Deb shares her experience on Harmony of the Seas, as it was her first cruise back since the pandemic.
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April means a full month of spring Royal Caribbean cruises to choose from, as well as the moving of ships back to Europe.
This article is an effort to share what you need to know about going on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the month of April, with important news, tips, and helpful information along the way.
Just like March, April is when many families look to enjoy a spring break cruise. That means higher demand for cruises in April through the Easter holiday, and higher guest counts more than likely.
Easter falls on April 17, 2022, which is usually the culmination of spring break demand. The last week and half of April could see less demand for cruises, since school will be back in session.
If you want to avoid crowds, look for a cruise in the last week of April.
Three more Royal Caribbean cruise ships return to service in April.
Radiance of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas will start back up with a repositioning cruise from Los Angeles to Vancouver so that they can be ready for the start of the Alaska cruise season in May.
Voyager of the Seas will sail from Barcelona to Copenhagen on April 15, and then begin regular service from Copenhagen in late April to kick off Royal Caribbean's European season.
At the end of April, only one Royal Caribbean cruise ship will remain out of service since the pandemic, which is Rhapsody of the Seas.
April is the time of year for many Royal Caribbean ships to leave the Caribbean waters and sail east to Europe.
Wonder of the Seas will bid adieu to her temporary home in Fort Lauderdale and sail to Barcelona, Spain on a 14-night transatlantic cruise on April 20th.
Here's a look at the other transatlantic crossings in April:
With Royal Caribbean ships sailing from many places other than the United States in April 2022, the exact protocols will vary somewhat, but the core requirements seem to be universal.
All Royal Caribbean guests age 12 and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose of their vaccine administered at least 14 days before sailing.
With the exception of the transatlantic crossings that do not allow anyone unvaccinated onboard, Royal Caribbean does not require kids younger than 12 to be vaccinated.
All crew members on every ship will be fully vaccinated.
Masks are optional for vaccinated passengers onboard its ships indoors.
Unvaccinated children are expected to wear masks indoors and in crowded settings. All children, regardless of vaccination status, will need to wear a mask in Adventure Ocean. Guests under 2 do not have to wear a mask at any time.
Covid testing requirements are nearly all the same, with the exception of transatlantic crossings.
Vaccinated guests must show a negative COVID-19 test 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. This test cannot be taken on boarding day for unvaccinated kids.
Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.
Be sure to refer to Royal Caribbean's requirements for your sailing, especially if you are on a transatlantic cruise, or sailing from somewhere outside of the continental United States, such as Puerto Rico or Barbados.
As an example, the transatlantic crossings require all passengers to be fully vaccinated, and only one day before the cruise to get a negative Covid test result.
It's important to double check the protocols on Royal Caribbean's website well before your embarkation day to ensure you are doing everything you need to be, in the right timeframe.
Spring in the Caribbean means warm temperatures before the summer heat arrives in the region.
You'll find higher temperatures across the board, with it far less likely to be chilly during your cruise once in the Caribbean.
You will find warmer temperatures in places like The Bahamas, and if you take a Southern Caribbean cruise, expect average high temps to reach the low 90s.
April is the the end of the dry season in the Caribbean, so don't expect too much rain.
Just like in the Caribbean, expect warm temperatures in the Mexican Riviera, with high temperatures in the mid 80's to low 90's.
April weather in the Mexican Riviera is some of the best weather once you get to Mexico. April is the driest month of the entire year based on historical data from the Mexico Tourism Ministry.
If your cruise sails over the Easter holiday, you can expect some special events onboard.
The exact activities will depend on the sailing, but in the past we've seen:
In addition, Royal Caribbean has had special foods in the Windjammer and main dining room.
Royal Caribbean has posted new cruises in 2023-2024 from Panama.
The newly released sailings offer 6- and 7-night Southern Caribbean cruises that begin in either Colon, Panama or Cartagena, Columbia. Sailing from these ports is a first for Royal Caribbean in almost a decade.
