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A look at the big suites on Wonder of the Seas

In:
28 May 2022

What does a suite on the world's largest cruise ship look like?

Accessible Loft Suite

Staying in a suite means enjoying the finest accommodations on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, which come in variety of configurations and prices.

When you book a suite, you're getting the most space available in a cruise cabin on board both inside and on your balcony. That means space to spread out and take full advantage of your home away from home.

In addition, a suite gets you additional benefits such as concierge service, priority boarding and departure privileges, and dedicated entertainment seating.

Royal Loft Suite

Whether you choose to book a suite or not, it's always fun to look at what these giant cabins look like, just so you can get an idea of what it gets you.

Royal Caribbean recently shared remarkable photos from some of the suites on Wonder of the Seas. Keep in mind this isn't every type of suite, but there's a few varieties to give you an idea of what it's like.

From the spacious to the stupendous, here's a look at some of the suites on Wonder.

Accessible Loft Suite

Accessible Loft Suite

Loft suites are the two-level cabins first introduced on the Oasis Class cruise ships that truly stand out for the fact it encompasses more than one floor.

This particular suite is a wheelchair accessible cabin (there's an elevator to bring the wheelchair up to the second level near the cabin entrance). 

Royal Caribbean has accessible rooms are available in: Crown Loft Suite, Junior Suite, Ultra Spacious Ocean View with Large Balcony, Ocean View Balcony, Central Park View Balcony, Ocean View, Interior, Interior with Virtual Balcony

Loft Suite
Loft suite balcony

Crown Loft Suite

Crown Loft Suite

Here's a look at the standard loft suite on Wonder of the Seas, without the accessibility option.

The Crown Loft Suite (category L1) has two levels and has a Royal King bed upstairs and a sofa bed downstairs.

Crown Loft Suite

Royal Loft Suite

Royal Loft Suite

If you're looking to move up from a standard loft suite, the Royal Loft Suite provides more living space as well as Star Class benefits, such as your own Royal Genie.

Read moreWhat is the difference between suite concierge and a Royal Genie?

Royal Loft Suite
Royal Loft Suite
Royal Loft Suite

The Royal Loft Suite comes in at 1,524 square feet of living space, plus 843 square feet of balcony space. Compare that to 545 square feet in a Crown Loft Suite!

Two-bedroom AquaTheater Suite

AquaTheater suite on Wonder of the Seas

Another Star Class cabin is located on the end of the ship with sweeping views of the ocean and AquaTheater below it.

If you love a good balcony, this cabin arguably has the best one because of how massive it is.

On deck 8, the AquaTheater suite has  823 square feet of living space and an additional 772 square feet of balcony space. That's almost double the inside space.

Ultimate Family Suite

Ultimate family suite

Have you heard about the most expensive suite on Royal Caribbean?

The Ultimate Family Suite is massive on Wonder of the Seas, offering kid-centric design and 1,134 square footage indoors and 212 on the balcony. 

Ultimate family suite
Ultimate family suite
Ultimate family suite

The location of the suite is different on Wonder of the Seas compared to Symphony of the Seas, too. Whereas on Symphony the suite overlooks the sport area, the Ultimate Family Suite on Wonder faces the forward and starboard sides of the ship.

Ultimate family suite
Ultimate family suite
Ultimate family suite

If you're ready to book this bad boy, it won't come cheap. The price will vary depending on the sailing, but prices usually begin around $25,000 and go up quickly from there.

Suite Neighborhood Sun Deck

Plunge pool on Wonder of the Seas

There are many benefits that come with a suite on Wonder of the Seas, including access to the Suite Neighborhood sun deck.

Exclusively for suite guests, the sun deck offers a special area to enjoy ocean views that has a plunge pool, lounge chairs, and a bar.

Wonder of the Seas is the only Oasis Class cruise ship that has its own suite neighborhood, which required the company to put fewer suites on the ship so that they had space for the area.

More information

Royal Caribbean hires new loyalty program ambassador

In:
27 May 2022

Royal Caribbean has a new face for its customer loyalty program.

