Royal Caribbean has not released all the health protocols and changes for Adventure of the Seas restarted sailings from The Bahamas, but expect to only be able to go on cruise line shore excursions.

Other cruise lines around the world that have been able to restart cruises have done so with the limitation that guests may only go on cruise line sponsored tours in order to ensure guests are safeguarded from undue risk of exposure to Covid-19.

On the same day Royal Caribbean announced Adventure of the Seas would restart cruises in June from Nassau, Bahamas, the line also confirmed guests will only be able to disembark the ship if on a ship tour.

 Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, Vicki Freed, told Cruise Industry News guests will be limited to Royal Caribbean excursions in Cozumel and Grand Bahama Island.

"With our own little bubble, we can really make sure the health and safety protocols are being followed."

Royal Caribbean's own Shore Excursions Health Acknowledgement confirms that only cruise line tours will be permitted, "guests are currently only permitted to book and participate in Shore Excursions which are selected and approved by Royal Caribbean Group."

In addition, guests booked on Odyssey of the Seas sailings from Israel received a list of terms and conditions for their sailings which also allude to the limitation of shore excursion options you can book.

Read more: How to book a Royal Caribbean shore excursion

Why limit shore excursions?

The origin of limiting shore excursion options goes back to the first cruise ships to restart sailings.

In an effort to create a travel bubble, MSC Cruises restarted sailings in August 2020 with the rule in place. They even refused to let a family back onboard that broke the rule.

In September 2020, the Healthy Sail Panel addressed shore excursions in their 74 recommendations for how to operate a cruise ship safely during the global health crisis.

The number 59 recommendation recommended limiting shore excursion options.

"During the initial return to sailing, cruise operators should only allow guests debarking from a ship at a destination port to participate in cruise line-sponsored or verified excursions as a way of limiting potential exposures in the destinations they visit."

The Panel did classify this recommendation as a temporary one, and something that could be modified or removed later when health conditions permit.

Read more: Are Cruise Ship-Sponsored Shore Excursions Really Safer?

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain posted a new video celebrating the restart of sailings on Adventure of the Seas, as well as answering the most common questions he is seeing.

Every few weeks, Mr. Fain has been producing videos for travel agents that seek to offer insight into where things are while the cruise industry remains shutdown.

The enthusiasm in Mr. Fain's voice and expressions was evident as he heralded the return of Adventure of the Seas and Celebrity Millennium to sailing in June.

In fact, Mr. Fain teased that more sailings from places outside the United States will be coming soon.

"It all reinforces the view that there's an enormous amount of pent up demand eager to cruise again. I expect that we will soon be announcing more such itineraries."

In addition, Mr. Fain highlighted the fact across the Royal Caribbean Group of brands, over 100,000 people have sailed with just ten positive cases.

"This is really our objective: few infections and certainly lower than would be expected in the surrounding community, all handled smoothly without ruining everybody's vacation, protection of guests and the surrounding community from a big spread of the virus."

"In essence, we've just had a hundred thousand test cruisers and demonstrated that the process works."

Addressing the hot topics

The bulk of the video is dedicated to hitting some of the common questions he has been asked.  

Here is a breakdown of these questions, and his responses.

When will cruises restart?

"The answer is, as I said before, we already have. Hundreds of thousands of happy cruises in various parts of the world. And it's fast growing with recent announcements of more such cruises, including the Caribbean."

"By the way, on average, our ratings on these cruises are seven points higher than our ratings were pre pandemic. Clearly, our guests are loving the experience."

Will vaccines be required to cruise?

"The answer to that is we don't know. We have announced three cruises that will require inoculations for all adults, and there are likely to be more."

"But each circumstance is different. And I would note that the cruises we are currently operating are operating without requiring vaccines. But the vaccines set the stage for whatever we do. And all of our efforts are designed to make our cruises safer than walking down Main Street, USA."

"The situation changes every day and we will be guided throughout by the science as it evolves and gets better and more accurate."

Read more: Everything we know about if Royal Caribbean will require a vaccine

What about the CDC's Conditional Sail Order and when will their next technical rules be issued?

"That's more complicated, but it's still very important."

"The CDC issued the Conditional Sail Order last October in an effort to provide a path for cruising to reopen in the United States. The CDC has an amazing responsibility throughout the United States, and we all know they're working incredibly hard to balance the risks of the disease while limiting the pain and suffering to society."

