Celebrity Cruises will accept mixed series of Covid-19 vaccines of many kinds for cruise ship passengers.

Following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) update to its policy last week, the Celebrity Cruises website has been updated to reflect it will accept mixed series of any two of the following vaccines, with a minimum of 28 days between doses, as fully vaccinated: 

• Pfizer
• Moderna
• Johnson & Johnson,
• AstraZeneca
• Sinovac
• Sinopharm

Prior to this update, Celebrity Cruises did not accept mixed dosages of non-mRNA vaccines, such as AstraZeneca.

Earlier this summer, most cruise lines changed their policy to prohibit mixed vaccines due to the CDC update.

Celebrity stated in its policy the change was a result of the CDC's change in stance, "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has clarified their position regarding mixed vaccinations and provided Celebrity Cruises with updated guidance."

You can view the updated policy on Celebrity's website.

The issue of mixed vaccines affects residents of certain countries where the practice was encouraged by their governments, such as Canada.

Read more: What you need to know about going on a cruise if you're Canadian

Thus far, Royal Caribbean International has not updated their policy to match yet, but Celebrity has been usually quicker to update their policies than Royal Caribbean International, including the many updates to mixed vaccines.

When the mixed vaccine policy was changed earlier this summer, Celebrity was always a day or two ahead of Royal Caribbean in posting the new policy.

Booster shots

In addition to mixed vaccines, the Celebrity Cruises website lists a policy about booster shots.

Guests who have received 3 or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, due to booster regimens, will be considered fully vaccinated if at least one of these conditions is satisfied:

• At least 2 of the doses are mRNA vaccines administered at least 28 days apart. The final dose must be completed at least 14 days before sailing.
• At least 2 of the doses are AstraZeneca administered at least 28 days apart. The final dose must be completed at least 14 days before sailing.
• At least 1 dose is Johnson & Johnson, completed at least 14 days before sailing.

Let the rampant speculation begin.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted a short and cryptic teaser on his Facebook page about a big announcement coming soon.

Mr. Bayley wrote three sentences in his teaser, "Get ready for the news of a lifetime. A big announcement is on the horizon.  Stay tuned!"

Less than an hour after posting it, he edited the post to change some of the wording.

"Get ready for some big news. We’ve got an announcement on the horizon. Stay tuned!"

What could it be? We will have to wait and see.

Cruise fans were quick to jump in with their guesses, ranging from new ship announcements, to Covid-19 protocol changes, President's Cruise announcement, and pretty much everything inbetween.

Here are some of the interesting ideas people shared in the comments of his Facebook post.

• Icon of the Seas information
• Vaccine mandate change
• Free cruise giveaways
• Wonder of the Seas news
• $18 per day Deluxe Drink Package

Since there is not any kind of hint in direction of what to expect, numerous possibilities loom. Not to mention the fact there is no telling if this big news will come out tomorrow, this week, or even this year.

Mr. Bayley is no stranger to posting on Facebook, having often shared his thoughts about what is happening in the cruise industry, as well as sharing behind-the-scenes peeks of what is forthcoming.

Royal Caribbean has a number of projects planned, as well as speculated upon, but it is difficult to know what sort of announcement to expect.

Besides the upcoming Icon Class cruise ships to be built over the next few years, Royal Caribbean also has port projects in Vanuatu, Antigua, and Labadee that have all been placed on hold.

Meanwhile, progress quietly is made on the Royal Beach Club in Paradise Island, and a new port project in Freeport, Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean Group Chief Product Innovation Officer, Jay Schneider, recently confirmed ship upgrades under the Royal Amplified program will pick back up in the future.

"We're going to pick up Amplification again. We're going to keep making sure that the Amplification we have is working."

Moreover, new ship construction is not stopping either, "Our new build portfolio isn't isn't stopping. We're going to continue to build amazing ships."

"You're going to see new concepts come out on future ships and you're going to see us experiment with new fun ways to, again, get people to have an amazing vacation."

When Mr. Bayley and/or Royal Caribbean makes the announcement, I will share it immediately on RoyalCaribbeanBlog.

Share your best guesses of what Mr. Bayley is hinting at in the comments below!

