When the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) raised its warning for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, avoid cruise ships, it arrived without any other similar warnings for other forms of travel or leisure in the United States.
While a lot of negative press surround the cruise industry followed, at least some media outlets are beginning to question why the CDC singled out just the cruise industry and ignored other forms of leisure travel, sporting events, or other large gatherings.
Certainly the CDC only has jurisdiction over the cruise industry and not airlines, theme parks, or casinos, but that doesn't stop the CDC from issuing warnings about Covid-19 related impact to those endeavors.
Laura Elder, the Managing Editor for the Galveston County Daily News, questioned why the CDC warned against travel on a cruise ship, but not airplanes.
"Note the CDC has issued no such warning about air travel, in a game in which we all pretend and wink that being in close quarters on an airplane is different than being in close quarters on a ship and that people are flying mainly for essential reasons and not for fun."
"The CDC has issued no such warning about sporting events or anything else that involves large gatherings."
"So why the cruise industry in particular?"
The Boston Herald also did not see the logic in warning the public against only cruise ship travel in a recent editorial, "If you can fly once vaccinated and masked, why not cruise? And if COVID exposure by airline staff and passengers is taken into account by the CDC, why not do the same for the cruise industry?"
The dichotomy between cruise ships and the rest of travel in the eyes of the CDC perplexed the cruise industry just as much as anyone else.
A statement by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) echoed this contrast, "The decision by the CDC to raise the travel level for cruise is particularly perplexing considering that cases identified on cruise ships consistently make up a very slim minority of the total population onboard — far fewer than on land — and the majority of those cases are asymptomatic or mild in nature, posing little to no burden on medical resources onboard or onshore."
The same week the CDC issued its warning, it also reduced its recommended quarantine and isolation periods in most cases from 10 days to five, with a subsequent five days of masking when around other people.
In December, several major airlines and lobbying group Airlines For America asked CDC director Rochelle Walensky to reconsider the 10-day guideline, describing it as “extremely disruptive” and calling for a five-day maximum quarantine.
The Boston Herald editorial illustrated the public's desire to travel by air is no different than by cruise ship, "This, however, is 2021, not 2020, and vaccines and boosters are readily available. Hospitalizations among the vaccinated are low. It’s why people are flying again, after getting vaxxed and tested and masking up and getting tested again."
"The agency is advising those who do travel on a cruise ship to make sure they are fully vaccinated and boosted, if eligible, and get tested before and after their trip.
"They should have left it at that."
Ms. Elder agreed that the CDC should have left things alone, "But as the CDC works that out, it should refrain from using its power to single out the cruise industry, which has done all that it was asked and more to reduce the spread of the virus."
That perfect cruise itinerary has been booked for months, you've got everything ready to go, and the notion of cancelling your cruise seems unfathomable at this point.
However, the rapid spread of the Omicron variant is giving just about everyone second thoughts about their travel plans.
Between Royal Caribbean's incredibly high level of health protocols and certain steps you can take as a traveler, there are some ways to travel and stay relatively safe.
If you decide to go ahead with your cruise, here are some things I would recommend doing so that your cruise is enjoyable.
Be okay with changes, especially at the last minute
If nothing else, you need to be totally fine with an email or letter in your stateroom informing you that your plans need to change.
Whether it is a new health protocol or your ship changing itinerary, travel right now is full of changes on an almost daily basis.
While most people generally don't like change, I think there's a lot of folks are fine with these updates as long as they still get to go on vacation.
I certainly recall during the cruise industry shutdown of 2020-21 where I would have absolutely paid money to sit on my balcony and do nothing else. Luckily, a cruise today still offers a much better experience than that.
Be aware that changes could be announced at anytime, and there is no point where the cruise line cannot announce something. If that sounds okay to you, go ahead with the cruise. Otherwise, defer your vacation until later.
Cruise ships are packed with so many activities and events onboard, but with Covid affecting crew members just as much as passengers, the ships can sometimes be short staffed.
The result of less crew is there may be less activities offered onboard.
My advice is plan on a cruise that resembles a classic cruise experience, rather than one where you could count on every single event and signature activity being open.
Admittedly, this is a "glass is half full" approach to planning the cruise. But I think it keeps expectations in line so you can only be pleasantly surprised when there's more to do onboard.