In an update to members of the Crown and Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean announced it has hired a new Director of Loyalty.

Courtney Brant will serve as Royal Caribbean's "face of the Crown and Anchor Society", which has traditionally been a role that gives frequent cruisers a singular point of reference for communication.

In the email sent to Crown and Anchor Society members, Ms. Brant shared a brief message, "I’m absolutely thrilled to join not only Royal Caribbean, but the Crown & Anchor Society family too. I can’t wait to get to know our loyal members on a personal level and help create incredible vacation memories for you all."

Meet Courtney Brant

Prior to becoming the Director of Loyalty, Ms. Brant worked at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings for four years, where she served as a Senior Manager of Loyalty and Revenue Marketing prior to moving to Royal Caribbean.

At the onset of the pandemic, Royal Caribbean laid off the previous person to hold the position, Molly Paolini.  She had served in the role between July 2019 and April 2020.

What does the Director of Loyalty do?

You can expect Ms. Brant to act as a figurehead for Royal Caribbean's customer loyalty program.

The Crown and Anchor Society has a lot of fervent fans that not only love to cruise, but their status in the program and the benefits it provides quite seriously.

In the past, one of the chief responsibilities was to keep Crown and Anchor members updated on everything Royal Caribbean, planning special events and more.

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast Episode - Serenade of the Seas Cruise Preview

In:
26 May 2022

Listen to the Show

Matt is headed to Alaska on a back-to-back cruise on Serenade of the Seas, and talks about what he has planned onboard.

Share with me your thoughts, questions and comments via...

On this episode:
Running time:

Royal Caribbean updates: Harmony of the Seas, crew member hiring drive & more

In:
26 May 2022

Another week of Royal Caribbean cruise news to catch up on, and we have the latest morsels of updates you should be aware of over the past few days.

Not every piece of Royal Caribbean news is significant enough for its own article, so this weekly wrap-up has the happenings we've noticed.

You can always email anything you spot to [email protected].

Here's a look at this week's goings-on.

Harmony of the Seas backs into Falmouth pier

The Harmony of the Seas had a small incident on Thursday when she backed into the pier during the docking procedure in Falmouth, Jamaica.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader BobNoxiousUSA shared photos from onboard the ship.

In a statement by Royal Caribbean, the ship incurred very minor damage of no consequence as a result of the incident, "During arrival into Falmouth, Jamaica, Harmony of the Seas made contact with an extension part of the dock."

"There were no injuries to guests or crew and only minor cosmetic damage to the ship’s stern. The sailing will continue as scheduled."

Global crew member recruitment drive

Royal Caribbean is actively working to hire as many new crew members as they can, given the staff shortages noted by people that have been on cruises recently.

The company has been holding job fairs in Europe since April to get more crew members, which have taken them to countries such as Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Croatia and more.

In addition, Royal Caribbean Group signed a deal in Trinidad and Tobago to hire more crew. The goal is to hire 2,000 people from the islands to work on Royal Caribbean Group ships.

Royal Caribbean Group partners with company for zero carbon shipping

Royal Caribbean Group signed a new deal to provide zero carbon technologies and solutions.

Earlier this week, Royal Caribbean Group and Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for zero carbon shipping, which is part of the company's overall Destination Net Zero goal to reduce net zero emissions by 2050.

The Moller Center explores viable de-carbonization pathways; facilitates the development and implementation of new energy technologies; builds confidence in new concepts and their supply chains; and defines and matures viable strategic pathways to the required systemic change. 

"Collective action is imperative as we deploy our Destination Net Zero strategy to decarbonize our business and catalyze innovation for our industry," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO.

"By joining the Center Royal Caribbean Group aligns itself with a network of like-minded companies with an unrelenting drive to find solutions for a sustainable future."

This is a long-term strategic collaboration between the two companies

Live Blogging from Serenade of the Seas in Alaska - Preamble

In:
25 May 2022

Not only is my next live blog ready to go live, but I'll be headed to Alaska for the first time since 2018.