"As most of you know, the order called for several phases and for the CDC to issue detailed technical rules for each phase. The first of such technical rules was scheduled to be released in December, and many of you was asked when we expect to receive them. In fact, I would answer that the pace of science has simply overcome that process."

"When the Conditional Sail Order was written, there were no vaccines. The disease was on an upward trajectory and headed towards a terrible peak. Testing was less available and more costly and therapeutics were limited. In general, the situation looked very bleak back then."

"What a difference five months makes."

"Today, the vaccines and other measures have changed the trajectory from a steep climb to a dramatic fall. The pandemic isn't under control, but it is getting there and society is beginning to open up."

"I was thrilled when the CDC said that now that I'm vaccinated, I could play with my extraordinary grandchildren without a mask. I was over the moon when they said it was safe for schoolchildren to sit three feet apart instead of six. So we're making important and impressive progress."

"Last October, preparing for resumption of service based on extensive protocols made good sense. But today, a vaccine approach makes much more sense than this old protocol based approach."

"The vaccines are bringing down the incidence of Covid-19 in society. The testing enables us to catch cases early, and the preparation we're doing allows us to handle individual cases safely and simply."

"We don't know what the CDC is contemplating to address this very different set of circumstances. But just as they and other public health officials are doing elsewhere, we expect they will all adjust to the changes that have been and are taking place today."

"The Conditional Sail Order was a very positive step at the time, but that time has passed. We look forward to a constructive dialogue with health officials in the United States and elsewhere for the path forward under these new circumstances."

Another politician has reached out to the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) to get an answer on when cruises will be able to restart.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava sent a letter to CDC Director, Rochelle Walensky, looking for a way for cruises to restart in July.

In the letter, Mayor Cava explained the critical role cruise ships play in the economy of South Florida, as well as the stringent protocols cruise lines have adopted to ensure they can operate in a safe manner.

In addition, Miami-Dade County pledged its support in working with the CDC, "to establish a plan to safely re-open the cruising industry."

"Restarting cruising is critically important to saving hundreds of thousands of good-paying American jobs, including thousands of unionized longshore (ILA and ILWU) positions. In Miami-Dade County alone, cruise activity generates approximately $7 billion and 40,000 jobs annually. It supports multiple sectors of the economy from ground to air transportation, food and beverage, lodging, manufacturing, agriculture, travel agencies, hotels, port services, and a broad range of industries that stretch across the U.S."

As stated in the executive summary from the last No Sail Order, one of the concerns the CDC has had is the spread of Covid by cruise ships among port personnel, and communities.

The Mayor said they are seeking to establish the first of its kind in the country on-site COVID testing lab in PortMiami.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava

"Our County is already operating under the health and safety protocols established by the CDC, with continued communication between PortMiami, the cruise industry, and the CDC Miami Quarantine Station."

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley thanked Mayor Cava on Facebook for her initiative, "Thankful for Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s partnership as we find our way back to service."

The Mayor of Miami-Dade County is one of many political leaders who has reached out to the CDC for answers on what is happening with regard to cruise ships getting approval to open back up again.

In December 2020, the Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chair of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) sent a lettter to the CDC and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) asking why they have not received records related to decisions made surrounding the cruise industry.

Mayor Cava's predecessor Carlos A. Gimenez called on the CDC back in September to open up cruises.

Also in September, the Miami-Dade Tourism and the Ports Committee slammed the CDC openly for its slow response to cruise lines.

Remember when Royal Caribbean announced it sold Majesty of the Seas in December 2020? We may know the owner now.

Royal Caribbean did not disclose the buyer at the time of the sale in December, but through maritime records it now appears we know the owner.

The listing for Majesty is now operator/manager of 'Eaglepower Shipping Ltd' aka SeaJets.

Read more: A last look at Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas

Seajets is a Greek/Cypriot ferry company that bought a lot of ships from British cruise line Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV).  SeaJets plans on sailing them in inter Greek trips or turning them around and selling to a third party.

Empress of the Seas has been purchased by Indian cruise Cordelia Cruises, but Majesty's owner has not announced its purchase.

When Royal Caribbean sold both ships, they did not disclose who bought it.

Read more: Royal Caribbean sold two smaller cruise ships with enormous legacies

The ship was last spotted in Piraeus, Greece.

Majesty of the Seas was the last Sovereign Class cruise ship left in Royal Caribbean's fleet, and joined the fleet in 1992. 