If I'm going on a ship tomorrow, I would pack more books or card games so I could enjoy that almost anywhere. I'd pack my kids' Nintendo Switch or iPads so they have something to do in the room when Adventure Ocean is full.
I might also plan to spend more time (and money) in the casino.
A time-honored cruise tradition is time spent at the pool, and I would figure to spend more time up there. Maybe even an afternoon nap, which is the best indulgence of vacation, if you ask me.
Bring N95 masks
I'm not a health expert, but it seems a lot of health experts are advocating upgrading your mask to a N95 or KN95 mask.
Royal Caribbean requires masks to be worn indoors, so when I sailed on Navigator of the Seas last week, I packed KN95 masks to wear just to add better protection.
Purchase at-home Covid-19 tests
Assuming you don't have unvaccinated kids cruising (they need a PCR test), you should plan to order at-home Covid-19 tests rather than trying to get an appointment somewhere.
One of the many effects Omicron is having is land-based testing sites are overwhelmed, and long waits for a test are common.
Your best bet is to purchase the Abbott BinaxNOW™ COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test, which is the only at-home test that Royal Caribbean accepts.
I would recommend purchasing them 1-2 months before your cruise so there is enough time in terms of shipping to reach you.
It's not always possible, but an easy strategy of avoiding higher-risk situations is to book outdoor shore excursions.
Catamarans, beach days, or hikes are all great examples of tours you can book on your own or through Royal Caribbean to be able to do something fun in the ports you visit while avoiding being indoors.
Not to mention if you plan an outdoor tour, you may be able to ditch the mask (subject to local laws).
On our last cruise, we took three tours that were all almost exclusively outdoors: catamaran, ATV, and beach day excursions.
Obviously if you did something indoors that is not to say you are putting yourself in harm's way. Rather, if the Covid cases are worrying you, there are lots of good tours outdoors you can book.
Air travel tips
In addition to not being a public health expert, I'm also not an air travel expert. But, I've read lots of tips to help prepare for when we flew cross-country for our cruise.
Here are some pieces of airplane advice that I think makes sense.
Book a window seat to avoid exposure to people walking by in the aisle. If you can afford it, this is a great time to upgrade to a business or first class seat because they are less crowded.
Once you are seated on the plane, turn the air blower on to its highest setting to keep as much air moving as possible.
In the airport, try to find the most social distanced place you can find. That is usually not easy, but instead of cramming into a chair near the gate, find a spot to stand away from everyone else where you can see the gate agent so you know when boarding begins.
Now is the time to try upgrade your cabin
I've never been a major fan of Royal Caribbean's bid for a cabin upgrade program, RoyalUp, but if there's a silver lining to Omicron, it is that it has never been easier to get an upgrade.
If you are booked in an inside cabin or a oceanview, I would recommend rolling the dice on a balcony upgrade via RoyalUp to see if you can snag a great deal on a bigger room.
Obviously I cannot promise you will get anything, but I think the odds are better in general today than they were a month ago.
Bidding for a suite upgrade is always tough since everyone that does RoyalUp dreams of moving up to a suite, but you may as well give it a shot too.
Keep in mind that RoyalUp doesn't necessarily mean there is an open cabin to move up to, but I think the soft demand right now makes it the right time to try for an upgrade.
Last, but not least, if you decide this isn't the time to cruise, you can still change your mind.
Royal Caribbean's Cruise with Confidence program allows anyone to cancel their cruise up to 48 hours before the sail date without any penalty, and get a 100% future cruise credit.
You could take that credit and rebook another sailing later in the spring or summer.
I love to cruise, but I would be the first to say if you don't feel comfortable right now, it's okay to push things off. Going back to my first tip, you need to be okay with a certain amount of fluctuating plans. Not everyone will feel that way, so there's nothing wrong with taking some more time before you sail again.
Royal Caribbean's new 2023 European cruises are now available to book.
The new sailings are available to book via Royal Caribbean's website, offering a variety of ships and itineraries during the summer months when Royal Caribbean deploys its cruise ships to the region.
There are sailings between April and November 2023 to book across 9 different ships. That's a large proportion of Royal Caribbean's fleet.
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 Spain, Portugal, Norway and the Canary Islands.
