If the news reports of Covid-19 cases on cruise ships has you spooked, now may be a good opportunity to review the extensive health protocols Royal Caribbean has for passengers and crew members aboard its ships.

The omicron variant has generated a new wave of attention to Covid-19 cases around the world, and since cruise lines require passengers and crew members to test for Covid-19 on each sailing (unlike any other industry), cases get more attention since the data is easy to gather.

The good news is Royal Caribbean has strengthened its protocols onboard, on top of what it had in place since the cruise industry restarted cruises in mid-2021.

Here is a look at the important things every Royal Caribbean cruise ship is doing right now to mitigate and limit the spread of Covid-19 on its ships.

Vaccine requirement

Royal Caribbean requires all of its passengers to be fully vaccinated if they are at least 12 years old, with the final dose administered at least 14 days before sailing.

All crew members are fully vaccinated.

Each guest's regimen must include at least two doses of vaccine unless the guest received the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Royal Caribbean will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in lieu of a vaccination record card for guests of vaccine eligible age.

Children age 11 and under do not require COVID-19 vaccination to cruise, but there are additional requirements of them in testing and areas on the ship they may not go.

Stricter mask requirements

Royal Caribbean has required face masks to be worn on its ships since cruises restarted in 2021, but they recently altered the rules to require it in more places.

Masks are required to be worn indoors, regardless of vaccination status, unless actively eating or drinking.  This included previously designated vaccinated-only zones of the ship, such as the casino or bars.

Royal Caribbean even banned smoking in its casinos in an effort to keep masks on passengers while indoors.

Masks are allowed to be removed indoors while in your stateroom, or while outdoors.

Pre-cruise testing

Every passengers, regardless of if they are vaccinated or not, needs to get a Covid-19 test done before the cruise begins.

Vaccinated guests must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day.

Unvaccinated kids age 2 to 11 must show a negative test result for a PCR test (not antigen) taken no more than 3 days before boarding day.

In addition, unvaccinated kids get another Covid test administered on embarkation day to add an additional layer of safety.

For cruises that are 5 nights or longer, unvaccinated kids will take a complimentary antigen test onboard before the cruise ends.

Air filtration

One area of concern with an airborne virus, such as Covid-19, is how it could spread indoors.

Royal Caribbean's ships utilize 100% fresh ocean air that is continuously supplied from outside.

Intake of air occurs on one side of the ship for cooling and ventilation, then the air is removed via exhaust on the opposite side of the ship.

This continual intake of fresh air replaces the air in any space, with a total air change up to 12 times an hour in staterooms, and about 15 changes an hour in large public spaces.

Fan coil units in your stateroom and public spaces provide an extra layer of protection, continuously scrubbing the air of pathogens, using a high-grade MERV 13 filter that captures aerosols 1 to 3 microns in size with 90% efficacy — fine enough to filter cold and flu germs and coronavirus.

An independent study by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the National Strategic Research Institute onboard Oasis of the Seas confirmed that cross-contamination of air between adjacent spaces is virtually impossible thanks to this powerful system.

Upgraded medical care

One big change Royal Caribbean has made with its ships since the restart is to add doctors and nurses onboard each sailing and provide them with state-of-the-art equipment onboard.

In the event of a suspected case of COVID-19, Royal Caribbean is fully prepared with immediate medical evaluations, rapid COVID-19 testing and dedicated zones for COVID-19 care, more critical care beds on each ship, and robust treatment plans.

What happens if I test positive for Covid-19 during my cruise?

For many people, the concern is greater about being "stuck" on a ship than the effects Covid-19 has on them.

If you test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise, Royal Caribbean will cover the costs of Covid-19 related medical treatment onboard, any required land-based quarantine, and travel home for you and any family members living with you in the same household and traveling companions assigned to your stateroom on the cruise.

Royal Caribbean has even flown passengers home that tested positive for Covid-19 via private jet.

Constantly re-evaluating protocols

Without a doubt, recommendations from public health officials based on what we know about Covid-19 changes a lot. As a result, Royal Caribbean has said they are monitoring these changes and adjusting protocols as needed.

The new stricter mask rules were announced on many ships during the sailing, requiring an adjustment in protocols mid-voyage.

Royal Caribbean was uncompromising with its dedication to ensuring it has the best protocols in place when they announced the changes in an email, "We're sorry for any disappointment that this may cause, but hope you understand that health and safety come first."