Majesty has sailed a variety of routes in the Caribbean, having sailed from many homeports to different destinations.  Most often, she sailed from somewhere in Florida and offered short cruises to the Bahamas and Caribbean.

She was only one of two Royal Caribbean ships to visit Cuba in the limited time Americans could visit the island.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley was vocal in his admiration and sorrow following the decision to sell Majesty and Empress of the Seas, "Saying goodbye to these two beloved ships is a major moment in Royal Caribbean’s history – one that is difficult but necessary."

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.

This week we finally got the news we have been waiting for. Royal Caribbean announced it would restart Adventure of the Seas this summer from the Bahamas.

Adventure of the Seas will offer 7-night cruises from her new homeport of Nassau, Bahamas between June and August 2021.

All crew and guests above the age of 18 will need to be full vaccinated in order to come onboard. Children under the age of 18 with proof of negative COVID-19 test results are able to sail as well.

The new cruises on Adventure of the Seas will go on sale beginning March 24, 2021.

Read more: What you need to know about Royal Caribbean's new cruises from The Bahamas

Royal Caribbean News

• Celebrity Cruises will restart cruises from St. Maarten.
• Everything we know about if Royal Caribbean will require a vaccine.
• Mariner of the Seas has been redeployed between October 2021 - April 2022.
• Royal Caribbean released its Australia 2022-2023 cruise deployment.
• New updates from Royal Caribbean on June cruises, Alaska, and more.
• Norwegian Cruise Line cancelled its June 2021 cruises this week.
• Frequently asked questions about
  • Dining on a cruise ship
  • Weather during a cruise
  • Cruise ship cabins
  • Picking a cruise line and ship
• What should you not buy on a cruise ship?
• The top 7 cruise ship things you're still saying wrong.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 398th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, focusing on where Australia cruises are right now.

In this episode, we take a look at what is holding up Australia cruises from restarting and the latest cruise news from down under.

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: Why the cliché about cruise ships is totally wrong!

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 — Why the cliché about cruise ships is totally wrong! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

Royal Caribbean will sail from the West Coast again!

Royal Caribbean will finally return to offering cruises from California for the first time in over a decade.

Navigator of the Seas will sail from Los Angeles in summer 2022 to offer sailings to the Mexican Riviera.

The new sailings will vary between 3-, 4- and 5-night itineraries to Catalina Island, California and Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – plus, select winter holiday 7-night sailings will feature overnights in the popular resort city.

Royal Caribbean’s new year-round adventures from LA will open for sale the week of March 29, 2021.

Royal Caribbean announced it will restart cruises from Nassau, Bahamas on Adventure of the Seas and there are a lot changes and new policies to digest.

Royal Caribbean provided some important details surrounding these new sailings and what you should know about changes and other policies guests can expect onboard.

This information was up to date as of the writing of this post. Keep in mind policies can change, and I will do my best to keep this information updated.  

Who can book Adventure of the Seas from Nassau?

Guests of all nationalities and residencies are eligible to book. We are excited to welcome vacationers from around the globe.

What requirements are there to sail?

At this time, Royal Caribbean expects each guest will need to provide the following:

• For guests 18 years of age and older, proof of being fully vaccinated for COVID -19
• Proof of a negative SARS- CoV-2 RT-PCR test result for entry into the country where you are sailing from (age requirements vary by jurisdiction)
• Completed Royal Caribbean Health Questionnaire, available in the app 24 hours before sailing
• Typical travel documents, including passport or any visas as required by the departure country

The Bahamas requires a health visa, which ranges in price between $40-$70 per person. 

Do you need to get a Covid-19 vaccine to cruise?

At this time, guests 18 years and older are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID –19, along with all crew members onboard.

Each guest must submit proof of vaccination no later than boarding day, in the form of the original vaccination record document issued by either

1. The country’s health authority that administered the vaccination (e. g., U.S. CDC's Vaccination Record Card)
2. The guest' s medical provider that administered the vaccination.

Electronic vaccination records will only be accepted for residents of those countries where electronic documentation is the standard issued form (e.g., a unique QR code).

The vaccination record submitted to Royal Caribbean must show that the guest is fully vaccinated.

This means that the guest has completed the full cycle of required doses for the vaccine administered (e.g., received the second dose in a two- dose series), and that the guest has received the final dose at least 14 days before the sailing date.

What if I am unable to be vaccinated due to a medical condition?

