked down to the Royal Theater, just like any shore excursion, and they took us right off the ship to meet our guide in the port area.

The tour included a driver for the day that spoke fluent English, an air conditioned van, and admission into Sabal Playa. The tour did not include food or drinks.

Sabal Playa didn't open until 11:30, so our guide took us on a tour by car of Puerto Vallarta to burn up time.

Along the way, we stopped at a Mexican shopping mall and treated the kids to gelato while I got a coffee.

Back on the road, we headed to Sabal Playa.

Sabal is a combination pool and beach resort, similar in setup to Paradise Beach in Cozumel: pay an admission fee, and get access to the facilities. Food and drink are a la carte.

The grounds were lovely, and their infinity pool was plenty large and heated.

The staff set us up on the beach, which is a short walk beyond the pool on the "lower" level. They gave us chairs and umbrellas to use.

This was our opportunity to go for a swim in the Pacific Ocean, and the sea water was a little chilly, but you got used to it quite quickly.

The views around were stunning with mountains surrounding much of the area. 

There is a good assortment of food and drinks, with mostly Mexican food to choose from. During our stay, we had a couple beers, some drinks for the kids, guacamole, two orders of tacos, and quesadillas and spent $50 for it all.

The food was pretty good as well and freshly prepared. 

Overall, I really liked our visit, and the kids wanted to stay longer when we told them it was time to go.

At the pre-arranged time, our driver took us back to the ship.

The port area in Puerto Vallarta is close to Costa Maya as being the most annoyingly long path to get you through as many shops as possible.

Back on Navigator of the Seas, we showered and got changed for dinner.

For dinner, we went back to the main dining room. They had my favorite variety of Indian curry this evening, aloo gobi.

We dropped the kids off at Adventure Ocean, and then discovered that while the ship departed Puerto Vallarta around 6, the casino did not re-open until 8:15. 

We spent some time in the Schooner Bar to wait the casino out. Eventually it re-opened, and me and my money were quickly separated.

We finished out our evening in the pub.

Tomorrow is a sea day.

Going on a cruise is still a really fun family vacation, even during a pandemic, but it's important you understand the nature of cruising right now and be okay with changes.

If the idea of last-minute changes to rules and protocols bother you, perhaps putting off your cruise a bit longer might be prudent.

Over the last two weeks, cruise ships have been back in the focus of the media following higher-than-usual Covid cases onboard, which felt like perhaps things were regressing backwards instead of moving forward.

The cruise line appear ready to deal with the threat of the Omicron variant and continue forward, but these last two weeks have been a good reminder to anyone thinking of going on a cruise that changes are not only likely, they should be expected.

If you are going to sail on a cruise ship while Covid-19 is a major threat, be prepared and flexible.

Ports refusing ships, new mask rules, vaccine requirements, and who knows what else could affect an upcoming sailing, so it is vital that you not only stay up-to-date with these policy revisions, but not allow them to get in the way of enjoying your cruise.

Early on this summer when the first ships were back in service, I think many cruisers recognized protocol changes were likely and expected them.

Soon thereafter, we got lucky over the summer and fall with relatively few Covid cases onboard and protocols not changing much.  If you went on a cruise ship in October or November, you probably saw the most lax view by guests and crew towards certain requirements.

Covid cases on Symphony of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas served as a wake-up call for the cruise lines, and Royal Caribbean implemented tighter mask requirements along with a renewed emphasis on ensuring passengers follow the rules.

It suddenly felt like I was cruising again in June 2021, as rules were changing often and some cruisers clearly were not pleased with so many last-minute changes.

On the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards, there were quite a few comments on rule changes and what to expect. Some positive, and some negative. The bottom line is we got lucky with how smooth things went over the mid-part of 2021, but we're not out of the woods.

What to think about if you have a cruise booked

If you have a cruise booked, or are thinking of booking one, I can tell you I love being onboard and would go again and again because of the blend of a fun vacation with unrivaled health protocols.

I cannot emphasize enough the high likelihood of changes to protocols, rules, and requirements.

If you plan on taking a cruise, you should be open to many changes, even just days before you sail. Royal Caribbean is doing its best to navigate all of the new recommendations and best practices, but it can come at the expense of hitting guests with a new update.