The amount of passengers on Royal Caribbean cruise ships is starting to slowly increase after remaining purposefully low during the initial restart process.

While Royal Caribbean does not divulge passenger counts or capacity limits for its ships sailing, there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence from passengers that the amount of guests onboard is going up from what it was this summer.

When Royal Caribbean restarted cruises earlier this year, the cruise line purposefully kept its capacity low to ensure the highest likelihood of success with regard to its Covid-19 protocols.

Anyone sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in the summer and early fall of 2021 enjoyed going on a ship with 25-40% of the normal capacity.

Read more: Best things to do on Royal Caribbean while there is limited capacity onboard

It now appears things may be changing.

Latest counts

People that have gone on a cruise recently have come back sharing passenger counts that are higher than they were just a few weeks ago, which seem to point to a trend of a higher ship capacity.

The last couple Mariner of the Seas 3-night weekend sailings have seen between 2,000 - 2,300 passengers, according to officers onboard.

The Allure of the Seas 7-night sailing that departed on Sunday has around 2,700 passengers onboard, according to a RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader.

The Oasis of the Seas sailings from Cape Liberty have seen higher numbers as well, with the October 17th sailing coming in at 3,147 passengers.

Royal Caribbean cruise fans have been sharing their passenger counts on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com message boards, and while there are ebbs and flows to how many passengers are on a particular sailing, the general consensus seems to be there are more passengers now than earlier this summer on most sailings.

Part of the plan

Anecdotal data is one piece of the puzzle, as Royal Caribbean has hinted it plans to ramp back up before the end of the year.

Last month, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain shared his thoughts at a recent industry conference on getting back to full capacity.

He said they kept capacity low initially to be extra cautious, "we made a deliberate decision to get more ships operating sooner, even when that means each ship operates at a very low occupancy for a few months."

"In terms of numbers next year, I definitely think so," Mr. Fain said. "In our core markets, we expect to be essentially there by the end of this year."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley posted in August that the plan is to increase a ship's capacity monthly, "As we move month by month, we are increasing our capacity ship by ship."

With Royal Caribbean's health protocols working effectively, they seem poised to move to the next phase of the restart plan.

In speaking with various officers onboard Royal Caribbean ships I have sailed on, the plan is to ramp up passenger counts in November and December.

The benefits of more passengers

Without a doubt, having limited capacity on cruise ships this summer spoiled anyone that got to sail because of the non-existent lines and waiting, but there are good aspects to having more passengers onboard.

One downside to a low capacity is the nightlife and entertainment is noticeably subdued. Being at a bar, lounge, or show with a fraction of the audience makes for a tame feel.

Moreover, having more passengers means certain venues will re-open or increase their capacity. When ships have exceeded 50% of their capacity, the Windjammer has re-opened for dinner service, which has been a common concern among cruisers this summer that miss having that option.

Of course, more passengers is also good for the cruise line and its employees.  Not only are more passengers good for the company's bottom line, but that also means more gratuities for crew members.  The trickle down effect cruise ship passengers have on the local economies of the ports a ship visits is also going to be positively affected by having more people traveling, from taxis, to hotels, to tour operators, and restaurants.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry contributes over $55.5 billion annually, prior to the pandemic.

How many passengers will be on my cruise?

In short, there is no way to know in advance how many passengers will be on your upcoming sailing because Royal Caribbean does not announce or publish in advance passenger counts.

In addition, the cruise line does not say what percentage capacity its ships will be at going forward.

Once onboard the ship, you can usually ask Guest Services or an officer for a passenger count.

Keep in mind Royal Caribbean's cruise ships and private destinations are designed to handle a normal capacity of passengers, so even sailing with 50-90% capacity is still a positive experience.

Even before the pandemic, the myth of cruise ships being too crowded was out there, but thanks to better traffic flow and ship design, that is not the case.

Royal Caribbean's ships are built to include more deck space, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues to accommodate the larger number of passengers.

Read more: Top untrue myths about a Royal Caribbean cruise

The fall temperatures may be dropping, but the Royal Caribbean news from this week is as hot as ever, and we have it all summarized for you in this week's round up!