Guests unable to comply with safety requirements due to medical disabilities should contact Royal Caribbean' s Access Department at (866) 592 -7225 or send an e- mail to [email protected].

What about masks, social distancing, and other protocols?

Royal Caribbean has not released those details yet.

Masks will be required onboard.

What would deny you boarding?

Royal Caribbean's Refusal to Transport Policy covers the non-exhaustive list of reasons why a guest may be denied boarding.

Some examples include, but are not limited to:

• Prior to boarding, or at any time during the voyage, failure to comply with our safety and health policies
• Failure to provide evidence of being fully vaccinated for COVID -19
• Failure to provide truthful answers to our health questionnaire
• Evidencing COVID-like symptoms, including but not limited to temperature readings that equal or exceed 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit

A full refund will be processed for the individual who tested positive, as well as his/her immediate travel party if a positive test result occurs within three weeks of the sail date.

What happens if you test positive for Covid-19 during the cruise?

In the event that a guest tests positive during his/her cruise vacation, a full refund will be  administered for the impacted guest, as well as those individuals within his/her immediate travel party.

Additionally, guests that test positive for COVID-19 during the cruise or are deemed a close  contact of someone who has, Royal Caribbean will cover onboard medical treatment, cost of any required land -based quarantine, and travel home for the affected guest and his/her travel party.

What is the definition of a travel party?

Royal Caribbean defines "traveling party" as it can include guests traveling in the same stateroom or reservation, guests traveling in multiple staterooms or as part of multiple reservations; as well as guests we determine to be legally or socially related or proximate in any way, at any time prior to or during the voyage, for any duration of time.

It is important to note that contact tracing may deem you or someone in your travel party a "close contact" of another guest outside your travel party if you were within 6 feet (2 meters) of them for at least 15 minutes in the preceding 48 hours.

If you are found to meet this contact threshold, certain actions may be required for your safety and the safety of your fellow guests.

What if I don't like these new health protocols and want to cancel?

If the booking was made on or before May 31, 2021, it qualifies for the Cruise with Confidence program, meaning that the guest can opt to cancel up to 48-hours prior to the sail date in exchange for a 100% Future Cruise Credit to be used at a later date.

What you need to know about testing and check-in

It is likely that a rapid polymerase chain reaction (RT -PCR) test for SARS- CoV-2 will be required prior to boarding and obtain a negative result. Royal Caribbean will update booked guests via email and text message, in the 30 days prior to sailing, to reinforce the latest requirements for the designated departure port.

Should a fever or other symptoms of illness be apparent while at the terminal, this could result in a denial of boarding for the ill guest, as well as those in his/her traveling party. Given this, we strongly encourage all guests to monitor their health in the days leading up to the cruise and cancel or change plans if symptoms of illness should arise. Should boarding be denied at the terminal due to a positive SARS- Co V-2 test, and/or because active communicable disease symptoms are demonstrated, the
affect guest and his/her travel party will receive a full refund.

A separate check-in flow and lounge area in the terminals will remain available for Suite guests.

With fewer guests, staggered arrival appointments, and the ability to complete necessary steps via the Royal Caribbean App before arriving, the cruise line does not anticipate that the embarkation process will take much longer than is typically required.

Onboard the ship

The number of hand sanitizer stations onboard have been increased by 75 % and are located near elevators, at exits and entrances to all venues, plus anywhere onboard that doesn’t have handwashing stations or restroom sinks in the immediate vicinity.

Additionally, a new bottle of hand sanitizer will also be provided in all staterooms on embarkation day.

For convenience, room service will be available and, as an added measure to protect the health and safety of our guests and crew, will feature contactless delivery.

Additionally, between 6 a. m. and 11 a.m., guests can enjoy daily American breakfast delivered free of charge.

Medical care on Adventure of the Seas

In the event that a cruise must return to the port of departure earlier than planned for reasons related to SARS- CoV-2, guests will receive a full refund.

Rapid tests will be available onboard in case any guest is not feeling well, with results in an hour. He/ she can be evaluated immediately by medical staff, with an in- stateroom visit or by video tele-consultation.

A guest that tests positive for SARS- CoV-2 will be moved to an isolation stateroom located close to the Medical Center and will enjoy complimentary amenities such as WIFI and room service, along with regular visits or tele-consultations with medical staff to monitor his/ her wellness.

SARS- CoV-2 evaluation and testing that is performed as a recommendation of the onboard medical team is free of charge, as well as COVID -19-related medical treatment provided while onboard, should additional treatment be necessary.

