Happy December! We cannot believe that we are already one full week into the month – there is so much going on with holiday preparation and shopping and baking!

The big news this week was the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship in almost nine months successfully completed her first revenue sailing in Singapore.

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas completed its first cruise after careful planning with Singapore's health and tourism authorities.

This is the first cruise ship to be able to resume operations, and it is limited to residents of Singapore. Quantum sails 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops, which Royal Caribbean calls "ocean getaways".

You can check out our live blog from onboard Quantum of the Seas to see all the changes:

• Embarkation 
• Day one
• Day two
• Disembarkation

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean canceled cruises through February 2021 while preparing to restart
• Odyssey of the Seas floated out at shipyard
• Royal Caribbean Group Chairman: "we still don't know" when cruises will resume sailing
• Will Royal Caribbean pick volunteers for its test cruises based on loyalty status?
• New show announced for Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas
• Royal Caribbean lowers age for children who have to wear masks on a cruise ship
• Royal Caribbean's UK boss talks about plans to restart cruises
• 7 things I wish more cruisers knew about going on a cruise
• Top 5 unique 2022 Royal Caribbean cruises you can book now
• Royal Caribbean wants Australians to give up their tortoiseshell products

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 383rd episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is available to enjoy, which is a discussion of where travel is today and what the short-term future holds.

It feels like we're at a crossroads right now with travel, and this week Len Testa joins Matt to discuss what the future may hold for travel and cruises in the coming year.

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it..

New video: How To Pick A Perfect First 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 — How To Pick A Perfect First Cruise! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

New Europe summer 2022 cruises are available to book

Royal Caribbean has released its Europe 2022 cruises, which are available to book now.

There are new ways to explore Europe in summer 2022 with a fresh mix of ships, new itineraries and destinations across the region – from Italy and Israel to the British Isles and the Arctic Circle.

Guests can experience culture-rich adventures on board ships new to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe with Brilliance of the Seas sailing roundtrip from Venice, Italy and Voyager of the Seas launching her first season in the Baltic Sea – the first in the Voyager Class to do so. A game-changing lineup of guest favorites, Anthem, Allure and Odyssey of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s second Quantum Ultra Class ship debuting in 2021 – will return to their respective homeports in Southampton, England; Barcelona and Rome to create a summer of memory-making in Europe’s most sought-after destinations.

Ever since Royal Caribbean announced it would take sign ups for its test cruises, everyone has been wondering how they would pick volunteers.

It looks like the elite of Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program might get the first chance.

According to a report by unofficial cruise reporting site CruiseCritic, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley seemed to confirm the higher your status in Crown and Anchor Society, the better your chances.

Mr. Bayley spoke at the International Cruise Summit and said its Pinnacle members would be first.

"Our top tier has the name of Pinnacle and they've cruised with us a gazillion times … they'll be amongst the first to receive the invitation."

"We haven't figured out our protocols yet for the volunteers but certainly loyalty status will be a key selector."

Royal Caribbean began taking sign ups for its test cruises about a month ago, but the cruise line has remained quiet about how it would determine which volunteers would actually be able to be among the first to get back onboard for a simulated voyage.

Read more: Here's how to sign up to be a volunteer for a Royal Caribbean test cruise

These test cruises are necessary in order to practice the new health protocols and demonstrate to the CDC that cruises can be conducted in a safe manner.

Thus far, only Royal Caribbean has opened up a public sign up for volunteers, and has netted at least 100,000 people to sign up for simulated cruises. Mr. Bayley said in his comments that number was now almost 200,000.

Royal Caribbean has set up a Facebook group for anyone interested in being a volunteer, but has conveyed very little information about how volunteers would be used, if at all.

Furthermore, there has been no announcement of when test cruises might actually begin.

Royal Caribbean has released its first batch of summer 2022 cruises, and I hand picked five itineraries that stood out as something different or intriguing.