All eyes are fixed on what will happen at the end of this month when the CDC's Conditional Sailing Order expires, and Royal Caribbean's CEO has an opinion on it.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was asked about the upcoming end to the CSO and what it means for his cruise line going forward.

He was asked to provide the latest information related to the CSO, and he shared his thoughts on what is still very much an unknown situation.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean cancels Australia 2021-2022 cruise season
• Next President's Cruise will be in Alaska 2022
• Royal Caribbean registers new trademarks for possible Southern United States restaurant
• Royal Caribbean is first cruise line to restart cruises from Tampa
• Perfect Day at CocoCay October 2021 photo update
• Royal Caribbean on list of companies possibly under investigation for violating Florida's vaccine passport ban
• What to do in Bermuda on a cruise
• Guide to the CocoCay waterpark
• What it's like to go on a cruise with unvaccinated kids right now
• What to Wear on a Cruise?
• Check out our live blog from Ovation of the Seas
• The best packing for a cruise list

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

Cruising with kids is a different kind of experience right now due to the new protocols and rules.

Matt just took his kids on a cruise for the first time since the Delta variant became widespread, and shares his thoughts on what to expect with children on a cruise.

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

New RCB Video: New Things to Try on Royal Caribbean

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 — New Things to Try on Royal Caribbean — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Wonder of the Seas tour

Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship is going to pack in a lot of really fun things to do, so you may be wondering where everything is.

Wonder of the Seas will debut in March 2022, and already there are a lot of people excited to see and do everything onboard.

Before you step foot on Wonder of the Seas, check out our Wonder of the Seas tour to know where everything is located.

The cruise industry restart has reached the Port of Tampa.

Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas arrived in Tampa on Saturday to begin offering cruises from West Florida, which is the first time a cruise ship has sailed from the Port of Tampa since 2020.

Serenade of the Seas will depart Terminal 6 on Saturday to begin a new cruise season there, having just wrapped up an abbreviated cruise season in Alaska.

Serenade will offer 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Tampa, Florida, starting Oct. 16; and 7-night Caribbean itineraries, beginning December.

Royal Caribbean's return to Tampa is just as ceremonial as it is tangible to the area. Business Research & Economic Advisors estimated that a 3,000-passenger ship generates an average of $334,000 in passenger and crew onshore spending per call in a homeport city. 

Cruises have been able to restart from other ports in Florida, including Port Everglades, PortMiami and Port Canaveral, but this is the first time Tampa has been able to see ships leave.

Photos courtesy Port of Tampa

Later in December, Brilliance of the Seas will return to Tampa to offer 4- and 5-night Bahamas and Western Caribbean cruises beginning on December 16.

What's next for the restart

Four more Royal Caribbean cruises ships will restart operations before the year comes to a close.

Explorer of the Seas is scheduled to restart cruises when she sails from San Juan, Puerto Rico beginning on November 7. Explorer will sail 7-night Southern Caribbean sailings.

Royal Caribbean is especially excited to see Navigator of the Seas return to service, because it means the restart of cruises for the cruise line from the west coast.

Navigator will offer 3-, 4- and 5-night Catalina Island, California, and Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico cruises from Los Angeles, beginning November 19.

Grandeur of the Seas will start cruising again when she offers  7- and 14-night Southern Caribbean sailings from Bridgetown, Barbados, starting December 5.

Finally, Enchantment of the Seas will begin cruising again in December, when she sails from Baltimore on December 23, offering 8-night Bahamas sailings, and select 12-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean.

You can see Royal Caribbean's cruise ship restart plans for more deployment information leading into 2022.

If you want thrills in your private island day on Royal Caribbean, check out Thrill Waterpark at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

With so many slides and pools, you may want to know what is included with a visit to the waterpark, and how to get the most out of your visit. This guide will give you a good overview of what the waterpark offers, as well as tips and tricks for a great day.

Overview

Perfect Day at CocoCay is a private island only Royal Caribbean cruise ships can visit, and one way to spend your day there is to visit the waterpark.

Thrill Waterpark has an additional cost, which means only those that purchase admission can come into the park. Admission to the waterpark is priced per person, and includes full day admission.