What is the response plan for a positive SARS-CoV-2 test onboard?

In the event that a guest or crew member tests positive for SARS - Co V- 2 onboard, a robust, tiered response plan will be activated and is in accordance with guidance from local authorities and leading public health experts.

The tiers increase protocols and vigilance onboard, while providing transparent correspondence to guests throughout the process. In partnership with local authorities, Royal Caribbean has developed transport protocols to ensure impacted guests get home safely and swiftly.

Thanks to rapid technology - enabled contact tracing, potential exposure to other guests and crew can be promptly identified and an action plan enabled.

Royal Caribbean announced it will begin offering cruises on Adventure of the Seas from Nassau, Bahamas in June 2021.

Beginning in June, Adventure of the Seas will be relocated to her new homeport of Nassau, Bahamas to offer 7-night cruises to destinations such as Cozumel, Grand Bahama Island, and Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The new cruises will sail June through August 2021.

The new sailings are open to guests of all nationalities and residencies are able to book these sailings.

All crew members will be vaccinated for Covid-19 onboard, and fully vaccinated guests 18 years of age and older are able to sail. Children under the age of 18 with proof of negative COVID-19 test results are able to sail as well.

Read more: First look at Royal Caribbean's newly refurbished Adventure of the Seas

Details on additional health and safety measures will be announced at a later date.

The new cruises on Adventure of the Seas will go on sale beginning March 24, 2021.

Consequently, the Adventure of the Seas 2021 Europe season has been canceled. Guests booked on sailings departing June 5 — October 14, 2021 can elect to: 1) choose a refund of all funds paid or 2) accept a 125% Future Cruise Credit to be redeemed at a later date. All impacted guests and associated travel agencies will soon receive an email.

In order to sail on Adventure of the Seas, here is what passengers will need to provide the following:

• For guests 18 years of age and older, proof of being fully vaccinated for COVID -19
• Proof of a negative SARS- CoV-2 RT-PCR test result for entry into the country where you are sailing from (age requirements vary by jurisdiction)
• Completed Royal Caribbean Health Questionnaire, available in the app 24 hours before sailing
• Typical travel documents, including passport or any visas as required by the departure countr

"We are excited to get back to delivering memorable vacations in the Caribbean, gradually and safely. The vaccines are clearly a game changer for all of us, and with the number of vaccinations and their impact growing rapidly, we believe starting with cruises for vaccinated adult guests and crew is the right choice. As we move forward, we expect this requirement and other measures will inevitably evolve over time," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

"The opportunity to homeport in The Bahamas is a testament to the tremendous partners the government and the people of the island nation have been to us for more than 50 years. We are grateful for the confidence that they have in us and our commitment to a healthy and happy return to sailing."

The announcement comes days after Royal Caribbean teased a big announcement, but delayed it a few hours later.

This is the second ship to restart sailings outside of the United States, with Grandeur of the Seas sailing from Barbados in December.

Similarly, Celebrity Cruises announced it will restart cruises outside the United States with Celebrity Millennium from St. Maarten.

Moving away from the United States

It is difficult to look past the fact Royal Caribbean deploying a ship to sail from Nassau is a move to get ships sailing again faster.

When the CDC lifted the No Sail Order at the end of October and replaced it with the Framework for Conditional Sail Order, the CDC outlined a series of steps required for cruises to be able to progress towards restarting.

Cruise lines are still waiting for those instructions.

While cruise lines wait for approval to sail again from the United States, today's announcement that Adventure of the Seas will sail from the Bahamas appears to be a strategy to move around those restrictions.

Royal Caribbean had already scheduled Grandeur of the Seas to sail from Barbados in December, but many cruise lines are now looking to return to service sooner with sailings this summer.

In terms of getting a sense of what the CDC or cruise lines are looking for in these statistics, there are still unknowns, but Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain pointed to factors such as how quickly the vaccine continues to roll out, or how the Covid variants will affect numbers going forward.

"I think it's premature for them, or for us, to try and speculate on what threshold the number has to be, because it's so many variables."

"I think we're more encouraged to see the really dramatic drop that we've been experiencing and the really nice roll out, particularly in the United States, in the U.K., in the in the vaccine."

Celebrity Cruises announced it will be able to restart cruises in June from St. Maarten.

Beginning June 5, Celebrity will offer cruises that sail from the Caribbean Island of St. Maarten through August.

