It now will be at least March before you can get on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Royal Caribbean announced on Wednesday it has cancelled January and February 2021 cruises that were scheduled in order to provide more time to prepare to restart cruise operations.

There are two exceptions: Singapore sailings onboard Quantum of the Seas, and Spectrum of the Seas’ China departures between January 24 - February 28, 2021. 

In addition, the remainder of the Australia/New Zealand season has been cancelled — through April 2021.

Cruise fans may have hoped there would be a chance for cruises to begin in 2021, but unfortunately Royal Caribbean needs more time to prepare for all of the new requirements that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has placed on all cruise lines to demonstrate the new health protocols are effective at preventing the spread of any disease on a cruise ship.

In a statement sent via email, Royal Caribbean said it needs more time to get things right, " As we strengthen our continued partnership with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), please know that we are taking a very thorough approach and, therefore, require a little extra time."

Cruise operations had been suspended through the end of December 2020, but will now be extended an additional two months.

Read more: What you should do now that Royal Caribbean cancelled your cruise

Compensation

Guests affected by the cancelled cruises between January 1 - February 28,  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 December 16, 2020.

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 January 15, 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 November 13, 2020.

More prep time needed

While the CDC lifted the No Sail order at the end of October, the new regulations and requirements imposed on the cruise industry to be able to restart simply means Royal Caribbean needs more time to meet the new requirements.

Before Royal Caribbean can start offering cruises again, it needs to hit all of the steps outlined by the CDC.

The CDC added all of these requirements to allow the cruise lines to test out its proposed new protocols, while protecting the health of the public in the interim period.

The three phases of getting permission to restart passenger cruises are:

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

The entire cruise industry has adopted a sweeping range of new protocols outlined by the recommendations made by the Healthy Sail Panel earlier this summer.  There are 74 recommendations on how cruise ships can be operated safely during the currrent global health crisis.

Royal Caribbean has expressed it can operate in a safe manner, and is eager to prove the Healthy Sail Panel recommendations can work effectively.

The framework for sailing again is not simple, and the CDC admits the rules can change in terms of what is needed to get cruise ships operating again from the United States.

It is unknown how long it will take Royal Caribbean to complete all of the necessary steps and subsequently obtain permission to cruise again.

For its part, Royal Caribbean has been adamant about taking as much time as it needs to get everything right.

"But it's fair to say that there is still a lot of uncertainty against this backdrop, " Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said during a conference call with investors in August. "We will not rush to return to service until we are confident that we have figured out the changes that we must make to offer our guests and crew strong health and safety protocols with the enjoyable experience that they rightly expect."

"We believe that our health is healthy. Return to service program will help get us there."

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas has begun sailing with her first official cruise kicking off yesterday from Singapore.

This is the first Royal Caribbean International cruise since the company shut down operations in March, and we have an inside look at what it is like to go on a cruise during the global health crisis.

Our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society have been sharing photos with RoyalCaribbeanBlog of what it is like onboard this first sailing, which is only open to residents of Singapore.

The second day onboard is a sea day, and a good opportunity to see what is happening around the ship, as well as get a sense of how the new health protocols are working.

Be sure to check out the photos from embarkation and day one on Quantum of the Seas as well.

North Star observational pod only allows 4 or 5 guests (and one crew member) at a time to ride.  In Asia, North Star costs extra (which is not the case in North America or Europe).

Like North Star, other onboard activities and things to do have been altered to meet social distancing needs.

Laser tag has been dramatically changed from a close quarter shoot 'em up, to a game where each team stands in the middle of the SeaPlex and shoot targets for 45 seconds to see who has the highest score.

Pool deck on Quantum of the Seas with some seats marked as unavailable due to social distancing.

Water fountains are not available due to health and safety concerns.

Fitness center also has some equipment unavailable.

In Two70, you need to reserve a seat ahead of time via Royal Caribbean's app. There are only about 250 seats available. If you are a family of five, you can sit together. Any groups larger than that will have to be separated. Crew members will guide you to your seats.

The Two70 venue is split up into five zones. After the show, you will leave Two70 according to the zone you are seated in.

Movies being shown in Music Hall, with social distancing in the seats.

Entrances to many venues that commonly have a line are marked where to stand to promote social distancing.