Royal Caribbean used to offer a half-day pass, but that is no longer offered. Everyone that wants to come into the park needs to pay for entry, regardless of it they want to ride a slide or not.

Children under age 14 must be accompanied by a ticketed Guest age 14 or older to enter Thrill Waterpark.

To get into the park, you just need your SeaPass card. Scan it as you walk in and you're good to go. No separate admission needed.

There are two entrances to Thrill Waterpark, although nearly everyone uses the main entrance.  The main entrance is located to the right of the arrivals plaza at Perfect Day at CocoCay. There is an additional entrance closer to Oasis Lagoon and Splashaway Bay, primarily meant for a convenient way to get back into the waterpark.

It is made up of three basic areas: Daredevil's Peak, Splash Summit tower, and the pools.

You will find chairs, umbrellas, and picnic tables around each of the water slide towers, as well as near both pools. These chairs and tables are complimentary and first-come, first-reserved.

There are complimentary lockers near the main entrance where you can stash your stuff for the day. Restrooms and a first aid station are also located near the lockers.

Thrill Waterpark cost

The exact cost for Thrill Waterpark admission per person will vary from ship to ship and sailing to sailing. In short, there is no set price for every sailing.

You can purchase admission before the cruise via Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website, onboard the ship at the Shore Excursion desk, or even on CocoCay at the entrance.

How much you will pay is determined by demand, time of year, ship you sail on, and other factors.

Prices usually range between $50 and $100 per person, but there is a great deal of fluctuation.

Admission to the waterpark is included with a Thrill Waterpark cabana (more on that further down this post).

What slides are there at Thrill Waterpark?

Royal Caribbean designed Thrill Waterpark to offer fun and thrilling water slides to enjoy.

There are two towers in the waterpark, with slides of varying speeds and intensity.

Daredevil’s Tower stands at 135-feet high and are all body slides that feature the longest, tallest, and fastest rides in the park.

• Daredevil's Peak: 135 feet tall, this is the tallest waterslide in North America (Rider minimum: 48")
• Dueling Demons: Two drop slides launch riders 75 feet from a vertical position (Rider minimum: 48")
• Green Mamba: A 50 foot tall slide with lots of turns (Rider minimum: 48")
• Screeching Serpent: Another 50 foot tall fully vertical speed slide (Rider minimum: 48")
• Manta Raycers: Twin racing slides (Rider minimum: 48")

Splash Summit is the family tower, where you can ride with other members of your group together.

• Sling Shot: Family raft slide. Up to 4 people in a raft that ride up a wall to provide zero gravity sensations (Rider minimum: 48" or 40" with life vest)
• Splash Speedway: Mat slide, where up to 4 people can race down (Rider minimum: 48" or 40" with life vest)
• Twister: Two riders slide down a tube slide (Rider minimum: 48" or 40" with life vest)

There are also two pools at Thrill Waterpark:

• Wave pool: Royal Caribbean says this is the largest wave pool in the Caribbean
• Adventure Pool: A pool with obstacles you can climb, walk, and swing onto. This includes lily pads, rope swings, and even a rock climbing wall (Guests under 48" must wear a life vest at all times)

Dining

All the slides and pools will generate quite an appetite, so Royal Caribbean included a Snack Shack location inside Thrill Waterpark.

Snack Shack is complimentary, and offers hot dogs, salads, burgers, and lots more. The chicken sandwich and mozzarella sticks are must-trys.

In addition, it is very easy to depart the waterpark and get food from elsewhere on the island. Skipper's Grill is the closest option, and offers more variety.

There is also a bar in the waterpark for any cocktails, beers, or non-alcoholic drinks you may want. If you have a drink package purchased from your cruise ship, the benefits work here as well.

Cabanas

In addition to purchasing admission to the park, you could opt to rent a cabana for the day.

CocoCay Cabanas provide a private space to enjoy throughout the day, along with a cabana attendant who can bring food and drinks whenever you need it.

Thrill Waterpark cabanas can accommodate up to 6 guests and offer a lush sectional sofa and 2 resort-style chairs, as well as power outlets. Your Cabana Concierge will provide you with 8 towels and stock your cooler with 8 complimentary water bottles. Additional water bottles will be available for purchase.