You'll be able to visit destinations new to Anthem, including Maloy and Haugesund, Norway, and Cork, Ireland. Longer, 11- and 12-night vacations will go further to places such as Lisbon, Portugal; Vigo, Spain; and the Canary Islands.
Brilliance of the Seas will offer cruises from different ports in Europe, including Athens, Venice, and Rome (Civitavecchia) on sailings throughout the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, as well as the Adriatic.
Something new for Brilliance will be the opportunity to visit Praetorian Palace in Koper, Slovenia.
Explorer of the Seas will sail from Venice (Ravenna) to offer cruises in the Adriatic, as well as to the Greek isles.
Explorer will allow passengers to visit Olympia, Greece – the birthplace of the Olympic Games – for the first time.
Jewel of the Seas will be based in Amsterdam, and offer 8 and 12 night cruises to Iceland & Ireland, as well as Norway fjords cruises. She even has a 12-night Arctic Circle cruise.
Odyssey of the Seas will return to the Europe again to be based in Rome (Civitavecchia). Odyssey will offer 7- to 12-night cruises around the Greek Isles. Odyssey also has a 12-night Holy Land cruise in May 2023.
Vacationers have a choice of 7- to 9-night cruises from Rome to Naples, Italy; the idyllic Greek Isles and Turkey, as well as 12-night Holy Land sailings to the historic, bustling cities of Limassol, Cyprus; Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; and Jerusalem, Israel.
Rhapsody of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean ship to sail from Limassol and Haifa, Israel, all in one season. The new summer combination consists of 7-night sailings to ports of call in Turkey, Israel and Greece, including first-time destinations for the cruise line, like Skiathos and Thessaloniki, Greece.
Starting in September, the ship will take off on short 4- and 5-night getaways from Haifa and visit Cyprus and the Greek Isles.
Serenade of the Seas will homeport out of Barcelona, Spain and offer 5-, 8-, and 12-night cruises in the Western Mediterranean.
Symphony of the Seas will also sail from Barcelona, with 7-night Western Mediterranean cruises to enjoy.
Travelers can set course on 7-night cruises, from Barcelona or Rome, to bucket list destinations like Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, and Provence, France.
Voyager of the Seas will be based in Copenhagen, and offer primarily Scandinavian and Russian cruises. Voyager will also offer two Best of Northern Europe cruises during the season.
Guests looking for a longer vacation can cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Copenhagen on a 14-night sailing that features an overnight in Bermuda and visits to St. Thomas, France and Belgium.
More itineraries will be released later this spring, including Northeast cruises, Los Angeles, Short Caribbean and more. There is no dates yet for when these new itineraries will be released.
Booking early can save you money
Thinking about booking a cruise a year and a half away may seem excessive, but it is one of the best ways to get the best price on a cruise.
Generally speaking, the lowest prices for cruises are available when new itineraries are released, such as these Europe 2023 sailings. Over time, prices will go up as more and more cabins are booked up.
If you are interested in a suite, the importance of booking early is even more apparent, as these cabins usually jump up in price quickly after release.
No matter what the price is today, you can always take advantage of a lower price later with the Best Price Guarantee program, which allows for repricing of cruises in case of a price drop.
Besides cost savings, booking early also ensures you get the exact cabin you want. A lot of cruise fans gobble up the most desirable cabins when new sailings hit the market, such as suites, extra large balcony rooms and other unique staterooms.
Planning on booking a 2023 cruise? These stories will help:
This week has barely started and already there's lots of cruise news happening. Since so much of it overlaps, I wanted to provide a round-up of what's changed recently.
There are smaller updates from across the fleet that I think are kind of interesting, neat, or otherwise good to know.
If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!
Spectrum of the Seas sailings in Hong Kong cancelled
If you read a headline about Royal Caribbean cancelling cruises today, don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds.
Royal Caribbean cancelled the January 6 sailing of Spectrum of the Seas from Hong Kong.
There weren't any actual Covid cases onboard. Rather, nine passengers on the previous sailing that departed on January 2 were identified as close contacts to someone that tested positive on land in Hong Kong.
The contacts have tested negative but the cruise ship will return to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong on January 5 to test all guests and crew who must take a second test on January 8th.
CDC still plans to make Conditional Sail Order voluntary
Despite the Omicron variant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the plan is still for the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) to become a voluntary program next week.
As you may recall, the CDC temporarily extended the CSO for an additional two and a half months back in October.