Changes in protocols have been a constant since cruises restarted this year, but Royal Caribbean has also given guests the greatest flexibility in changing their minds without penalty.

While airlines have rolled back policies that gave their customers the ability to cancel for any reason, Royal Caribbean retains that ability through its Cruise with Confidence program.

Guests can cancel their cruise for any reason up to 48 hours before the cruise departs and get a 100% credit to be used on a future cruise.

Royal Caribbean even pushed back final payment dates for cruises in the first 5 months of 2022 so everyone has more time to decide on what to do about their vacation.

Balcony cabins on a cruise ship come in locations all around the vessel, including some on the aft of the ship that are highly desirable for certain cruisers.

Aft balcony rooms are usually standard balcony rooms, but with a location that overlooks the back of the ship.

If you've talked about balcony location with some people that cruise a lot, then you may hear about how wonderful a cruise cabin an aft balcony is to book.

What's the difference between an aft balcony and a regular balcony room, and what should you know about these rooms?

What's special about an aft balcony

As the name implies, an aft balcony is a balcony that overlooks the back of the ship.

Aft balcony staterooms stand out because they offer a different kind of view from a standard balcony, which some cruisers find desirable.

Having a view of the ship's wake is something you may find relaxing and/or enjoyable to watch, especially while sailing out of a port.

In addition, the aft balcony rooms on some Royal Caribbean ships have significantly larger balcony space than a balcony cabin on the side of the ship. 

Essentially, you may end up paying a similar price as someone who books a balcony on the side of the ship, but get much more living space on your private veranda.

Another nice benefit of an aft balcony is you will not have noisy people walking by your door, compared to cabins midship.

Why you might not want an aft balcony

The principal drawback of an aft balcony is the distance of the room to the elevators.

On Royal Caribbean cruise ships, there are two elevator banks: at the front and middle of the ship. 

Depending on the size of the ship and your aversion to walking long(er) distances, the amount of walking to and from your room may be a concern.

In addition, aft balcony rooms can sometimes have less have a breeze compared to balcony rooms on the side. This will vary from sailing to sailing depending on the weather, but it is not unheard of to have a hotter balcony feel due to the lack of wind moving past.

Just like rooms at the very front of the ship, the sensation of movement can be potentially greater at the very back of the ship.

It's also possible an aft balcony may cost more than a balcony elsewhere on the ship.

One more thing about aft balcony rooms on Royal Caribbean: the aft balcony rooms on some ships can have obstructions. This is the case with Voyager and Freedom Class ships.

Tips for aft balcony cabins on Royal Caribbean

You will find aft balcony rooms on all Royal Caribbean cruise ships, but the more affordable ones will be on Vision, Radiance, Voyager and Freedom Class ships.

On Oasis and Quantum Class ships, the aft balconies are primarily suites that command a much higher price.

If you want to nab an aft balcony room, you will want to book it early. These cabins are among the most highly sought-after staterooms because of their desirable location.

Before booking, look at the deck plans for the ship you are going to sail on and investigate which aft balcony rooms have the extra balcony space.

Is an aft balcony worth it?

If having an extra large balcony and different views from your balcony is important to you, then an aft balcony can be worth booking.

You should be okay with the distance to the elevators, so anyone with mobility issues will want to avoid them. Likewise if you are sensitive to motion sickness and should instead book a room midship.

If you do want to book an aft balcony, be sure to act quickly and reserve it as soon as you can.

The views of the wake alone are usually what draws most people to booking an aft balcony.

More information

• Cruise FAQ: Cabins
• 7 things you should know about your cruise ship cabin
• What's the difference between a balcony and a suite cabin on a cruise?

If you have a Royal Caribbean cruise booked in April or May 2022, you will have more time to decide to make final payment.

Royal Caribbean announced it has extended the final payment window to 30 days-to-sailing (DTS) for April and May 2022 departures (excluding China & Singapore departures).

Prior to this change, the final payment had only been pushed back for cruises through March 31, 2022.

According to Royal Caribbean, this change was made to, "allow greater flexibility during these uncertain times." In short, it gives guests more flexibility in deciding if they want to cruise without forcing a cancellation earlier.

The final payment date window of 75 days for cruises 1-4 nights and 90 days for cruises 5+ night remains for sailings beyond May 2022.

No action is required on the part of guests or travel agents, and no cancellations will occur until the new final payment date.

By cancelling a cruise before the final payment date, they can get a full cash refund, if they booked refundable cruise fare.

Royal Caribbean had already announced an extension of its Cruise with Confidence program for bookings made by January 31, 2022.