Due to Singapore law, Royal Caribbean stops selling alcoholic beverages at 10pm each night, and no more drinking allowed after 10:30pm.

Meal service combines social distancing with a contactless experience. QR codes to view menus.

Quantum of the Seas ship models for sale, including a ship model key chain.

Royal Caribbean has also altered other traditional cruise activities to foster social distancing.

Bumper cars available for use in the SeaPlex.

Outdoor signature activities available for use.

Breakfast menu to order from on Quantum of the Seas.

Just like yesterday, the Windjammer is full service with crew members serving guests.

That's a wrap for day two on Quantum of the Seas. Many thanks to the Singapore Cruise Society for helping us share what it is like to be on the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship back in service.

The first day is a wrap on Royal Caribbean's first cruise ship to return to service, and we have a look at some of the evening activities onboard.

Quantum of the Seas set sail from Singapore on December 1, and is the first Royal Caribbean ship to offer passenger service again since the cruise industry shutdown in mid-March.

Guests boarded Quantum of the Seas in the morning, and the ship set sail on a 3-night cruise with no port stops and only available to residents of Singapore. It is an important test for a whole series of brief cruises Royal Caribbean hopes to operate in the coming months.

You can view photos from check-in and embarkation to catch up on everything else so far.

The Singapore Cruise Society are sharing photos from onboard the ship with RoyalCaribbeanBlog, and we now have a look at how the evening shaped up.

Dinner

Let's begin with dinner onboard Quantum of the Seas.

For guests ready to enter the dining room, there is social distance markers on the ground to ensure guests in line are not too close together.

Dinner in the main dining room is similar to what most guests may be used to, although there are QR codes on the table where you can pull up the menu.

Escargots, Shrimp Cocktail , Pork Chops and Pad Thai

Royal Chocolate Cake

Entertainment and fun things to do

The SeaPlex on Quantum of the Seas offers a lot of fun activities to do onboard, and Bumper Cars were open for guests to enjoy.

Crew members take guests' temperatures waiting for bumper cars. Our friends reported that the lines were long, but they did move quickly.

Cruise staff will sanitize each of the bumper cars between each sessions, which takes about 2 minutes.

Over in the theater, guests can enjoy the production shows in a socially distanced manner.

Certain seats are marked as unavailable in order to enforce social distancing.

The performers are wearing masks that match their colorful costumes.

Late night

If you are looking for a bite to eat before bed, the usual spots are open, but expect a few changes.

To go to Cafe Promenade and pick up a snack, you will need your SeaPass card, Trace together token/app and tracelet.

Each table has been cleaned and has a card to indicate it is ready, with a card to indicate it is has been sanitized.

Casino

The casino is open on Quantum of the Seas, and just like other venues, has social distancing enforced.  Smoking is still allowed.

More Quantum of the Seas coverage

There is more photos and reports from Quantum of the Seas is coming, thanks to our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society.

First started in 2014, Singapore Cruise Society has documented significant cruise happenings in Singapore. Since then, we have grown to be one of Asia's largest cruise-
centric blog and community, providing everything from cruise vacation experiences to the latest development in the cruise travel industry. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

One of the premier shows on Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship was just confirmed by the cruise line.

Coming to the Two70 venue on Odyssey of the Seas will be a brand new show called "Oceanides".

Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, confirmed the name of the new show on social media, and also provided some photos of the show that were recently tested.

Oceanides is the first production show confirmed for Odyssey of the Seas, as Royal Caribbean has not divulged the full line up of entertainment onboard yet.

The photos show performers in a box that is filled with water. Each performer's video is displayed on one of the cruise line's custom Roboscreens. These roboscreens are in front of the Vistarama backdrop that covers the entire side of the theater.

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

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

Odyssey of the Seas reached its next construction milestone over the weekend when it was floated out at Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany.

Debuting in spring of 2021, the Quantum Ultra Class ship was floated out of the building hall to transfer docks – a process that took more than seven hours. 

Once complete, Odyssey of the Seas will join Royal Caribbean's fleet as the second Quantum Ultra class cruise ship and split her time between Europe and North America.

Odyssey of the Seas is scheduled to be delivered to Royal Caribbean in Spring 2021.