Included with your cabana purchase is admission to the waterpark for up to six guests.

Royal Caribbean has placed cabanas in three clusters around the waterpark:

• Near Daredevil's Peak
• Near Family Tower
• Near the wave pool

The price of a cabana usually ranges between $499 - $899. Just like the cost of admission to the water park, the exact price will vary from sailing to sailing.

The reason to book a cabana is to have a dedicated space for your family, as well as the service provided by the attendant.  In many cases, the cost of the cabana becomes negligible when you factor in admission it includes for larger families.

Tips and secrets

1. Don't bring towels from the ship

Save the effort of going to get towels to bring with you to the waterpark.

There is a towel station near the wave pool where you can get towels, as well as exchange them for fresh ones.

If you rent a cabana, towels are provided for you at the cabana.

2. Adults can use the Adventure Pool

While it may look like the Adventure Pool activities are for kids, adults can use them too.

The rope swing is a lot of fun, and you can race your kids on the lily pads.

3. Best times for short slide waits

When your cruise ship is sailing to capacity, there are two good times to beat the lines for the popular slides.

First and foremost, get off the ship early and hit Daredevil's Peak and Sling Shot as fast as you can. Lines for these two slides will always be the longest.

The best times to ride slides with a short wait are:

• Before 11am
• After 3pm

4. Your drink package works here

If you have an unlimited drink package already, then you can use the benefits while in the waterpark (and everywhere else at Perfect Day at CocoCay).

5. Look for chickens

If you hear a rooster, it's not your imagination. 

CocoCay is home to a variety of animals, including wild chickens. They walk around the island, but tend to frequent the waterpark the most.  

Look for them darting in and out of the bushes.

Regardless of which animal you see, please do not feed any of them.

Is Thrill Waterpark worth it?

Royal Caribbean delivers on thrills and fun with Thrill Waterpark, so the decision to go depends on what you want to do and the price.

There are enough waterslides and pool activities to keep you busy all day long during your visit. When the park is full, lines can develop for the popular slides during the day, but you should still have enough time to experience them all.

The wave pool in particular is underrated as a fun activity, and some of the waves get very high in the deep end.

When deciding if it's worth it to go to the waterpark, you have to consider what else there is to do at Perfect Day at CocoCay. Royal Caribbean packs in a lot of fun on its island, and you can find some really compelling alternatives at the beaches, pools, and beach club.

When Royal Caribbean opens Hideaway Beach in late 2022, there will be another compelling alternative to consider.

If you have only children under the age of 6 or so, you may consider skipping the waterpark and instead taking them to nearby Splashaway Bay and Captain Jill's Galleon.  Both are complimentary and aimed at younger/smaller children, and still have slides for them to enjoy.

If you have 4 or more people in your group, be sure to price compare buying admission for everyone versus booking a cabana. In many cases, the cabana makes a lot of sense to reserve because it includes admission, as well as the amenities it offers.

Ultimately, if you want to ride a lot of really fun waterslides and splash your way around everything else, Thrill Waterpark delivers it all.

Wonder of the Seas is packed with lots to see, do, and eat onboard, and you likely want to know where everything is onboard.

Photo by @AdamsAway

Royal Caribbean designed Wonder of the Seas to offer a lot, and be easy to navigate.  Being the biggest cruise ship in the world means it has to be simple for passengers to get around to avoid a negative experience.

All Oasis Class ships are separated by neighborhoods, with each area being visually distinguished from the others. Essentially, after you see one neighborhood, you should be able to quickly get a sense of what is offered there. In fact, Wonder of the Seas is the first Oasis Class ship to have eight neighborhoods instead of seven.

Before you step foot on Wonder of the Seas, here is what each neighborhood has to do, including dining and entertainment.

Boardwalk

Location: Deck 6

The Boardwalk neighborhood is meant to evoke a feeling of the old the seaside piers that dot the coast of England and the nostalgic boardwalks of yesteryear such as Coney Island.

Located on the back of deck 6, it is an outdoor area that has dining and entertainment.

As soon as you walk onto the Boardwalk, you will be greeted by a handcrafted carousel. It is a full-sized, traditional carousel and complimentary to ride day or night.