The Cruise with Confidence program allows anyone with a cruise booked the ability to cancel up to 48 hours before the sail date and get the full value in a Future Cruise Credit that’s good to redeem until May 31, 2022. 

Between the Cruise with Confidence program and final payment extension, Royal Caribbean is looking to give consumers more time to decide if they want to move forward with their cruise.

You won't be able to smoke in Royal Caribbean's casino for at least a while.

Royal Caribbean informed passengers sailing on Mariner of the Seas,  Freedom of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas the casino will not allow smoking inside due to the Omicron Covid-19 variant.

Three RoyalCaribbeanBlog readers reported announcements made on these ships on Monday that smoking will not be allowed in the casino so that guests can remain masked while in the casino.

@theRCLblog Presently on Mariner of the Seas and just announced - smoking banned in the casino until further notice.

— Matt Doyle (@mad24960) December 20, 2021

It is not clear yet if this is a fleetwide policy, nor if/when smoking in the casino will return on these ships.

The casino was the only indoor location passengers were allowed to smoke. This will leave just a designated smoking area on the pool deck for smoking.

Carnival Cruise Line announced a similar policy on Monday, banning smoking in its casinos through January 31, 2022.

Banning smoking in the casino comes on the heels of Royal Caribbean tightening up its Covid-19 protocols in general, such as requiring face masks to be worn by all passengers in vaccinated-only areas of the ship.

The casino is one of these vaccinated-only areas aboard Royal Caribbean ships.

Passengers may only remove their mask indoors in public areas while seated and actively eating or drinking.

Royal Caribbean has updated its website to indicate it will stop offering international cruise ship passengers a Covid-19 test onboard its ships, and instead refer them to land-based test sites.

Up until now, Royal Caribbean offered international passengers a complimentary Covid-19 test onboard its ships so that they could satisfy their home country test requirements to return.

The new policy is posted on Royal Caribbean's website that beginning January 5, 2022, optional tests for international re-entry will no longer be offered onboard.

International guests sailing on a cruise before January 5, 2022 will still be able to schedule a Covid-19 test onboard prior to debarkation day. Details on scheduling your test will be provided once onboard. 

Instead, Royal Caribbean will provide guests with testing locations at or near the cruise terminal for passengers to complete once the cruise is over. These providers are not affiliated with the cruise line, and testing costs will vary by location.

• At the Terminal — For your convenience, you can take a rapid PCR or antigen COVID-19 test right at the terminal upon debarking the ship and depart. Results will be emailed to you shortly after. 
• At the Airport — Guests traveling directly to the airport can schedule their rapid PCR or antigen COVID-19 test to be taken on-site with a test provider at the airport.  
• Local Testing Sites — If you’re staying in the area, there are various locations close to the terminal, the airport and hotels in the area where you can complete PCR or antigen COVID-19 testing.  

These options will be communicated to passengers once onboard in greater detail. 

Many countries require a negative Covid-19 test in order to return home after international travel, such as Canada.

Up until now, Royal Caribbean offered such tests onboard its ships for no additional charge.

In the case of Canada, travellers must have a negative COVID-19 molecular test (PCR, RT-PCR, NAAT, RT-LAMP) result. The test must be taken a maximum of 72 hours before the departure of their last direct flight to Canada.

Hi everyone, I'm really excited to announce our next live-blog experience as we get ready for a cruise aboard Navigator of the Seas for a 7-night Mexican Riviera adventure.

This is my first time trying this itinerary, and I hope it offers all of you a chance to preview what to expect if you ever wanted to give it a try.

Royal Caribbean had been absent from the West Coast of the United States for over a decade, so when Royal Caribbean announced a return, I had to give a try.

Most of the Navigator of the Seas cruises are just 3- and 4-night sailings, but if I was going to fly across the country for a cruise, it had to be for something longer.  Luckily, there are longer sailings on holidays, and it seemed like a good opportunity to spend our winter break on a cruise.

Why we chose this cruise

It's not often there is a brand new itinerary to try from the United States, so when Royal Caribbean started selling cruises from Los Angeles, I had to give it a try.

Finding an itinerary that worked with the kids' school schedule was not easy, but the price was right, especially for a holiday sailing and it allows the kids a bit of a break before and after the cruise before school resumes.

The prices for Navigator of the Seas' sailings from Los Angeles have been on the inexpensive side, which represents a great value for anyone that can get out there. 