Rhapsody of the Seas will sail between December 2023 and April 2024.
Royal Caribbean believes these new itineraries combine the international cuisine, entertainment and nightlife on a single cruise that does not require a travel visa.
Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley shared the exciting news on Facebook, "I am very excited to announce that starting in 2023, Panama is your newest jumping-off point for the captivating shores of the Southern Caribbean onboard Rhapsody of the Seas."
The new cruises are available to book immediately.
Not only are there cruises that visit many exotic destinations in the region, but this also offers 7-night Panama Canal crossings.
The 7-night Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruises starts off with a visit to Cartagena before traversing the Panama Canal and spending time in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Something else novel about this new deployment are cruises from Cartagena.
Located in Colombia, Cartagena is known for its romantic colonial architecture and Caribbean coast line.
There are still more cruises to be announced for the 2023-2024 cruise season.
Royal Caribbean's deployment schedule is as follows:
Keep in mind that the deployment schedule is subject to change.
Planning on booking a 2023 cruise? These stories will help:
Royal Caribbean has released its Covid-19 health protocols for cruises sailing to Alaska, including ships that sail from Vancouver.
The Alaska cruise season is set to begin soon, and Royal Caribbean has released the pre-cruise & onboard Covid health requirements for passengers.
The protocols differ slightly if your ship embarks in Vancouver or Seattle.
The latest protocols are for guests cruising to Alaska from the U.S. and from Vancouver, British Columbia through May 31, 2022.
All guests 12 and older must be fully vaccinated.
Children aged 5 to 11 are not required to be vaccinated. However, kids who have been vaccinated may present proof and follow the fully vaccinated protocols.
All crew members onboard will be fully vaccinated.
Royal Caribbean will not accept a Certificate of Recovery in the place of a vaccination record.
Testing is required to enter Canada and to board the ship. These requirements vary depending on guests’ age and vaccination status.
For sailings debarking in Seattle, Washington or Seward, Alaska: Unvaccinated guests age 2 – 11 years will take a complimentary antigen test onboard no more than 1 day before arrival to the U.S.
Guests under 2 years of age will not be tested.
Passengers that booked an add-on tour before or after their cruise in Alaska (known as a cruisetour) have additional testing requirements.
Cruisetour guests will also need to complete the pre-cruise testing to board the ship in addition to the pre-tour testing. Vaccinated guests are advised to bring an eMed test kit with them on their Cruisetour to meet the pre-cruise testing requirement.
For vaccinated guests without a test kit or unvaccinated kids age 2-11 in need of a PCR test, a testing provider in Anchorage will be available to test guests at their own expense.
Details on how to register for testing in Anchorage will be provided by your Cruisetour guide.
There are no restrictions on which tours passengers can book in Alaska, regardless of vaccination status.
Royal Caribbean is still "working closely with local government and health authorities to finalize protocols and requirements for going ashore in Canadian ports of call."
Masks are optional for fully vaccinated guests.
Royal Caribbean expects unvaccinated children to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowded settings.
Masks are required for all children age 2 years and older while at the Adventure Ocean youth program.
Guests under 2 years do not have to wear a mask at any time.
In addition to bringing a passport, Covid-19 vaccination card, and a Covid-19 test result, there's one additional piece of documentation passengers should bring for all sailings from Seattle, Seward and Vancouver.
All travelers to Canada, or their legal guardians, must download the ArriveCAN app or complete the mandatory travel information via the ArriveCAN website prior to your entry into Canada.
This applies whether guests are departing on their cruise from Canada, ending the cruise in Canada, or visiting the country as a port of call.
Royal Caribbean says they are working with the Canadian government to make this process easier for guests arriving by cruise ship, and will ensure guests have guidance to complete this process smoothly onboard.
This was a busy week with Royal Caribbean news, and we have a summary of all of the news from this week to make certain you did not miss any of it.