If the idea of seeing an email a few days before you sail with a new testing requirements, or policy shift irks you, you should defer your cruise until a later date. Or even hold back all together for cruises to restart and see a semblance of regularity resume to them.

It's also equally important to keep up with the different rules and requirements. Being unaware of a change isn't going to cut it, and it's only going to lead to frustration on your part.

For some people, the opportunity to go on a cruise ship again is the most important consideration, and change is a way of life, so embracing it means getting back to the vacation they have always enjoyed in the past or want to give a try now.

Others may find the changes, uncertainty, or restrictions, simply too much for now.  In that case, postponing your trip to a later date when there is more predictability to going on a cruise may be the best course of action.

Next up in our Mexican Riviera cruise is a visit to Mazatlan. Unlike Cabo San Lucas yesterday, we have a full day here.

We woke up to the ship already docked and cleared for passengers to disembark. Our tour didn't begin until a little later in the morning, so we got everyone up and ready for breakfast.

After the usual family morning routine of wake up, get dressed, wake up again, wait, wake up one more time, and then up to the Windjammer for breakfast, we disembarked the ship.

The ship docks in a shipping port, so there's nothing but shipping containers to see.  Passengers take a very short tram ride to the other side of the port facility, where there is a typical shopping area to walk through before being able to exit the port.

We did a little bit of window shopping before it was time to meet our tour.

We booked an ATV tour through MazatlanTours.org. Royal Caribbean had very few tours here, so we booked on our own.

The tour guide met us in the port area parking lot and after waiting for one other group, took us on an open air truck ride to the ATV spot.

Navigator docks in "old Mazatlan", and the ride to "new Mazatlan" is about 15-20 minutes.  There is a stark contrast between the two areas, with the ATV location right in the heart of shopping, dining, and things to do. 

We had booked a private ATV tour for the four of us in a 4-seater ATV. Things did not get off to a great start, as the guy working there had to check in everyone that was arriving, as well as set everyone up in their vehicle. Eventually other help arrived, but it was slow going.

Compounding the problem was they didn't know we had a private tour. After realizing the issue, they quickly took one of the guide's out (I think he was going to stay at the shop) and he was our guide.

We got going at this point, and took a ride through Mazatlan to the countryside, where we found off-road trails.

The trails took us through cactus fields, up and down steep "jungle" hills, and eventually to the ocean.

Unfortunately halfway through, our vehicle stopped working.  The guide looked it over, tried a few things, but it would not start back up.  He called in the problem, and we switched to his vehicle while he took a scooter to finish the tour.

We made three (scheduled) stops: at the top of a mountain overlook, at a horse farm for the kids to ride a horse, and at a scenic beach stop.

Overall, I enjoyed the tour, and the kids liked our pit stops more than the ride itself. There wasn't any narration or anything, just an opportunity to drive ATVs and see some of Mazatlan.

After the tour was over, we were ready to eat lunch and I wanted something more authentic than El Loco Fresh. We walked down the main road and found an outdoor restaurant serving tacos, quesadillas, burritos, fish and more.

Everything was prepared on the spot, and it tasted great. Twenty dollars for 5 quesadillas, 3 tacos, a beer, and a few sodas.

We hailed a taxi, which resembles the Hanna-Barbera Speed Buggy animated series vehicle.

On the drive back, our taxi driver pointed out a few sights, including cliff divers.

We got back on Navigator of the Seas and decided to put on bathing suits and take the kids down the water slides.

Navigator of the Seas has two water slides you wont find on any other Royal Caribbean ship: a mat racer slide and a water coaster slide.

My kids liked both slides, but preferred the water coaster.

Back in the room, we took showers and got ready for dinner.

Dinner brought us back to the main dining room.

After dinner, we dropped the kids off at Adventure Ocean and then went to the casino where once again, the Blackjack gods did not smile upon me. I've never seen so many hands where I have 12 and the dealer has a face card showing.

I stopped by the Bamboo Room for a drink before taking a walk outside. The evening weather is so comfortable out, with low humidity and a warm breeze.

We weren't sure what to do next, so we went back to the cabin to do something different: binge a few episodes of Hawkeye. To my surprise, the ship's internet was able to handle the stream without an issue.