On top of the fun itinerary, I love Navigator of the Seas and the upgrades she received has part of her amplification in 2019. Combine a great ship with a new itinerary, and you have an exciting plan.

My plans onboard

I'll be traveling with my wife and kids, and we have two connecting balcony rooms for this cruise.

Getting two connecting rooms instead of putting everyone in one cabin is one of my favorite family cruise tips because of how it doesn't break the bank and gives my wife and I some separation from the kids. Plus, an extra bathroom!

Since this is a holiday cruise that goes over Christmas, we decided to just do a 3-night dining plan so that I can do a few specialty restaurants, but enjoy the best the main dining room has to offer.

I'm also not sure what to expect in terms of how full the ship will be. Navigator did not restart cruises until November, but Royal Caribbean has been steadily increasing ship capacity across the fleet over the last six weeks, especially on holidays.

I'm hoping the weather will be warm enough to try out the waterslides onboard.  I've done both slides, but my kids have not. I think once we get down to Mexico, the temperatures should warm up considerably.

Something else that will be different for us will be the tightened mask rules that Royal Caribbean just announced. I've never stopped wearing my mask at home while indoors, so I'm not certain how much of a difference it will be, although I had gotten used to being in vaccinated-only areas and enjoying entertainment without a mask.  

My plans on shore

We will be visiting three ports of call on this cruise, and each is brand new to me: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.

Given that I've never been to any of these ports, I spent more time than usual to plan excursions because I not only want to see what each offers, but it may be a while before I return, so I want to maximize my time seeing the best each port has to offer.

In Cabo San Lucas, we booked the Deluxe Coastal Cruise through Royal Caribbean, which is described as a 2-hour catamaran where we will visit the rock formations of Land's End, check out a barking colony of sea lions, and then sail past a rare stretch of sand shared by both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez. It's also whale season, so we may see migratory whales.

In Puerto Vallarta, I booked a private shore excursion through Royal Caribbean's Private Journeys program.

Royal Caribbean arranged a private vehicle with driver/guide to take us to a 4 star beach club with beachfront, pool, restaurant, full bar service, lounges, umbrellas, restrooms, showers and poolside service.

Finally, in Mazatlan, I booked an ATV tour on our own. We have a private 4x4 Rhino Safari ATV tour where the four of us will ride in a 700cc fully automatic Honda Big Red 4x4 Rhino on an ecological adventure through Mazatlan's backcountry.

What's next

Our trip begins tomorrow when we fly out to California for a few days pre-cruise touring. We'll spend a few days at Disneyland before boarding our cruise ship on Friday, December 24.

If you want a head start on this live blog, check out Jenna's quick two-night cruise on Navigator last month.

I will be sharing the details on the blog, as well as across my social media channels.  Be sure to follow me on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter for live updates throughout the day.

I invite you to share in this experience with me, by posting in the comments for any blog post questions and comments you may have.  I try to make these live blogs as interactive as I can, so I want everyone to feel welcome to share their thoughts.

Thanks for reading all of this and welcome aboard our next fun live blog experience!

Merry Christmas! The holidays are here, and so is our weekly round up of the articles and news we shared about Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean updated its mask policy this week to require passengers to wear them indoors, even while in vaccinated-only areas.

The tightened mask rule change comes as the omicron variant of Covid-19 has caused a spike in cases around the United States.

As a result, Royal Caribbean will now require all passengers to wear masks in all indoor public areas unless actively eating or drinking.

Royal Caribbean News

• Royal Caribbean releases 7-night Caribbean sailings for summer 2023
• Royal Caribbean will base Wonder of the Seas from Port Canaveral November 2022 - April 2023
• Royal Caribbean redeploys three Oasis Class cruise ships in 2022 & 2023
• Royal Caribbean will no longer let passengers get on or off the cruise ship at a different port of call
• Royal Caribbean previews new cruise terminal in Galveston
• Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas restarts cruises from Tampa
• Comparing the Royal Caribbean ships sailing in Alaska 2022
• Royal Caribbean updates: Water cans, Enchantment of the Seas repairs, and more!
• Back-to-back cruises tips and advice
• Royal Caribbean ships by size
• You will be able to renew your passport online thanks to new executive order
• How fast do cruise ships go?
• Comparing Royal Caribbean's Private Islands: CocoCay & Labadee

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 434th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, which has a list of mistakes passengers make when they get off their cruise ships.

The last morning of a cruise is when you have to unfortunately disembark, but there are some pitfalls you can avoid to ensure walking off the ship and getting home is much easier.