After her inaugural season in Europe, Odyssey will then continue its inaugural year in Fort Lauderdale, FL with 8- and 6-night Caribbean itineraries.

It has been almost nine months, but the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship is back in service with paying passengers in Singapore.

Quantum of the Seas departed on December 1st on a short sailing to begin a new season of cruises from the small South Asian country.

Our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society are onboard the first sailings to share the changes Royal Caribbean has made, and what it is like to sail onboard through photo updates.

Check-in

Quantum of the Seas is sailing from the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, and the check-in process has added health checks to the normal embarkation day process.

All guests traveling aboard Quantum of the Seas, regardless of age, must undergo a SARS-CoV-2 (rtPCR) test within 3 days prior to boarding and obtain a negative result. Royal Caribbean will cover the cost of your test for sailings departing on or before March 18, 2021.

All tests will need to be booked through Royal Caribbean’s testing provider – Eurofins. Royal Caribbean will email guests 14 days prior to your sailing with information on how to book the test with the testing provider.

In addition, masks are required in the terminal (and onboard the ship).

Guests will also have to undergo another COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (ART) at the cruise terminal upon disembarkation at the end of their voyage.

Guests who have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the past 180 days before embarking, or hold a positive serology certificate dated during this timeframe, will not be able to receive a PCR test, and are therefore unable to cruise.

Contact tracing

Something new for Quantum of the Seas is guests must download a contact tracing app on their phone, or collected a token.

Guests have the choice of downloading the  TraceTogether app or collected the TraceTogether (TT) token in order to board the ship.

TraceTogether is a digital system which the Singaporean Government had implemented to allow for better contact tracing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. The system was initially made up of an app, by the same name, and was later supplemented by a physical token. The token and the mobile application work offline but using Bluetooth technology, and records the token ID of others in close contact of guests above a certain time. The token will not record location data etc.

Guests will be provided another wearable piece of technology called a "Tracelet", which will assist in contact tracing onboard. Guests will be required to have the Tracelet, TraceTogether Token/App active always throughout the voyage. Crew members will also be required to participate in this contact tracing effort.

Please note that children below 7 years old are exempted and are not required to have the TT Token or app with them.

Embarkation

After completing check-in, guests are able to board the ship with a new emphasis on social distancing.

Social distancing, masks, sanitization and more

Royal Caribbean has added a variety of new health protocols to keep guests and crew healthy onboard.

In each stateroom is a complimentary face mask, as well as hand sanitizer to use.

Social distancing markers and reserved chairs to promote social distancing are found all over the ship.

At the Windjammer buffet, guests are served by the waiters there.

Another big change is Muster 2.0, which is a new approach to the cruise ship safety drill.

Instead of going to a muster station and standing in close proximity to others while listening to safety instructions, guests can conduct the safety drill from their stateroom television or in the Royal Caribbean app.

After completing the steps in the eMuster, guests then go to their muster station to confirm they know where it is located and are marked done.

In an effort to be be as contactless as possible, guests can also view menus and order items via the QR codes.

More coverage to come!

I will be sharing more Quantum of the Seas coverage right here, thanks to our friends from the Singapore Cruise Society.

Singapore Cruise Society is the leading cruising blog and community in Southeast Asia.

First started in 2014, Singapore Cruise Society has documented significant cruise happenings in Singapore. Since then, we have grown to be one of Asia's largest cruise-
centric blog and community, providing everything from cruise vacation experiences to the latest development in the cruise travel industry. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Royal Caribbean's vice president EMEA, Ben Bouldin, spoke to cruise fans during an online webinar about what Royal Caribbean is thinking in regards to cruises starting up again.

Mr. Bouldin answered questions during a CruiseCritic webinar about how Royal Caribbean will approach their return to service, and what is happening right now to get closer to cruises resuming.

Today's talk with Mr. Bouldin provided an updated look at the latest changes and news.

Extensive test sailings

One of the first topics tackled was test cruises, and what to expect from them.

Royal Caribbean received a tremendous amount of interest from the public to be a volunteer on test cruises, and the question remains what to expect from these test sailings.

Mr. Bouldin believes the test sailings will be "critical" to preparing the fleet to start again safely.

The exact specifics of these test sailings still need to be defined fully, "We might need some volunteers in some markets to do so and we'll see how that goes. But the team are planning what those tests eventually look like."