Every year Royal Caribbean will offer a full compliment of cruises, and many of these sailings are tried-and-true itineraries that guests love.  In addition, a few new or somewhat different sailings get added in and many cruise fans love to look for something distinctive.

I went through each of the releases for summer 2022 in Caribbean, Alaska and Europe to find the top 5 Royal Caribbean cruises worth taking a look at if you want something special from the rest of the cruises.

Bermuda cruises from Florida

Traditionally, if you wanted to go on a cruise to Bermuda, you had to sail from the Northeast United States.  In summer 2022, Royal Caribbean will offer cruises to Bermuda from Florida.

Select sailings of Mariner of the Seas from Port Canaveral will offer 8-night sailings to Bermuda, which include two days in Kings Wharf, before heading to Nassau for a late night stay and then a full day at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

There are six of these Bermuda cruises available to book between May and October 2022.

Read more: Royal Caribbean will finally offer cruises to Bermuda from Florida

Double glacier sailings

Serenade of the Seas is no stranger to offering cruises to Alaska, but in 2022 she will offer a 7-night Multi Glacier Experience cruise.

Basically, Royal Caribbean is introducing new itineraries that showcase twice the glaciers for one sailing.

Serenade of the Seas will sail roundtrip cruises from Vancouver with an itinerary that features both the Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, and the Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North America.

If that is not enough Alaska for you, you can always extend your stay with Royal Caribbean’s signature CruiseTours, a series of 2- to 6-night pre- or post-cruise land tours led by local experts.

Read more: How to choose the right Alaska cruise itinerary

12-night Arctic Circle sailing

If you are looking for the combination of different sort of cruise and a European getaway, then check out the Arctic Circle cruises on Jewel of the Seas.

In June 2022, Jewel of the Seas will offer a pair of 12-night cruises to as far north as Royal Caribbean typically goes.  These sailings sail up the coast of Norway and proceed briefly into the Arctic Circle.

Read more: Royal Caribbean releases new Europe summer 2022 cruises to book

Holy land cruises

Cruises to Israel are a rarity for Royal Caribbean, and in 2022 you can visit holy sites and experience Israeli culture with new Odyssey of the Seas cruises to the middle east.

Odyssey of the Seas will return to Rome in summer 2022 to offer 12-night Holy Land sailings.

These cruises will visit Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. New in 2022, Holy Land itineraries will call on Limassol, Crete, a bustling city designated in its entirety as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Read more: 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise

Oasis of the Seas sailing from the northeast

While Oasis of the Seas highly anticipated arrival for summer cruises never materialized in 2020, she will give it another try in 2022.

During summer 2022, Oasis of the Seas will offer 7-night cruise vacations to Florida and The Bahamas from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Nearly every sailing on Oasis from the Big Apple will include a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

For residents of the Northeast, having an Oasis Class ship sail from New Jersey makes for a very convenient option in their backyard.

Read more: Royal Caribbean releases 2022 7-Night or Longer Caribbean sailings

Are you an Australian that has tortoiseshell products? You can do your part to save the Hawksbill Turtle by giving them up.

Royal Caribbean Australia is parterning with the WWF and Australian Museum in a new campaign that seeks to save the Hawksbill Turtle by asking Australians to give up their tortoiseshell products so vulnerable populations can be traced through extracted DNA.

The new effort is called "Surrender Your Shell", which hopes to use cutting-edge technology to extract DNA from products to track the illegal trade of tortoiseshell.

Researchers will use this DNA to trace tortoiseshell products back to the turtles’ nesting beach and develop a database or “ShellBank” for the first time in the Asia-Pacific. This information will help identify vulnerable turtle populations, so WWF-Australia can work with local communities, governments and the tourism industry to improve turtle protection.

In order to facilitate this effort, the Australian Government has introduced a six month period of leniancy where Australians can send historically purchased tortoiseshell products to WWF-Australia, along with details of where and when they were purchased, without the risk of facing prosecution.

To participate, Australians just need to track down any tortoiseshell products they’ve collected, or been gifted, over the years.