According to Cruise Critic, the plan is still for the CSO to expire on January 15, per the federal agency.
"After the expiration of the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO on January 15, 2022, CDC intends to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships," a CDC spokesperson told Cruise Critic via email.
Once the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO expires on January 15, the CSO will shift to a voluntary basis, where cruise lines and other stakeholders will work together without a federal mandate to do so to ensure proper protocols are followed.
NCL cancels cruises on sailings on 8 ships
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd announced a change to scheduled sailings on 8 ships due to the impact of the Omicron variant.
The reason for the cancellation has to do with crew staffing related to Covid cases onboard.
The Norwegian cancellations announced Wednesday include:
Norwegian Pearl departures through January 14, 2022
Norwegian Sky departures through February 25, 2022
Pride of America departures through February 26, 2022
Norwegian Jade departures through March 3, 2022
Norwegian Star departures through March 19, 2022
Norwegian Sun departures through April 19, 2022
Norwegian Spirit departures through April 23, 2022
Royal Caribbean trademarks Royal Beach Club name
Royal Caribbean snuck in one more trademark filing before the end of 2021.
The cruise line registered a trademark for the phrase, "Royal Beach Club", which is the name of its private beach club experience it is developing in Nassau, Bahamas.
The first Royal Beach Club is set to open in Nassau, Bahamas, perhaps as early as 2023.
This new project is not intended to be for all guests on a ship to do. Rather, it will supplement the Nassau offerings. The beach club will be built on 7 acres on the western end of Paradise Island.
The Royal Beach Club will be able to accommodate about 3,500 together with 250 workers.
A few weeks after registering a number of names for a cruise ship, Royal Caribbean has sent a survey to its most loyal passengers asking for their input on which one to choose for the next Oasis Class ship.
While Royal Caribbean's fifth Oasis Class ship, Wonder of the Seas, is just a few months away from launching, the cruise line is looking to move forward with its sixth and final Oasis Class ship.
In mid-December, Royal Caribbean registered 24 different trademarks for names of a possible cruise ship with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Earlier today, Pinnacle Club members in Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society received an email asking them for opinions on the names.
"The objective of this survey is to hear from you, our valued Pinnacle Guests, to see which of the final contenders for the next Oasis Class ship names are your favorite," the email stated.
The survey first asked to rank the names from least to most appealing.
It then asked to rate the appeal of each name, followed by choosing a favorite.
Here are all the new names trademarked:
MAGNIFICENCE OF THE SEAS
FANTASIA OF THE SEAS
PARADISE OF THE SEAS
HAVEN OF THE SEAS
MELODY OF THE SEAS
GRACE OF THE SEAS
SANCTUARY OF THE SEAS
ILLUMINATION OF THE SEAS
UNITY OF THE SEAS
INTRIGUE OF THE SEAS
ARIA OF THE SEAS
EUPHORIA OF THE SEAS
SPLENDOR OF THE SEAS
AWE OF THE SEAS
ETERNITY OF THE SEAS
EDEN OF THE SEAS
VIBRANCE OF THE SEAS
BLISS OF THE SEAS
AURA OF THE SEAS
UTOPIA OF THE SEAS
JOY OF THE SEAS
MARVEL OF THE SEAS
NIRVANA OF THE SEAS
DIVINE OF THE SEAS
The sixth Oasis-class ship is expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2024. It is currently under construction at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France.
Prior to that ship, Icon of the Seas will be delivered in the 3rd quarter of 2023.
The yet-to-be-named megaship will follow sister ships Wonder of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, which are among the largest cruise ships in the world.
There's been quite a lot of speculation as to what the sphere-like object spotted in the shipyard building Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship might be, and today we have new photos to share of it.
Since posting that photo, more photos have emerged of the construction of this object.
Ruslan shared close-up photos of the object, including a look at its construction prior to the photo shared yesterday.
What could it be?
After posting the photo yesterday, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared a link to the article on his Facebook page with the question everyone wants to know, "Hmmmmm what could this iconic thing be?"
There has been quite a lot of guesses shared on social media as to what this might be, and I'm not sure there's any clear consensus yet.
One of the most frequently guessed ideas is that it is a tank for the ship's liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Icon of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to be powered by LNG, but Royal Caribbean shared an update back in October 2021 that the LNG tanks had already been installed. Plus, those tanks look substantially larger than this sphere object.