The opportunity to sign up for test cruises is limited to Americans currently, but European test sailings will also need to occur and volunteers could be a part of that too.

"There will definitely be trial cruises on the ship sailing out of Europe, so we've had that confirmed."

"What form those are going to take was still working on, but there will definitely be some trial cruises and whether or not we open those up to the public and still to be defined."

"But I suspect we may well need the help of some of our very loyal, Crown and Anchor guests to come and help put some of the ships and the crews through their paces."

First cruise back on Quantum

On the topic of test cruises, Royal Caribbean just wrapped up its first test sailing with Quantum of the Seas right before she will start sailing again tomorrow.

Mr. Bouldin noted Quantum completed its first test sailing in Singapore with "friends and family" onboard.

"We've worked very closely with the Singapore authorities to produce a program that's fit for purpose and helps us return to service safely. And we're delighted to get that back up and running tomorrow."

"I'm sure we're going to learn so much about our future plans on the basis of how these sailing's developed evolve."

Of course, these cruises on Quantum have been designed with safety of crew and passengers in conjunction with the Singaporean government.

"There are so many different protocols, many different aspects from hygiene and cleaning crew to how we serve in restaurants and buffets, how we socially distance and theaters."

"All of these things have to be thought through practiced and implemented ahead of guests coming on board."

Technology will be critical

When cruises restart, technology will play its most significant role yet on cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean has always invested in new ways to leverage tech, such as facial recognition and a new app, but more changes are coming.

Mr. Bouldin noted that the cruise line wants to create contactless environments around the ship, such as how people can order drinks from their phone or open their stateroom doors.

"That's all going to evolve and continue to evolve. So planning your trip and having everything in the palm of your hand is critical."

One of the signature new features coming to the Royal Caribbean app is Muster 2.0, which makes the muster drill a self-service and easier experience.

Buffet is not going away

And for anyone still concerned, the Windjammer buffet is not going anywhere.

There was concern earlier this year that the buffet might be going away, but Mr. Bouldin echoed follow up comments from Royal Caribbean that there will still be a buffet, albeit with some changes.

"The buffet is staying. The Windjammer Cafe is one of the most loved and best loved features of our product and is genuinely adored by our fans all over the world."

"In the short term, we may have to look at some changes around how food is served, but ultimately that restaurant and the brand has no intention of getting rid of the buffet that everyone loves."

Nine months after Royal Caribbean shut down its cruises due to the global health crisis, its first cruise ship will offer a revenue cruise tomorrow.

Quantum of the Seas will sail from Singapore on December 1, and begin offering 3- and 4-night cruises to only residents of Singapore with no port stops.

Royal Caribbean shut down all cruises beginning on March 14, 2020 and has not offered another cruise since. Quantum of the Seas will be the first to offer paid cruises since March.

New photos just added from the first Quantum of the Seas sailing!

The first sailing on Quantum of the Seas on December 1 is capped at about 1,000 guests.

A variety of comprehensive new health protocols will be implemented onboard Quantum of the Seas including:

• Testing and screening
• Upgraded Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems that enhance filtration
• Stringent cleaning practices
• Reduced capacities for greater physical distancing
• Expert medical care and onboard facilities

Read more: Here's what Royal Caribbean will require guests to do for first cruises back in Singapore

Initially, Quantum of the Seas cruises will be: 

• Round-trips with no ports of call
• Sailing at a reduced capacity of up to 50 percent
• Only open to Singapore residents

Quantum of th eSeas will spend the next four months sailing from Singapore and offer these short cruises.

Prior to the official sailing, Royal Caribbean has been preparing for these cruises. Nick Weir, Senior Vice President of Entertainment for Royal Caribbean International, shared photos of the production show cast rehearsing.

It appears there was at least one preview cruise over the weekend, which was a 2-night sailing open to select invitees before official sailings commence.

The test sailing was limited to a small amount of guests who helpted test out some of the new health protocols, which includes contact tracing tokens, RT-PCR testing, masks and more.

While Quantum of the Seas will be able to restart in Singapore, the rest of the fleet is shutdown until further notice.

Australia cruises are cancelled through the end of January 2021, and the elsewhere cruises are shutdown until the end of December 2020 (although many expect more cancellations soon).