It's been a few weeks since Royal Caribbean loosened the Covid-19 protocols, and I wanted to share my experience with the new rules.
With cruise ship health protocols so effective in keeping Covid-19 cases down, and Royal Caribbean opting into the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) highly vaccinated program, face masks are optional onboard while indoors for fully vaccinated passengers. In addition, other policies have been scaled back.
After sailing on Wonder of the Seas for two weeks, here's a look at what it's like onboard for anyone who may be curious how close to normal cruising is right now.
The 447th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Matt answers as many Royal Caribbean questions as he can.
This week's episode is all about catching up on listener emails that have been sent in.
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.
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 — 9 Things I Liked & Didn't Like about Wonder of the Seas — and don’t forget to subscribe here.
Your Royal Caribbean cruise includes a lot, but it's far from all-inclusive.
In planning for a cruise, it's important to know what is and what is not included with your cruise. But just because things cost extra doesn't mean you should skip them.
Here's a look at the top things on a cruise that will cost you extra, and how to reduce your out-of-pocket price.
A European cruise might be something you have booked for this year, or perhaps you're thinking about booking one. Regardless, the Western Mediterranean is a popular option.
Offering some of the most significant historical monuments as well as beautiful scenery, a cruise to places like Spain, Italy or France packs a lot into one sailing.
Our guide to Western Mediterranean cruises offers a glimpse of what to expect from the ports of call and answers commonly asked questions.
Radiance of the Seas will stay in the United States instead of going to Australia in 2023.
Royal Caribbean announced Radiance will split time between New Orleans and Galveston instead of going to Australia as originally planned.
Is it possible to have a bad time at an all-inclusive day pass beach resort? It depends on how many other people are trying to do the same thing.
Since cruise ships restarted sailing in 2021, I've made an effort to re-visit some favorite spots in the ports of call Royal Caribbean's ships visit to ensure the experience has not changed since the last time.
In March 2022, I had the opportunity to visit Mr. Sanchos in Cozumel, after having visited Paradise Beach and Nachi Cocom recently.
My goal was to see how it stacked up to the other resorts, and see what's changed since my last visit in 2018.
Like so many other all-inclusive beach resorts in Cozumel, Mr. Sanchos advertises unlimited food, drink, beach and pool access for one price.
Located on the south western side of Cozumel island, it's about a 10-15 minute taxi ride from where Royal Caribbean docks.
Reservations are optional, but it's a good idea to make a reservation to assure your family of a spot. A deposit is required in advance.
Once you arrive, you will check in and pay the remainder of the balance.
Before you get to the beach or pool, there are a series of souvenir stands that you can stop at in order to buy something. Some people buy it before or after their visit, although most tend to walk past it all.
At this point your waiter is assigned to you, which means this is the person to place all your food and drink orders. This person will also assign you a set of chairs and umbrella.
Most people end up near the beach, but you could ask for an open set of chairs elsewhere, including closer to the pool.
The layout of Mr. Sanchos is a series of pools with swim up bars that extend parallel to the beach.
The beach itself looks great, although there is substantial seaweed and rocks in areas under water, so it's necessarily to tread lightly.
There's an optional aqua park with inflatable objects to climb on. Access to this costs extra.
The aquatic park includes:
Each of the pool areas has a swim up bar, along with seating around the edge. There's enough room to wade and enjoy a drink. Kids may find enough space to swim a bit.
Food and drink is included with admission, and you'll find the typical mix of Mexican fare and beach-friendly options.
You have the choice of going to a buffet station and serving yourself, or asking your waiter to bring you the food. No difference in price.
Mr. Sanchos tries to offer everything you might want in an all-inclusive beach day, and its popularity seemed to have lead to the one faux pas of any beach spot: overcrowding.
On the day I visited, there were at three or four cruise ships in port, and by mid-morning I noticed almost all the tables and chairs were occupied. The result was an experience I found to be overcrowded and unenjoyable.