Real tortoiseshell items are brown, orange, amber and yellow in colour and feature irregular patterns.

If people suspect a product is real, they can take the following steps to support the project:

1. Visit www.wwf.org.au/surrenderyourshell to enter your details, including when and where the item was purchased, to retrieve a unique identification number. 
2. Attach the unique identification number to your tortoiseshell product, package appropriately and either post through the Australia Post eParcel Returns portal or visit a Post Office with your surrendered tortoiseshell and post to WWF-Australia.
3. Ensure you post your item between 1 December 2020 and 1 June 2021.

The first 100 items sent through the Australia Post eParcel Returns portal will be paid for by WWF-Australia.

“We’re proud to support the crusade to save this precious species, and to raise awareness with Australians, and our guests, on the part they can play in bringing these turtles back from the brink,” says Gavin Smith, Royal Caribbean International VP and managing director, AUNZ. “The ocean is our lifeblood and we are committed to preserving it — through our own innovation, our Save the Waves programme, and through important collaborations like “Surrender Your Shell.” 

It is estimated nearly 9 million hawksbill turtles have been traded for their distinctive shells over the past 150 years, bringing the species close to extinction. The Pacific Ocean's population has declined by more than 75% and now just 4,800 breeding female hawksbills are thought to survive.

Royal Caribbean completed its first cruise in Singapore, and announced its first health protocol change.

Guests booked on upcoming Quantum of the Seas sailings have been informed the minimum age for wearing a mask on a cruise ship has been lowered to 6 years old.

Emails sent to guests explained the change, "To prepare for our return to service, we are continuously working closely with the Singapore Authorities to ensure that our health and safety measures are equal or better to those on land. It is now required for guests 6 years of age and older to wear masks on board."

The rule had been guests 7 years old or younger were exempted from the rule.

Masks are required to be worn by guests and crew onboard and even during signature experiences like skydiving in the RipCord by iFLY simulator and riding the North Star glass observation capsule.

Royal Caribbean successfully restarted cruises with one ship this week, having gotten the go-ahead to cruise in Singapore with Quantum of the Seas.

Quantum of the Seas is the first ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet to restart operations in almost nine months and offers 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops to only residents of Singapore.

The rules and health protocols on Quantum of the Seas were developed with expert guidance from the Healthy Sail Panel, Royal Caribbean Group’s Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer and the Singapore Ministry of Health. 

Rule changes to Royal Caribbean's comprehensive health protocols are not unexpected, as the cruise line has said the policies would be adjusted.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain has talked about the importance of continuously learning from these early sailings to improve overall, "We will proceed cautiously and we will learn from our experiences."

"And unquestionably, we will invest in all these areas more than most of our guests will ever fully see or know."

The first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to return to service just wrapped up its first sailing in Singapore, marking a major achievement for the cruise line that has worked for months to get to this point.

Royal Caribbean announced on Thursday that Quantum of the Seas completed its first revenue sailing after careful planning with Singapore's health and tourism authorities.

This is the first cruise ship to be able to resume operations, and it is limited to residents of Singapore. Quantum sails 3- and 4-night cruises with no port stops, which Royal Caribbean calls "ocean getaways".

Angie Stephen, Royal Caribbean's Managing Director of Asia Pacific told the press the cruise line is incredibly proud of this momentous day, "We are thrilled to once again welcome guests aboard Quantum of the Seas and offer Singapore residents the opportunity to get away, relax, and start enjoying the travel experiences they’ve been missing for so many months."

"We are grateful to the Singapore Government for their partnership in making these pilot cruises a reality and pledge our commitment to providing our guests with the safest possible cruise experience."

Cruising safely

How can a cruise ship sail during the middle of a pandemic?

Royal Caribbean implemented a series of comprehensive, multilayered health and safety measures that were derived from science, data driven and developed with expert guidance from the Healthy Sail Panel, Royal Caribbean Group’s Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer and the Singapore Ministry of Health. 