Royal Caribbean has shared no firm restart plans anywhere other than Singapore, as the cruise line is working diligently to prepare its ships to meet the new standards set forth by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Even though the framework for conditional sailing does open the possibility for cruises to resume in North America, there is no sense of when that sort of approval might actually occur.

In case you missed it, Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship is on the move and one big step closer to completion.

On the morning of November 28th, Odyssey of the Seas left her covered dock at the Meyer Werft shipyard to begin her float out.

Despite no public announcement of the event by Meyer Werft, a number of cruise ship enthusiasts made it down to the shipyard, including photographer Björn Haß.

Preparations to move Odyssey of the Seas out began a few days earlier. Space was made for Odyssey outside, and then the doors to the hall opened for Odyssey to begin her movement.

Royal Caribbean's second Quantum Ultra Class cruise ship was moved out of the hall with the assistance of tugs. 

It took about more than 7 hours for Odyssey to leave the dock and then get tied up along the quay.

After the ship was moved out of the hall, work began to install the North Star.

Over the next few months, work will continue on Odyssey of the Seas to add more features.  Once she's ready, Odyssey will begin her conveyance down the Ems River so that she can conduct her sea trials.

The 169,000 GT cruise liner has an overall length of 347.1 meters, is 41.4 meters wide and can accommodate more than 5000 passengers.

Odyssey of the Seas is now the fifth Quantum/Quantum Ultra Class ship to be constructed at Meyer Werft, following Quantum, Anthem, Ovation and Spectrum of the Seas.

Odyssey of the Seas was originally scheduled to be delivered in autumn 2020, but Royal Caribbean delayed that until spring 2021.

Happy Sunday and Happy Thanksgiving weekend! I hope you enjoyed a wonderful holiday with family and friends! There is a lot of Royal Caribbean news to share this week.

Royal Caribbean will not sell any cruises longer than 7-nights until further notice in order to comply with new rules by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order stipulates that cruises longer than 7 nights and call on a U.S. port are not allowed while the CSO is in effect.

Therefore, Royal Caribbean sailings between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, 2021 are "temporarily paused" while Royal Caribbean determines what to do with them.

Royal Caribbean News

• Rehearsals begin on first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to restart next week
• CDC ignores crowded airports while holding cruise ships to double standard
• What Royal Caribbean will require guests to do for first cruises back in Singapore
• Odyssey of the Seas has new propellers installed at shipyard
• 14 things the CDC requires cruise ships do on test sailings
• Could Pullmantur return with a new fleet of former Celebrity Cruises cruise ships?
• Royal Caribbean app updated with easier ways to get to popular features
• 5 ways cruise ships have tougher COVID-19 protocols than airplanes
• Royal Caribbean's plans to build a cruise resort in Bahamas are still alive
• 5 important things Royal Caribbean has done since the No Sail Order was lifted
• 25 free things you can do on Royal Caribbean's Oasis Class cruise ships
• Did Black Friday sales save you money on your cruise?
• How to book a cruise with your credit card reward points

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 382nd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available to enjoy, where we learn how Royal Caribbean developed the concept for the Central Park neighborhood.

Royal Caribbean's Kelly Gonzalez shares the story of how Central Park went from idea, to test, to failure, to new idea and eventually success.

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 video: 8 NOT STUPIDEST purchases I made to bring on a cruise

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 — 8 NOT STUPIDEST purchases I made to bring on a cruise — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Odyssey of the Seas has been floated out!

Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship was succesfully floated out from her shipyard hall on Saturday, reaching a major milestone in her construction.

Ship building Meyer Werft shared photos of Odyssey of the Seas being pulled out of the shipyard by tugboat and docked just outside the hall.

Now that Odyssey of the Seas is docked outside, more work will be done to add features to her, including the addition of the North Star observation pod.

Test cruises are the precursor to the regular cruises starting up again, so it is no surprise so many people are fixated on when they might start and what needs to be done onboard.

Interest in test cruises has been so high that Royal Caribbean started taking sign ups for volunteers (although there has not been any information on if/when they will be needed).

So what do cruise lines have to do during these test cruises? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has outlined as series of steps test sailings must do in order to demonstrate new cruise line protocols meant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 work well.