There have been lots of other guesses (some serious, and some not) for what it might be, including:
Gyroscope
Next-gen bungee jump experience
Repurposed alien spacecraft from Area 51
Planetarium
IMAX Theater
Whatever it ends up being, we'll have to wait for Royal Caribbean to reveal it at a later date.
Icon of the Seas will be the first ship in the Icon Class to launch. She is scheduled to be delivered in Fall 2023, and there are two other Icon Class ships on order.
The other two ships will be delivered in 2025 and 2026.
In addition to the face mask rules being extended, Royal Caribbean's ban on smoking in the casino will also be extended.
"In alignment with the expansion of the mask policy, smoking will not be permitted in the casino for all cruises departing on or before January 31, 2022."
Mask rule matches other lines
Other cruise lines have added similar rules to combat the rise in Omicron variant Covid cases.
Carnival Cruise Line requires its passengers to use masks on all sailings until at least the end of January 2022. Carnival also banned smoking in its casinos until further notice.
Holland America matched Carnival's stricter mask rules and indoor smoking policy.
Norwegian Cruise Line also added a face mask rule for sailings through the end of January.
Passenger reaction
Cruise ship passengers have generally has mixed reactions to the stricter mask rules, usually aligning with whether they have ever supported mask wearing or not.
On the RoyalCaribbeanBlog message boards, Swar liked the fact smoking has been banned in the casino because as a non-smoker, they hope it stays around, "The casino is so much better without the smoke! I hope it is a permanent change. Not a smoker, but used to do cigars."
Oliver Max took the stricter mask rules in stride, "I leave on a cruise from Galveston on Sunday. It’s a little disappointing but I’m not going to let it ruin my vacation. I’m still going to have fun."
Royal Caribbean has been quiet about its next new class of cruise ship, but it looks like we're starting to get our first look at construction taking place, including something that I have no idea what it could be.
Ship blocks for construction of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas arrived recently to the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
Tug boats brought these giant pieces of what will become the hull of Icon of the Seas to the shipyard so that they can be joined together.
Janne-Petteri Kumpulainen shared photos of the pre-assembled blocks being brought in on a snowy day.
Cruise ships are built in a module process, where engineers break down the ship into smaller pieces that they later assemble. The reason ships are built in this manner is so that different engineers and specialists can work simultaneously, which cuts down on overall construction time.
Once the blocks arrive at the shipyard, they will be joined and welded together.
In addition to Janne's photos, a source that wishes to remain anonymous sent in a photo from the shipyard of a large pearl-shaped object that is destined for Icon of the Seas.
What is it? Your guess is as good as mine. Share your guesses in the comments!
Over the past years, Royal Caribbean has looked to distinguish each new class of ship with an attention grabbing feature that instantly draws the attention of the public. The Ultimate Abyss, North Star, and Central Park are just some examples of signature features onboard.
Perhaps this dome is part of something completely different for Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean has hinted at Icon of the Seas being a "game changer" new ship for the cruise line.
Back in April 2021, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley talked briefly about the new ship, "We have the brand new Icon class coming, which is going to be a real game changer."
"When you think about what a game changer Oasis class was and is, Icon is the next generation the evolution of Oasis."
Not much else is known about the Icon Class, but according to Royal Caribbean Group SEC filings in April 2021, the unnamed Icon Class ships will have a capacity of approximately 5,600 passengers.
Each ship will be powered by a combination of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel cell technology.
Icon of the Seas is scheduled for deliver in the third quarter of 2023.
As the Omicron variant began to generate higher case counts on cruise ships, Royal Caribbean enacted stricter rules about face masks on its ships.
The new rules require all passengers to wear their masks indoors, even in vaccinated areas, and the question of how much these new rules impacted the cruise experience began to arise.
I sailed on Navigator of the Seas about a week after the stricter mask rules went into effect, and wanted to share my experience with these new protocols for anyone going on a cruise soon.
Keep in mind that my experience is not indicative of what your experience will or will not be. I hope it sheds some insight into what the written policy really means in practical terms.
What is the stricter mask rule?
On December 17, 2021, Royal Caribbean announced passengers on all sailings through January 5, 2022 will be required to wear masks indoors at all times, unless actively eating or drinking.