Before a guest boards the ship, the new protocols begin with pre-departure health screenings, and meet all regional requirements and guidelines, including the CruiseSafe Certification standards jointly developed by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and DNV GL.

Quantum of the Seas has a reduced capacity onboard, and has implemented mandatory universal testing during embarkation and debarkation, and enforced mask wearing, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning practices across the ship, among other required practices. 

In addition, all guests will need to scan their SafeEntry QR code required by Singapore upon embarkation and debarkation and have the Singapore Trace Together Bluetooth app or Token at all times during the cruise.

In addition, Royal Caribbean cruise ships have a new HVAC system that continuously supplies 100% fresh, filtered air from outdoors to all indoor spaces. There are also upgraded medical centers to handle any situation.

Read more: Easy guide to Quantum of the Seas new health protocols

New changes to cruise favorites

Royal Caribbean has made sweeping changes to Quantum of the Seas so that it could be ready for the new health challenges of the public.

The cruise line calls its collection of new health protocols, "The Royal Promise", and it encompasses all the new changes onboard to protect guests from the current health crisis.

New to the cruise experience is Royal Caribbean’s Tracelet, a custom wearable required for all guests and crew on board Quantum of the Seas. The technology helps monitor physical distancing and the cruise line’s contract tracing procedures.  

Quantum of the Seas 18 restaurants, bars and lounges have been thoughtfully transformed for healthier and safer dining. At Windjammer Marketplace, previously a self-service experience, dedicated crew now serve guests and offer a greater variety of grab-and-go items.

 For a healthier and safer adventure for all, guests and crew must wear masks on board and during signature experiences like skydiving in the RipCord by iFLY simulator and riding the North Star glass observation capsule.

 Royal Caribbean believes this combination of safety and a fun cruise create vacation getaways that are very appealing for residents of Singapore.

See the changes for yourself

Quantum of the Seas completed its first cruise back, and you can see all of these changes in action with our photo updates.

I posted a new update for each day of the first sailing to share a look at what going on a crusie in 2020 looks like.

• Embarkation 
• Day one
• Day two
• Disembarkation

Royal Caribbean's first cruise back since the global health crisis began has wrapped up and by all accounts seems to have been a success.

Quantum of the Seas set sail on a 2-night cruise with no port stops from Singapore, and completed the first sailing back.

Photos from onboard Quantum of the Seas are provided by our friends at the Singapore Cruise Society, who sailed on Quantum to check out all of the changes and new protocols the cruise line has made to the cruise experience.

Quantum of the Seas arrived in the early morning hours back in Singapore.

She arrived back at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre to begin her disembarkation.

Just like every Royal Caribbean cruise, the Windjammer is open for guests to enjoy one last meal before disembarkation.

Departure Process

Guests on Quantum of the Seas are required to get a swab test in the terminal before completing the cruise.

Because of social distancing, Royal Caribbean asks guests to wait in their staterooms to be called for disembarkation.  Traditionally, guests would congregate in public venues to await departing the ship.

Once called for departure, lines and social distancing markers are set up for easy and safe departure off the ship.

As you depart, your temperature will be taken and you are required to have your SeaPass card and tracelet with you. You can then deposit your tracelet as you leave.

Cruise terminal disembarkation

Back in the Marina Bay Cruise Centre, the disembarkation process continues.

The arrival hall is where guests will have a swab test conducted.

Afterwards, it's off to collect your luggage.

After you get your luggage, that's it and you are on your way.

Big thanks to the Singapore Cruise Society for their partnership in sharing what Royal Caribbean's first cruise back in service was like.  Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

I hope you enjoyed this look at what the first cruise back was like, and be sure to check out the photo updates from the entire cruise:

• Embarkation 
• Day one
• Day two

Royal Caribbean has released its Europe 2022 cruises, which are available to book now.

According to Royal Caribbean these new sailings are available for Crown & Anchor members on December 3, 2020, and the general public on December 4, 2020.