If you're hungry, you will find lots of great dining choices for guests of all ages.

Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade takes up one entire side of the Boardwalk, and features as many television as they do beers and food to enjoy while you watch. There's also an arcade with fun games to play between innings or during halftime.

Boardwalk Dog House is where you can grab a hot dog customized just the way you like it and served quickly so you can be on your way.

Sugar Beach candy and ice cream shop is the sweet spot on the Boardwalk with more than 100 types of candies, a variety of ice cream flavors and toppings.

Filling out the nostalgic factor for the Boardwalk is Johnny Rockets restaurant.

You will also find the AquaTheater at the very rear of the Boardwalk, which is an amphitheater-style entertainment space. You can expect movie screenings and game shows by day and stunning aqua acrobatics and high-diving performances by night.

Pool and Sports Zone

Location: Decks 15 & 16

Whatever kind of active fun you are into is sure to be available in the Pool and Sports Zone on Wonder of the Seas. Pools, slides, simulators and hot tubs are all available to enjoy every day of your cruise.

The adults-only Solarium is located at the front of the ship, which is enclosed in glass and offers a relaxed pool and lounging experience.

If you want a little more thrill with your pool fun, check out the Perfect Storm waterslides. The multistory waterslides’ clear sections offer sliders views of Central Park down below.

Kids can also splash to their hearts' content at Splashaway Bay, which has water cannons, slides, drench buckets and more.

Wonder of the Seas has a resort-style Caribbean vibe to the pool deck, centered around the Lime & Coconut.  You can find two poolside bars and live music.

In fact, Wonder of the Seas has the largest poolside movie screen in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Something else new for Wonder of the Seas is The Vue, which is a new cantilevered bar. The Vue offers panoramic ocean views from high above on the pool deck all day, and after sunset, it shines bright with a colorful mosaic canopy overhead.

If that isn't enough, Royal Caribbean came up with another new concept for the Sports Zone in Wonder Playscape. This is an underwater-themed play area with slides, climbing walls, games, an interactive mural activated by touch and puzzles.

Of course, no Oasis Class cruise ship is complete without signature activities Royal Caribbean always includes: the tallest slide at sea, The Ultimate Abyss; Wonder Dunes mini-golf; the FlowRider surf simulator, twin rock-climbing walls and the ten-decks-high zip line. 

If you're hungry, you will find quite a few options for dining in the Pool and Sports Zone.

• Solarium Bistro
• Windjammer Cafe
• Unnamed specialty restaurant (to be announced later)
• Hooked Seafood
• El Loco Fresh
• Cantina Fresco

Central Park

Location: Deck 8

The outdoor park found on Oasis Class ships is an open-air venue with lots of plants, trees, and shrubs that surround restaurants and retail venues.

There are quite a few specialty restaurants in Central Park, beginning with the new Giovanni's Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.

Royal Caribbean revamped its Italian restaurant with a new menu that also extends into the nearby wine bar. Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is a new take on authentic Italian dishes, including made-to-order pizzas hand tossed front and center, and baked in the new, in-house pizza oven. 

150 Central Park is known for its seasonal menu, while Chops Grille is the cruise line's well-known steakhouse.

At Park Cafe, you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and snacks, including the Kummelweck roast beef sandwich.

While in Central Park, you can take a ride on the Rising Tide bar, which moves slowly between Central Park and the Royal Promenade. The bar slowly rises and descends between the two decks, giving guests a great view all along the way.

Right outside Central Park is Music Hall, which is a dance venue that features live musical acts in a club atmosphere.

Royal Promenade

Location: Deck 5

Royal Promenade is like the downtown of Wonder of the Seas.  It is a busy thoroughfare with lots happening around its services, dining, bars, and entertainment.

Spotlight Karaoke is a dedicated venue for everyone that loves to either sing or see others try to sing well-known songs. There are even private karaoke booths if you prefer to sing without the audience to judge.

Boleros is Royal Caribbean's latin-themed bar where you will find music, mojitos, and mexcal.

The English-style pub has the widest selection of beers onboard, as well as a guitarist each evening.