To round out our evening, we headed back to the pub for a few drinks and music.

Tomorrow we will be in Puerto Vallarta.

Stray Observations

I'm not the bah humbug type, but the non-stop Christmas music everywhere on the ship is starting to reach a point where I'm getting sick of it. 

I did a speed test of the ship's wifi and as I said earlier, it performs quite well.

Our dining room waiters gave us a belated Christmas card they make every year for the people at their table. It's incredible!

NextCruise has not been staffed/open at all this cruise (or at least, never staffed/open when I've been near).

In the Captain's daily announcement, he commended guests for the very good adherence to the mask protocol onboard. Halfway through the cruise, I have seen nearly every guest following the rules about mask wearing, even wearing masks outdoors in large quantities. It's good to see passengers who understand not only is it the cruise line rules, but the importance for everyone's health.

Denise and her family sailed on Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas this past week, and celebrated the strict protocols on the ship that limited the spread of Covid-19 to just a minute percentage of passengers.

Like all of society, cruise ships are dealing with an increase in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant that spreads easier, although is far milder.

While an increase in Covid cases on land is seen largely as another chapter in the current saga of Covid, the media has taken to focusing again on cruise ships. Cruise lines have among the most stringent health protocols and report their Covid cases to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which makes reporting on new cases easy.

While the media has been busy highlighting new cases that affect a mere 1-2% of passengers, many cruise fans shared how much they are enjoying their cruise and appreciate what Royal Caribbean is trying to do during this time.

Passengers from Odyssey of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and others shared the health protocols onboard make them feel far safer onboard than at home.

CruiseGus is onboard Allure of the Seas and despite Covid cases onboard, is happy to have taken his family on a cruise, "glad we decided to stay on this cruise."

"I'm still enjoying myself, crew are fantastic."

Denise appreciated the fact on Odyssey of the Seas the crew members were working hard to ensure things were being taken care of, "Captain was always communicating, every day. Felt well cared for and safe. Security mingling through out in addition to staff gently reinforcing proper mask wearing to make sure that protocol was followed. "

Liz007 is also on Odyssey of the Seas and shared her admiration for the Captain and crew, "The staff and captain handled it well. We all know what we are getting into sailing in these times so it was not shocking what happened. Overall, a pleasant cruise to nowhere."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared on social media over the weekend that while there have been Covid cases on ships like Odyssey of the Seas, investigations by the CDC revealed mild or asymptomatic cases.

"All cases appear to be mild or asymptomatic. Additionally, there have been no COVID-19 related hospitalizations, medical evacuations, ventilator use, or deaths from this ship."

"This new variant rapidly transmits yet no one (vaccinated) appears to get very sick."

gomammoth22 shared the result of Royal Caribbean's new stricter mask policy has been far better mask wearing on Oasis of the Seas, "Everyone wearing masks where needed."

"I hate wearing a mask more than most, but I will not complain once on this cruise."

Jax was also on Oasis this past week and thinks Royal Caribbean is doing a good job of balancing protocols with the guest experience, "I felt completely safe and my onboard experience wasn’t impacted."

Beyond just negative media attention, some ports in the Caribbean have denied entry to cruise ships because of the handful of passengers that are quarantined and treated for Covid. These same countries and territories have not curbed air travel at all.

The negative press has not changed BrianB's mind about going on a cruise again, "Eight cruises since September. Four on Oasis and four on Anthem. Leaving again on Friday."

Our first port of call is Cabo San Lucas, although we don't get there until noon.

My morning routine was the same as yesterday. Wake up before the kids, head up to the pool deck and enjoy some fresh air while I catch up on blog posts.

I noticed immediately the temperature had warmed up significantly from the last two days, and it was comfortable to be outdoors wearing shorts.

Once the kids did get up, we had breakfast in the Windjammer. We decided to go to brainbuster trivia after. Here's one question: What starts with "e", ends with "e", and has one letter?

The answer is envelope.

Navigator of the Seas made her way along the coast of Mexico as we drew closer to Cabo.

Cabo San Lucas is not a port you dock at. Instead, guests take tender boats to shore.

We booked the Deluxe Coastal Cruise for today, which is a 2-hour tour by water of the surrounding area.