Our waiters did a good job of keeping up with demand, but the pools and beach were pretty full. On an island where there are so many different beach options, I found it disappointing how busy things were because it felt like we were all pushed together a little too much.
It didn't help there were two different families who smoked cigarettes adjacent to our table. I asked the waiter if there was perhaps a non-smoking area we could be moved to, but he said smoking was allowed anywhere outdoors. Obviously this was just bad luck of the draw in terms of being close to these folks, but it also detracted from the experience.
Then there is the food, which was equally poor. Much of the food came overcooked and under impressive.
Being in Mexico, I'd expect the Mexican fare to be better than average, but I found much of it to be something I might get back at home in a Chilis. Then again, Chilis doesn't serve up nearly as dry food as we had.
I freely admit that one visit is not necessarily indicative of what your experience was like, but Mr. Sanchos seemed to be too crowded when you consider the other options available.
There were certainly people enjoying themselves, and my kids had a good enough time splashing around. But the overcrowded setting, poor food, and murky ocean water left me wanting to leave.
In fact, I cannot recommend Mr. Sanchos if you're looking for an all-inclusive beach day. I think Nachi Cocom is a far superior all-inclusive option because they limit the amount of people each day. If you want something else with more for the kids, consider a Cozumel day pass to a resort.
It's a shame we didn't have a better time, but the overcrowding ended up overshadowing what is otherwise a picturesque beach to enjoy.
How to book: Reservations can be made online via the Mr. Sanchos website.
The pandemic may have delayed Royal Caribbean's plans to open a new private island, but those plans are still moving forward.
According to Royal Caribbean, Perfect Day at Lelepa is still on track to open and we have a look at what it might look like.
Located in Vanuatu in the South Pacific, Perfect Day at Lelepa was initially announced in October 2019 to open sometime in 2022. Then Covid hit and those plans were put on hold.
There is no updated opening date as of yet.
Australian website Cruise Passenger shared an artist rendering of what the private destination will look like, which is our first preview of the island's design.
While Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas offers thrills, Royal Caribbean has a different vision for Lelepa.
When first announced, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley said the new project was created in partnership with the community of Vanuatu, "to showcase the distinct natural ecological beauty and diverse local culture of the island nation as well as provide employment and education opportunities."
"We believe our destinations should be sustainably designed," Bayley said. "That idea goes beyond simply protecting the ecological features of Lelepa and includes showing respect for the people and traditions that make this a special place."
Earlier in March, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider confirmed that Lelepa is still part of the cruise line's plans.
According to Mr. Schneider, it's still in their "planning cycle" and Royal Caribbean hopes Perfect Day at Lelepa is part of a broader strategy in the region.
"We are really waiting for the Pacific to reopen in a massive way....but we still have our property in the Lelepa, and still have plans for a Lelepa."
Whenever Perfect Day at Lelepa gets built, it will be designed in a sustainable way.
When Royal Caribbean announced the project, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman Richard Fain talked about what the company is doing to reduce the carbon footprint of the destination.
"There's also one, very special aspect of this project that is also worth noting. Lelapa will be the first private cruise destination in the world that achieves carbon neutrality. All of the energy consumed will be generated from renewable sources. Accomplishing that requires both major investment and major innovation, but Perfect Day at Lelapa will be rich in both."
The original plans for Lelepa was to handle less passengers than CocoCay.
Mr. Bayley talked about the capacity, "The volume will be less less than Perfect Day at CocoCay, which I think at its peak in a few years will get to close to 3 million people going there."
"The number for Vanuatu, I think, reaches close to 750-800,000 is currently in our plans."
Royal Caribbean is busy with plenty of changes, and I want to make sure you're aware of everything happening.
Between the major announcements, there are a good amount of smaller updates that occur every week, so this is a quick round-up of Royal Caribbean news from this week.
Many thanks to the RoyalCaribbeanBlog community for helping spot what has changed.