The Framework for Conditional Sailing lists the requirements for test cruises to complete, so here is what any cruise ship conducting a test cruise will need to do.

Read more: Here's what Royal Caribbean will require guests to do for first cruises back in Singapore

Embarkation & Disembarkation Process

Getting guests safely onboard the ship at the beginning of the cruise, and off the ship at the conclusion of the sailing is a basic requirement for test sailings.

Cruise lines must conduct the terminal check-in process so that all of the cruise terminal protocols can be tested.

Conduct regular onboard activities

Test cruises need to be as close to the "real thing" as possible, so cruise lines cannot just test out new protocols without engaging in typical cruise ship activities.

The CDC wants as close to real world experiences as they can, so that is why volunteer guests are needed and why cruise lines cannot simply do just the required drills and call it a success.

Offer private island shore excursions

If a cruise ship visits a private island (such as Perfect Day at CocoCay in the Bahamas), excursions need to be offered to simulate the process of guests going on a tour.

Shore excursions are big business for cruise lines, and a major component of the cruise experience.  New protocols have been added for shore excursions, and as a result these protocols need to be tested if a ship visits a port.

Early cruises once they restart are expected to call upon private islands on short sailings, so it is important to test these tour protocols as well.

Evacuation procedures

The reality is positive cases are to be expected onboard a cruise ship, and therefore, getting guests off the ship safely and expeditiously is important.

Cruise ships must be able to test how they will get guest(s) off the ship without disrupting other guests, or exposing anyone else.

Transfer of symptomatic passengers or crew

One of the first steps when a positive case is identified is how to quickly isolate and quarantine that person.

After someone tests positive for SARSCoV-2, they need to be moved from cabins to isolation rooms without infecting or exposing anyone else along the way.

Quarantine of all remaining passengers and non-essential crew

If there was an outbreak on the ship, unexposed passengers and crew need to be able to be quarantined to prevent further infections.

Other activities as may be listed in CDC technical instructions and orders

This is a "catch-all" for anything else the CDC may deem necessary later on. 

When the Conditional Sail Order was drafted, the federal agency knew more tasks would be needed, so it left room to add other requirements in the wording.

Meet personal hygiene standards

Test cruises must meet standards for the hygiene of passengers and crew members to ensure they are properly protecting each other.

This includes anyone onboard following CDC regulated orders related to proper

• Hand hygiene
• Face coverings
• Social distancing for passengers and crew
• Ship sanitation

Social distancing

When a test cruise serves meals onboard or engages in entertainment, it must be done with social distancing in mind.

Dining and entertainment venues must be set up to facilitate social distancing, so changes to these venues would be necessary.

Testing of all passengers on the first and last day fo the cruise

A lab test of all passengers and crew members must be completed on embarkation and disembarkation day to ensure there are no positive cases.

These tests must be made available before the passenger gets onboard the ship as well as before they leave the ship to go elsewhere.

The CDC says crew and passengers will also be laboratory tested again after they depart the ship.

Additional laboratory testing during the cruise may be required by the CDC, but it is not required as of now.

Rapid testing needed for anyone that reports symptoms

If a passenger or crew member reports a symptom that could possibly be COVID-19, the ship must immediately conduct laboratory testing with rapid point-of-care results.

Contact tracing must also be conducted to ensure anyone who had close contact is not infected either.

CDC can end test cruises whenever it wants

If necessary, the CDC can order a cruise line to immediately end a test cruise.

If COVID-19 is found on a test cruise, the CDC reserves the right to conduct any action it deems necessary to protect the health and safety of volunteer passengers and crew.

Cruise ships must record and report any problems with the new rules

If a new protocol does not work well (or at all), the ship must report these issues through an "after-action" report and address how they will address those deficiencies before they can apply to offer passenger sailings.

This after-action report must also include test results for any volunteer passengers or crew on the simulated voyage. The after-action report must be submitted to the CDC as soon as practicable at the end of the simulation and as part of the cruise ship operator’s application for a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate.

CDC can force protocol changes or insist on more test cruises

Even after a cruise line finishes its test sailings, the CDC reserves the right to request a cruise line modify new rules.

It can also require additional simulated voyages prior to giving a ship approval to restart sailings.