The new sailings will take place on the Celebrity Millennium and offer two different seven-night itineraries.

One itinerary will call on Aruba, Curaçao and Barbados and a second itinerary will call on Tortola, St. Lucia and Barbados.

All the crew members on Celebrity Millennium will be fully vaccinated and be available to vaccinated adult guests and children under the age of 18 with a negative test result within 72 hours of embarkation.

The new sailings from St. Maarten will go on sale beginning March 25.

Guests can take advantage of special air and sea pricing offering exceptional savings on all Summer 2021 St. Maarten sailings starting at $1,999 per person for a veranda stateroom. The offer applies to new bookings and flights must be booked through Flights By Celebrity and prices include airfare and taxes. No promotional code is needed.

Celebrity also announced the decision to move Millennium means there will be no Alaska cruise season for this ship. 

Celebrity Cruises will therefore be suspending all Alaska, Pacific Coastal, Canal and Transatlantic sailings, departing June through September 2021, aboard Celebrity Millennium.

Celebrity's announcement mirrors Royal Caribbean International's new sailings from Barbados that will begin in December 2021 on Grandeur of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean has revealed what it has in store for Australia in the 2022-2023 cruise season.

Three ships will sail down under to destinations in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.

The new deployments will go on sale beginning March 25, 2021.

The new season also features more weekend 2- or 3-night “sampler” cruises than ever before, so guests can get a taste for cruise life and weekend like they mean it in 2022/23.

Three ships will call Australia home, including two Quantum Class ships.

Quantum of the Seas will arrive in in Brisbane in October 2022 and offer 24 sailings ranging from 3- to 18-nights, including two transpacific journeys, to destinations in the South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia. 

Quantum has more South Pacific sailings falling across school holidays than ever before.

Ovation of the Seas will sail from Sydney and offer 20 sailings, ranging from 2- to 19-nights, to summer stops in New Zealand, Queensland, the South Pacific and Australia.

Radiance of the Seas is headed to Sydney as well, and will offer 22 sailings, including two transpacific voyages, ranging from 3- to 18-nights, to destinations such as New Zealand, Great Barrier Reef, South Pacific & Fiji, and Tasmania.

Royal Caribbean is also adding a new refundable fare option to provide guests with "added piece of mind". 

The refundable deposits are available for 2022/23 sailings, which allows guests to retrieve their deposit up to 70 days prior to sailing for most cruises.

Wondering what is the latest on where things stand with test cruises, June sailings, or Alaska cruises this year?

Many travel agents wanted to get the latest on these topics as well, and these questions were brought up during a webinar with Royal Caribbean on Wednesday.

Royal Caribbean's senior vice president of sales and trade support & service, Vicki Freed (and her team), provided the latest updates on where things stand.

Test cruises

First, the question was asked if the U.S. Center for Disease Control had provided technical guidance to the cruise lines for test cruises to start.

"Conversations are happening every week, multiple times during the week," Ms. Freed said in response to the question.

"We don't have the actual dates yet for the sample cruises... but we're getting closer."

Read more: Everything you need to know about Royal Caribbean test cruises

The question comes almost a month after Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley told investors that he was expecting to get technical instructions on what each ship needs to do in order to prepare itself for test cruises.

"We're literally expecting the technical specifications any day soon," Mr. Bayley told investors.

Will Royal Caribbean cancel June cruises?

Norwegian Cruise Line cancelled its June 2021 cruises this week, and that has prompted many to speculate if Royal Caribbean will follow suit.

Royal Caribbean Director of Revenue Strategy, Brittany Briggs, indicated nothing has changed yet, "It's a question that we get often when other cruise lines do make announcements and the best we can say is that, trust us, that we're continually evaluating the current environment.

"We're trying to do all that we can as well from our side. But currently we're only canceled through May of this year, which we've gone out with an announcement on."

Any update on Alaska cruises?

Another hot topic surrounds the fate of Alaska cruises for this year, which Royal Caribbean has placed on hold until further notice.

The entire Alaska cruise season this year is in jeopardy due to Canada's one-year ban of ships (along with the CDC's general ban of ships around the United States).

Ms. Briggs also answered this question, and told travel agents there is no change in the Alaska cruises yet.

"Currently that environment hasn't changed, we're continuously having those conversations and we are hopeful."

Earlier this month, a new bill was introduced to to alleviate the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) restrictions for cruise ships transporting passengers between the State of Washington and the State of Alaska.