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: 15 Royal Caribbean cruise hacks

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 — 15 Royal Caribbean cruise hacks — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

2022 Royal Caribbean Cruise Planning Guide

Have you got a Royal Caribbean cruise scheduled in the coming year? Or are you thinking of booking one? Planning a cruise can be a daunting task, but it's easy with our new guide.

It may come as a surprise to first-time cruisers just how much goes into planning a cruise vacation, so we wrote a guide to give you the basics of how to get started.

Check out our 2022 Royal Caribbean planning guide to give you some background information on each aspect of the cruise, with a ton of links to other blog posts that offer much more detailed information.

Royal Caribbean announced it has changed its mask rules aboard its cruise ships due to the surge in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.

In an email sent to guests, for sailings departing through January 5, 2022, face masks will now be required to be worn indoors at all times, unless actively eating or drinking. This new update also applies to vaccinated areas and venues.

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:

• In open-air areas of the ship, unless you are in a crowded setting.
• In the pool or any activity where they may become wet.
• In your stateroom when you are with your traveling party.
• While visiting our private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay, unless you are in a crowded setting.
• By any guest under the age of 2.

Masks ARE required to be worn:

• While indoors in public areas of the ship, unless seated and actively eating or drinking.
• While visiting public ports of call, where local regulations may require them.

Royal Caribbean says they consulted with their Chief Medical Officer, public health experts and governments to come to this change.

Royal Caribbean will notify guests booked on these sailings

Guests booked on these sailings are being reached out to and made aware of the change. 

The cruise line apologized for having to make this change, "We're sorry for any disappointment this may cause, but hope you understand that health and safety come first. Despite the new requirement, we know you will still have a great time onboard."

Prior to this change, vaccinated guests were able to remove their masks in certain indoor areas of the ship designated for fully vaccinated passengers, such as the casino, and certain bars and lounges.

In addition to Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line also changed their mask policy.

NCL informed guests sailing that masks will be required indoors on its ships when not actively eating or drinking.

In an email sent to passengers, NCL said, "We are asking guests to wear masks onboard while indoors, except when actively eating or drinking or when in their stateroom; wear masks outdoors when social distancing is not possible; and adhere to local regulations when visiting ports of call."

The uptick in Covid cases is not just a cruise ship problem.

The NFL announced today three Week 15 games have been postponed due to COVID-19 surge.

The NBA and NHL both announced postponements as well.

Royal Caribbean is building a new cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas, and shared a look at what it will look like inside and out.

Terminal 3 cruise terminal will be big enough to handle Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships, and signifies a major investment in the Galveston cruise market by committing to invest millions of dollars to upgrade the facilities.

The new $125 million cruise terminal will open in Fall 2022, and Royal Caribbean shared new concept art for what it will look like. 

New cruise terminals are more than just a place to check-in and board your cruise. With the new building comes a smoother process, as well as enhancements in the embarkation and disembarkation procedures.

The entryway

Allure of the Seas will be the first ship to call Galveston home when the new terminal opens in fall 2022.

In total, the building is 161,300 square feet and Royal Caribbean says it will be a state-of-the-art building. 

It will also be a LEED-certified terminal (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which means it will be environmentally responsible and use resources efficiently. 

Construction of the terminal was delayed due to the global health crisis, but work began in April 2021 on the 10 acre parcel of land.

The new terminal is located at Pier 10 for exclusive use by Royal Caribbean.

Architects Bermello Ajamil & Partners Inc. came up with the look of the new terminal, but this firm is no stranger to Royal Caribbean. They also designed Terminal A in Miami, Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal, and Port Everglades' Terminal 18 and 25.

Boarding area

The facility will feature state-of-the-art technology, including mobile check-in and facial recognition to expedite guest arrival.

Not only can Terminal 3 handle Oasis Class ships, it will also be able to accommodate Royal Caribbean's new Icon Class ships.

Read more: Royal Caribbean looks forward to big plans in 2022 and 2023

Guests who are booked in a suite will be able to enjoy a VIP area in the new terminal.

Many cruise terminals have separate seating for suite guests, and Galveston's new terminal looks to follow in Terminal A in PortMiami's approach to providing suite guests with their own "plussed" seating area before boarding begins.

Allure of the Seas will offer cruises from Terminal 3 beginning in November 2022.

Allure will sail 7-night Western Caribbean cruises to destinations like Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; and Roatan, Honduras.