After all that singing and drinking, a slice of pizza hits the spot.  Sorrento's serves up plenty of it most hours of the day and night for no additional cost.

Speaking of no additional cost, Cafe Promenade is where to go to get a cup of coffee or tea, a sandwich, and maybe a cookie.

There is also shopping to be done on the Royal Promenade, where you can pick up souvenirs and duty-free goods. 

You can also book another Royal Caribbean cruise at the NextCruise office, which gets you bonus onboard credit for simply booking something while onboard.

Wonder of the Seas has its own set of robot bartenders at Bionic Bar.  Use tablets to order your favorite cocktail, and a robot arm will shake, stir, and serve it.

You will also find one of the main dining room decks on deck 5. The main dining room is a staple of dining on any cruise ship, and it serves up meals for breakfast and dinner every day (plus lunches on sea days).

Entertainment Place

Location: Deck 4

Whether you are looking for a show, drink, or performance, the Entertainment Place neighborhood is the spot for you.

At the front of the ship is the Royal Theater, home to nightly live entertainment, including shows, comedians, and performers.

Studio B is at the heart of the space. Studio B is an ice skating rink that hosts regular performances (as well as open skate sessions for guests).  It can also be used for a glow-in-the-dark laser tag game.

The signature ice skating show on Wonder of the Seas is 365: The Seasons on Ice, which brings guests on a journey through Earth's changing seasons through figure skating, aerial performances, and lighting and sound effects.

The Attic is where to go to see comedy shows.

Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club members in the Crown and Anchor Society have a dedicated lounge to enjoy drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and meet other guests.

Since Wonder of the Seas was originally designed for the Chinese cruise market, extra casino space was allocated. The Golden Room is an extra casino room designated for high-roller casino guests, although this space is currently open to everyone. On other Oasis Class ships, this space is a jazz music lounge.

Speaking of gambling, Casino Royale is also found in the Entertainment Place neighborhood. All of your favorite casino games can be found here to try your luck at.

Royal Caribbean's Japanese cuisine restaurant, Izumi, is also found on deck 4. Maki, nigiri, and hand rolls are all available here, in addition to the crowd-pleasing hibachi tables.

Youth Zone

Location: Deck 14

Wonder of the Seas has a lot of great programming for kids and teens to enjoy. Adventure Ocean covers kids as young as 6 months old, and through their teenage years.

Adventure Ocean on Wonder of the Seas follows Royal Caribbean's updated programming and design, including areas like as The Workshop, where kids can participate in craft and science activities. There are also newly designed teen spaces, with both an indoor and outdoor patio for guests aged 13-17.

The age groups each have a dedicated space: AO Babies, ages six months to two years; AO Juniors, ages 3 to 5; and AO Kids, ages 6 to 12.

Vitality Spa and Fitness

Location: Deck 5 & 6

If you are looking to relax and indulge at the same time, the Vitality Spa is the spot for you.

The Vitality Spa includes a Thermal Suite, featuring heated ceramic loungers, saunas and steam rooms; more than 50 facial and body services in various treatment rooms, including the Thai Herbal Poultice Massage, acupuncture and medi-spa services.

In addition, the space offers a beauty salon and barber shop for hairstyling, hair treatments, manicures, pedicures, a clean share and more.

For those that want to get in shape during their cruise, the Vitality Fitness Center offers a wide selection of exercise machines, including the latest cardio and resistance equipment.

Suite Class Neighborhood

Location: Deck 17 & 18

Wonder of the Seas is the first Oasis Class cruise ship to feature an eighth neighborhood, dedicated exclusively to suite guests.

What makes the Suite Class neighborhood different? Royal Suite Class guests have their own plunge pool, bar and plenty of loungers and nooks.

There are also suite favorites including the suites-only restaurant Coastal Kitchen and the Suite Lounge.

Wonder of the Seas also has the biggest Ultimate Family Suite on an Oasis Class ship yet, able to accommodate a family of ten.

While cruises have been able to restart in the United States and Europe, Australia will have to wait another year for cruise ships to return.

Royal Caribbean announced on Thursday morning in Australia it has had to cancel its Australia 2021-2022 season.