If you ever have a news tip, feel free to email it to [email protected] for possible inclusion in a future update!
There's a new kind of biodegradable straw on at least some Royal Caribbean ships.
Royal Caribbean got rid of plastic straws on its cruise ships in 2018, but the paper straw replacements have been received with mixed reactions.
According to the StrawFish website, the straws are able to biodegrade without the need for oxygen, in a process called anaerobic biodegradation. This is essential because landfill conditions consist of extremely low oxygen levels.
In fact, they've been tested to 100% biodegrade in under 27 weeks in natural landfill conditions.
So far they've been spotted on Harmony, Freedom, and Jewel of the Seas.
Readers that tried them have all reported them being a far better solution compared to the paper straws they replaced.
Thanks to twangster and Dan Kohout for providing photos.
We may have had the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship get to full capacity since the pandemic.
RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Shannon Ford is sailing on Odyssey of the Seas this week and reported the ship's Captain mentioning during her sailing.
The Captain added this is the first sailing to be sold at 100%.
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Spring break has seen many ship capacities rise from around 50-60% limits that were in place in January and February.
Guests are seeing a new brand of shampoo, body wash, and conditioner in their cabin on at least some ships.
Janet Pirkle shared a photo of the new Salt + Breeze brand toiletries that were added to her Junior Suite on Mariner of the Seas.
Other cruisers reported seeing Salt + Breeze brand liquids added to select cabins on Harmony, Explorer, Odyssey, and Independence of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean is still using Malin & Goetz on other ships in the suites.
Royal Caribbean's new cruise terminal in Galveston is making significant progress in its construction.
Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees posted an update on the progress of Pier 10.
The new building should be complete in about 8 months.
Once complete the 68-foot-tall building will be faced with colorful blue panels, vertical accent windows, and the distinctive Royal Caribbean anchor logo.
This week's podcast episode is dedicated to just answering emails our listeners have sent in to be answered!
Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via...
For the first time in two years, Royal Caribbean will offer a Kids Sail Free offer.
While the cruise line has brought out a number of different promotions during the pandemic, kids sail free has been absent until now.
The Kids Sail Free deal has been a popular option for families because kids 12 years old and under staying in the same room as two adults are free to cruise.
Beginning on March 24, the kids sail free offer is back, which can be combined with a few different other discounts.
The new offer includes up to $550 off the cruise fare, plus 30% off every guest, and kids sail free.
The new deal begins March 24, 2022, so you will not see new pricing until that date.
Kids Sail Free applies to new bookings made between 3/24 – 3/31/22 on sailings departing on or after June 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023.
It provides free cruise fare for third guests and higher who are 12 years old and younger as of departure date on sailings 3 nights or longer booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad occupancy stateroom.
Kids Sail Free excludes Thanksgiving sailings departing 11/18/22 – 11/25/22, Holiday sailings departing 12/22/22 – 1/8/23, Spring break sailings departing 3/10/23 – 3/24/23, and Easter sailings departing 4/6/23 – 4/16/23.
Taxes, fees, and port expenses are additional and apply to all guests.
Up to $550 off Extension applies to new bookings made on 3/24– 3/28/22. Up to $550 off Extension provides up to $550 USD instant savings for select sailings departing on or after 4/24/22.
Savings amount is per stateroom and varies by category booked and sailing length:
Offer open to residents of US, Canada, Puerto Rico and select countries in the Caribbean.
Kids Sail Free deals definitely save money, but the issue has always been finding dates that were not blacked out. With Kids Sail Free being offered over the summer, there is ample opportunity for families to take advantage of the offer.
Your best value with Kids Sail Free will be in the higher category rooms, especially balcony and suite rooms, where the savings on the third and fourth passenger are more substantial.
Of course, Kids Sail Free deal requires the kids to be in the same stateroom as the parents, so you cannot split across multiple rooms and use the offer.
Using a good travel agent, you can easily compare and contrast prices between sailings.