We met in the Royal Theater and took a tender to shore before boarding a large boat for our tour. The tour listed it as a catamaran, but it looked like a giant tender boat.

There were 3 stops: Land's End cliff-side beaches, Lovers Beach, and then wildlife viewing.

We started off heading out of the harbor and made our way right to Land's End.

The rock formation is beautiful, although we basically saw it from our ship on the voyage in.  Still, this was a closer look and included a view of sea lions barking up a storm.

Around the rocks are beaches, including Lover's Beach. If I were to come back again, I think taking a water taxi here would be fun.

At this point, it was whale watching time. In the winter months, humpback whales migrate to Mexico from Alaska to mate.

The crew passed out complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including pre-packaged snacks like potato chips.

The drinks included mai tais, tequila sunrises, and even shots. Kids could have sodas, shirley temples and any drink that doesn't need a blender.

I was less than optimistic that we'd see any whales, but after a half hour we spotted our first pod.

It was pretty far, but I saw two whales come up a few times.  By the time our boat got there, they had gone away.

I would have been pretty content with just that, but then we found the pod two more times, including one time where they came up directly in front of us.

It was amazing to see these whales up-close, and my kids loved it.

The crew did a great job of keeping drinks and snacks handy, and played fun music along the way.

It was a great tour, and I really liked it.  The fact we saw whales a few times was incredible, and made the tour fantastic.

When the tour was over, we were dropped off at the pier. I took a brief walk around the port, but it looked a lot like Cozumel, so we headed back.

The tender ride back was pretty quick, and no lines to contend with.

Back on the ship, we showered quickly before heading to dinner.

Dinner brought us back to Izumi.  My phone was charging in the room, so no dinner photos, but the poke bowl and sushi chef sampler were great.

Tomorrow we are in Mazatlan.

Stray Observations

I found another weird Royal Caribbean food in the Windjammer today, bangers!

Managed to get the kids into Adventure Ocean today without a reservation.  Got there when they opened, and after a few kids with reservations entered, we were admitted.

Royal Caribbean will help with the financial burden of international visitors that need a Covid-19 test to return home.

Last week, the cruise line said it would stop offering complimentary Covid-19 tests for passengers that need a test to get back to their home country onboard the ship.

Instead, they would be referred to shoreside options for testing at an additional cost.

That rule was announced to go into effect beginning with sailings that depart on January 5, but Royal Caribbean has changed their mind.

If you are sailing between January 5th through January 31st, Royal Caribbean will cover the cost of this test for international guests on sailings through January 31st, 2022.

Once a passenger debarks, vendors outside the terminal will be waiting to provide either a PCR or antigen test based on your home country's testing requirement.

Guests are still able to test at other locations outside the terminal, such as at the airport or a local pharmacy - the arrangement and cost for tests outside the terminal will be the guest's expense and responsibility.

Starting on February 1st, 2022, guests who require a re-entry test to travel back home will be responsible for the cost of testing.

The cost of testing in the terminal varies by port and test, starting at $105 per antigen test and $210 per PCR test. You can also take advantage of other testing options, like airport testing or testing at a local pharmacy. The arrangement and cost of these tests are the guest's responsibility and should be paid directly to the test provider.

The new rules can be found on Royal Caribbean's website.

Countries, such as Canada, require a negative Covid-19 test in order for their citizens to return home following international travel.

Royal Caribbean had been offering such tests onboard its ships for no additional charge.

Our first full day on Navigator is a sea day as we head south to Mexico.

Of course, it's also Christmas, which means a ship-wide celebration throughout the day. Being on a cruise ship for Christmas doesn't mean you have to put off your family's celebrations. Lots of families do the pajama thing, take photos, and even decorate.

I started off my morning heading up to the Windjammer for breakfast. There was a gingerbread village just as you walk in.

Behind the village is complimentary eggnog and hot chocolate, conveniently located right near the Windjammer bar. A little Kraken rum and eggnog go a long way.

All around the ship, you will find crew members wearing different Christmas hats and clothing to join in the celebrations.

In case you're wondering, Royal Caribbean provides a midnight mass, as well as Christmas day mass.