"A clear pathway for the return of cruising is yet to be established by the Australian Government. As a result, we’ve reviewed our Australia 2021-2022 season."

This affects scheduled Ovation of the Seas sailings from Sydney between December 13, 2021 - March 31, 2022.

Australia still has a cruise ship travel ban that runs through December 17, 2021.

The cruise line said in a statement, "We know this news is disappointing, and we’re sorry for the impact to your holiday plans."

The cruise line added that it is still working with Australian officials to find a way to resume sailings there, "We are proactively engaging with Federal and State governments to recommence cruising in Australia and will provide updates as they come to hand.​"

Guests booked on cancelled sailings have the choice of a 125% future cruise credit that they can use by April 30, 2022, Lift and Shift to a new sailing on the Australian 2022-2023 season, or 100% refund.

The Ovation of the Seas cancellation comes a few months after Royal Caribbean cancelled cruises from Australia on four ships.

Since March 27, 2020, no foreign-flagged cruise ships may enter Australian waters.  The Australian Health Principal Protection Committee reviews the ban regularly.

Cruise Passenger, an Australian site about cruising, quotes sources that say the Australian government has ignored requests for talks for a safe and phased approach to a cruise restart from Cruise Lines International Association Australasia. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandate over Covid-19 protocols is set to expire at the end of this month, leaving many to wonder what will happen next.

The Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) is a phased approach for cruise lines to follow in order to get ships approved to sail from the United States again. It is set to expire on November 1, 2021 unless extended.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was asked about the upcoming end to the CSO and what it means for his cruise line going forward.

He was asked to provide the latest information related to the CSO, and he shared his thoughts on what is still very much an unknown situation.

"There has been discussion with the CDC and with other government entities that are part of this process," Mr. Bayley explained. "We're waiting to get guidance on what could be the next steps."

Mr. Bayley then offered some ideas of what options might be possible, "One of those next steps could be that the Conditional Sailing Order would just expire, and we would continue as we are voluntarily working with the CDC and operating with various protocols and guidelines that have been recommended."

Mr. Bayley believes the success cruise lines have had in getting back to service has been a result of the work with the CDC, "We've got 15 ships operating and the protocols are really working."

"Everything is operating extremely well, and that really was only possible through a lot of collaboration with the CDC and working with them and other health authorities around the world."

"We don't know what the next step will be. I think what's important is that, there's different ways of doing it, but everybody has the same goal and that is to keep people safe."

He added the CDC has been largely been supportive of what the cruise lines have been doing under the CSO, I think in many of the calls I've been on with the CDC, I think they have a sense of accomplishment that that the cruise industry really now is used somewhat as a gold standard example for other forms of travel and transportation on how things can really operate well."

Protocols

Dovetailing into that conversation is the question of protocols on Royal Caribbean's cruise ships, and when a change may occur there as well.

Related to the CSO, Mr. Bayley added, "I think what's what we're all hoping for is a continuation of an improvement of the environment and a decrease in all of the protocols that are currently in place."

When asked about protocols being changed, he pointed to the fact the stringent protocols are mostly tied to what is happening with Covid-19 case counts around the country.

"The relationship between these protocols...masks, testing vaccines, et cetera, is directly related to what's really going on with COVID and how the in the case of the United States, the CDC views that."

Mr. Bayley provided a possible outlook at protocols changing, "I think what we'll see is as infections decline and continue to to to decline, these things will will change."

He admitted while he is not "a big fan of masks," he said wearing it on the ships "was really no big deal."

"I would pop it on when I was walking through corridors or if I was going to get into an elevator. And most of the time I didn't have it on. I was outside most of the time. You don't have to wear a mask outside plenty of places in spaces where it's not required, so I didn't find it to be too too bothersome."

"I think we just have to try and work within these, these these guidelines that have been offered to us. But I do think it's all going to start stripping away as the environment gets better."

Update on Perfect Day at Lelepa

Mr. Bayley also briefly talked about previously announced plans for a new private island in the South Pacific.

Royal Caribbean announced Perfect Day at Lelepa, which is an island in Vanuatu that would be used to bolster the Australian cruise market.

"That project, we paused, you know, for obvious reasons. But we will plan is to re-engage and restart that project in the coming months."