Before this change, fully vaccinated passengers could go maskless in designated areas.
This policy is in place for all sailings departing before January 5, 2022, at which point it will be reevaluated.
Masks are not required to be worn outdoors, in the pool, in your stateroom, or at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
My experience with the new rules
When Royal Caribbean announced the new rule, it sounded as if you would have to wear your mask indoors at all times, and possibly even between bites or sips of food.
In practice, the rule has not been quite that restrictive.
Both on my sailings and on others reported by RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers since the new rule went into effect, it seems the rule has changed two fundamental things that used to happen onboard:
Eliminating the loophole of someone walking around with a drink as a way not to wear their mask
Walking into a vaccinated zone and removing your mask without food or drink
While more crew members are reminding passengers to put on their mask or pull it up, they are not patrolling hallways looking for mask compliance. I believe there is a renewed emphasis on ensuring masks are being worn indoors, but not to the point it's overbearing.
My experience on Navigator was if you are seated in a bar, restaurant, or lounge, as long as there was food or drink in front of you, you were fine without masks and not asked to put the mask on between bites or sips.
Across my seven nights onboard, I spent lots of time in the main dining room, pub, Schooner Bar, and casino. In all scenarios, masks were required upon walking in, but as soon as I sat down with food or drink, there was no issue with my mask down.
My observation was nearly every other passenger was compliant with the mask rules indoors. Just like airports, supermarkets, and schools, you would occasionally find someone who was not wearing their mask, but it was extremely rare and I assume a crew member would remind them to put it back on.
The issue of masks below someone's nose seems to be an issue greater than the cruise lines can solve, but I did observe some crew members asking passengers to fix their mask, especially in the casino.
Not only were guests doing a good job of wearing their masks indoors, but I noticed many passengers wearing their masks outdoors. Granted, the low humidity and cooler temperatures of a December cruise on the West Coast make wearing a mask outdoors far more tolerable than if this was June.
In summary, I thought the new rule was not that much of a departure from what it had been before, especially in bars or restaurants when eating or drinking.
Previously, the casino was designated a vaccinated-only zone and you could take your mask off. In an effort to keep masks on, smoking was banned in the casino.
As a non-smoker, I certainly welcomed the change and while seated at a table or slot machine, masks were worn.
Unlike the bars or restaurants, I would put my mask on between sips of a cocktail, especially at table games where passengers and the dealer were close to each other.
Passenger reactions
My experience is going to vary from others, so I wanted to share other comments from folks that cruised over the last two weeks.
Neesa summed up her thoughts on the new rule by thinking about the bigger picture, "It is humbling on board, I am interacting with staff and feel compelled to comply as I want them to feel comfortable, they are important and looking in their eyes I can agree, I'm doing it for them. I respect them and the job they are doing."
Flowrider was also on Navigator of the Seas and shared their mask rule observations, "Just got off the Navigator. Mask was indoors the whole time, not outdoors. When we were in line to be served food at Johnny Rockets or El Loco Fresh they asked us to put it on. No mask required at the pool."
"Once we got off the ship in Mazatlan/Cabo/Puerto Vallarta we took masks off. Nobody ever asked us to put the on except for obvious indoor settings, i.e. in a store/shop."
"MDR or Windjammer you wear it like before. Sitting at the table the mask is off. Walking around to buffet mask is on."
tonyfsu21 sailed on Oasis of the Seas last week, "masks indoors on ship. You can remove while dining and drinking at restaurants and bars. You DO NOT need to wear a mask outdoors on pool deck and other areas. Outdoor in ports (no mask) inside vehicle on way to an excursion you must be masked."
tonyfsu21 also talked about his experience in the casino, "I played the machines all night with a beer in hand and a lowered mask. In between beers walking around casino I had my mask on. Not really sure about the tables but I’m assuming the same. At the end of the day, there are no police and this is not like a prison it’s vacation and the staff knows that."
ChessE4 voiced their support of the new change, "With the explosion of COVID cases in Florida, I can see why masks would be required on cruise ships and elsewhere. Things will get better, but we need to take note of our current situation."
Royal Caribbean Blog is an unofficial fan blog written for other fans of Royal Caribbean International. The Royal Caribbean Blog is not affiliated with Royal Caribbean International
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