While the sun was shining today, it was not warm out.  The high temperature was somewhere in the 60s, and with the ocean breeze, it felt brisk.

Of the many Christmas events, there was a "Holiday gift distribution", where Royal Caribbean provided a wrapped gift to all the kids from Adventure Ocean.

The gift was an Adventure Ocean themed pop it, which is a fidget toy consisting of a silicone tray with pokable bubbles. School aged children love these things.

With the weather not warm enough for the usual pool deck activities, we hit up the mini-golf course and then grabbed some towels to sit by the pool. The towels were for a blanket, rather than to soak up water.

We tried to hit up the ice skating, but the line was enormous, so ditched the line. This is one time I wish I had a Royal Genie again.

Royal Caribbean also held a Christmas day brunch from 9:30am to 1pm in the main dining room.

It is quite unusual to have the main dining room open for so long, and it was nice that you could choose between breakfast, lunch, or both.

After lunch, I decided to head back to the room for a nap. Isn't that a Christmas tradition too?

Having been on the ship for 24 hours, I thought it would make sense to talk about the mask rules and how it's working so far.

Many readers have been curious how the stricter mask rules "feel", and what it's like.

In general, the revised mask protocols means the change is wearing your mask in vaccinated-only zones. 

My experience has been 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.

I've noticed nearly everyone compliant with the mask rules indoors.  I can think of perhaps one person that didn't have the mask on indoors when I saw them. 

There are definitely a few masks worn by guests that I don't think qualify as masks that do anything helpful, such as face shields alone or the one person had what looked like a coffee filter-inspired mask.

But I cannot recall seeing so many masks being worn on a ship since the early days of cruising's return.

There have also been many more people than I can recall seeing wearing masks outdoors as well.

I don't think Royal Caribbean wants to be in a situation where there are crew members every 10 feet looking to correct mask wearing, but I do know they want guests following the rules, and overall it feels like they've done a good job of focusing on the guest experience, while balancing mask enforcement.

The one rule no one seems to follow or enforce is the elevator rule. Elevators are supposed to be up to 5 people or your travel party, but those things get jam packed repeatedly. 

I'll keep an eye on the mask situation onboard, but so far, I'm very pleased with how the rule has been implemented and how well-received it has been from guests.

Back to the cruise day fun!

Dinner tonight took us to Izumi. We bought the 3-night dining package, and since Chops and Jamie's were blacked out due to the holiday, Izumi made sense. Plus, we'd probably be eating Asian cuisine on Christmas if we were at home!

The one change I noticed is the absence of the hot rock option from the menu.  During the shutdown, Royal Caribbean standardized Izumi's menu across the fleet, and the hot rocks are gone from Navigator, at the very least.

Nonetheless, we found great options and I enjoyed the various sushi options we had.

After dinner, we took the kids to Adventure Ocean. We had a reservation for this evening.  One tip is to ask daily if there's any reservations you can make. The staff member said tomorrow was pretty open, but there were a few spots for the next day.  So we booked that day, and will roll the dice on space for tomorrow.

With the kids gone, my wife and I headed down to the casino to try our luck. The Blackjack gods did not smile upon me, but at least they let me play for a while.

Following our "contribution" to the Royal Caribbean bottom line, we enjoyed drinks and music at the Schooner Bar and Pub.

Tomorrow is our first port stop in Cabo San Lucas.

Stray Observations

One of the weird foods you can eat on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship: three different varieties of gravlax.

I did an internet test today and the speeds were nothing special, but for email, social media, and text messaging, it's more than sufficient. My attempts to watch TNT live so I could catch the Christmas Story marathon failed every single time because of the low speeds and high lag.

I think the casitas on Navigator are complimentary, and do not cost extra. 

In his daily update, the Captain said on Navigator's last 7-night run, they saw a pod of humpback whales, so everyone should look for them as we arrive in Mexico tomorrow.

Unfortunately, I slept on my right shoulder last night and woke up with a strained muscle. Ibuprofen and laying down helps a lot. I'm hoping it gets better quickly.

I ran across the Diamond Lounge set up in the Cosmopolitan Club for their evening happy hour.

Printed Cruise Compasses are a rare breed on this cruise.

Here's a look at the main dining room Christmas menu