Guests can experience culture-rich adventures on board ships new to the Mediterranean and Northern Europe with Brilliance of the Seas sailing roundtrip from Venice, Italy and Voyager of the Seas launching her first season in the Baltic Sea – the first in the Voyager Class to do so. A game-changing lineup of guest favorites, Anthem, Allure and Odyssey of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s second Quantum Ultra Class ship debuting in 2021 – will return to their respective homeports in Southampton, England; Barcelona and Rome to create a summer of memory-making in Europe’s most sought-after destinations.     

New Europe 2022 cruises are available to book between April and October 2022, and so far we have spotted cruises on seven different Royal Caribbean ships to book.

Here is a breakdown of where the ships will be sailing from:

Anthem of the Seas will sail from Southampton, UK and offer cruises of various lengths to destinations in Western Europe.

Allure of the Seas will sail from Rome to offer Mediterranean cruises.

Odyssey of the Seas will return to Europe to offer cruises from Rome.

Brilliance of the Seas will also sail from Rome to offer Italy and Adriatic cruises, as well as Greece and Croatia sailings.

Vision of the Seas will sail from Barcelona and offer cruises to France and Italy, as well as Western Mediterranean cruises.

Jewel of the Seas will offer open-jaw sailings between Athens, Greece and Tarragona, Spain and sail longer cruises to Italy, Turkey and Greece. She will also offer British Isle cruises from Amsterdam.  Another unique sailing will be 12-night Arctic Circle cruises from Amsterdam that sail up the coast of Norway.

Voyager of the Seas will sail from Copenhagen, Demark and offer Scandinavia & Russia cruises.

You can view the full list of sailings for each ship:

• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Brilliance of the Seas
• Jewel of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Vision of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas

This is the third 2022 deployment released so far, as Royal Caribbean released Alaska 2022 cruises and longer Caribbean 2022 cruises in November.

The remainder of the 2022-2023 deployment is marked as "coming soon" with no date range of when to expect it.

Planning on booking a  2022 cruise? These stories will help:

• 7 tips for a great Mediterranean cruise
• What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?
• 7 tips for a great Royal Caribbean Baltic cruise
• Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman Richard Fain published a new video update that talks about the positive outlook a new COVID-19 vaccine will have on the world.

Throughout Royal Caribbean's shutdown, Richard Fain has shared periodic video updates that provide insight into his views of the current situation facing the cruise line.

Mr. Fain believes the combination of promising vaccines in scope, broader and faster testing, and treatment options available, means they now have the end of this pandemic in sight, as well as Royal Caribbean's return to service.

While he spends the majority of the time in the video highlighting the amazing advances science has made in combating the virus, the outlook on when exactly cruises might resume remains unclear.

"We're definitely not at the end. However, I believe that looking ahead, the range of likely outcomes is narrowing and the timeline is becoming clearer."

In his own words, Mr. Fain answered the question of when cruises will restart with a simple, "we still don't know".

"We are getting a clearer picture. Our hopes for a very early start up have been dashed, but so, too, is speculation that this current state of affairs will last until the end of the range."

Royal Caribbean remains committed to making cruise ships as safe as possible, and Mr. Fain reiterated the promise that going on a cruise ship would be safer than being at home.

"I've said repeatedly that our goal is to make cruising as safe, or safer, from the virus than on Main Street, USA. And we're making the effort now to ensure that they comes with appropriate speed and confidence."

Mr. Fain admitted that the process of returning to service has taken longer than he had hoped, but the outlook is getting better.

"It's taken longer to get here than we had hoped, but it's clear and clearer that we are approaching that date."

Mr. Fain's words come the same day Royal Caribbean announced it would cancel nearly all of its cruises through the end of February 2021, and even longer cancellations in Australia.

He also thinks new advances in a vaccine will allow Royal Caribbean to ramp up operations faster than they had previously thought, and that means more cruise ships back in service sooner.

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."