After taking my first Alaska cruise in 2018, I instantly knew I wanted to return.  We had plans to do so in 2020 and 2021, but Covid and family obligations cancelled those.  Nonetheless, this is the year we're headed back!

This is an opportunity to not only cruise to Alaska, but hopefully visit all the major ports in Alaska over the course of two weeks.

Why we chose this cruise

Serenade of the Seas in Alaska

If you've never been to Alaska, you've probably heard others tell you how amazing and beautiful it is. And they're absolutely right.

I wasn't prepared for the splendor of Alaska my first time, so this time I'm even more excited to return and focus more on what Alaska has to offer.

Royal Caribbean has four ships sailing to Alaska in 2022, so I picked Serenade because I wanted to be able to get to more ports than Ovation or Quantum of the Seas could offer. Plus, Serenade's prices were great and I like some of the upgrades Serenade received that Radiance did not (even though they are the same class of ship).

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I think what sealed the deal for choosing Serenade is we were able to snag a rather special suite category, the 2 bedroom Panoramic oceanview suite. 

Read moreWhat are the different types of cabins on a cruise ship?

After a recent Serenade of the Seas drydock, the Concierge Lounge was moved to a higher deck and they converted this large space into a Family Oceanview Stateroom.

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There is only one of these suites on this ship and unlike similar suites on other classes of ships, this one is midship, facing the port side instead at the front of the ship. 

Since there's no balcony, but it has large panoramic windows, you can enjoy the Alaska scenery without dealing with the cold weather from the comfort of our bed.

My plans on shore

Juneau aerial view

Our cruise is all about doing as much as we can in Alaska while in port.

There are two x-factors when it comes to seeing as much as possible in Alaska: the weather and my children.

My kids are old enough now to be able to handle a reasonably adventurous day, where we do a fair amount of walking. I'm not talking about strenuous hikes or going for miles, but I think they can handle more walking than when they would need to be carried at a younger age. Plus, they seem to enjoy walking trails based on other recent trips we took.

Of course, the weather can be so hit or miss in Alaska. I'm hoping the rain will be at a minimum so we can enjoy lots of outdoor time. June is one of the driest months in Alaska, so I'm hoping for the best while also packing lots of waterproof layering. 

Over the course of the two sailings, we are scheduled to visit Ketchikan, Juneau (x2), Sitka (x2), Haines, & Skagway. We've only been to Skagway and Juneau.

Whale watching in Juneau

I've booked a few tours through Royal Caribbean, but some of our recent articles about what locals recommend doing in Alaska opened my eyes to how much you can do on your own without a cruise tour. 

Read moreLocal’s guide of what to do in Juneau, Alaska

Plus, I greatly prefer not doing group tours.

Radiance of the Seas in Vancouver

Plus, we sail out of Vancouver and that means my first time exploring Vancouver since I was a kid. We're spending an extra day in Vancouver before the cruise, so we'll check out some of the major landmarks the day before the sailing.

My plans onboard

Serenade of the Seas dining room

Believe it or not, my kids have never been on a Radiance Class ship, so this will be an introduction for them into small ship cruising.

While they've been on Majesty and Rhapsody of the Seas many years ago, I think it's been quite a while since they've sailed on something smaller than Voyager Class.

In terms of dining, we did not buy a dining package.  Since we are Diamond Plus, we get a BOGO deal with our benefits.  I think with the busy port schedule, we may end up just doing Windjammer a lot for dinner.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't talk about the elevated cases of Covid onboard, based on various readers sharing their observations recently. I'd be lying if I said I'm more concerned about catching Covid this time around than on previous sailings.

I think we're going to plan to wear our masks while indoors, even though they are not required. It's not ideal, but since we're traveling so far to see Alaska, I think taking extra precautions is prudent.

Nothing is risk free, and I'm not letting Covid stop my plans anymore.  But taking extra precautions is also not a bad idea. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

What's next

On Friday, May 27th, we fly to Seattle from our home in Orlando. It's a morning flight, so we should be on the west coast by lunch time.  The plan is to then rent a car and drive to Vancouver, which is roughly 143 miles on very scenic highways.

Once we arrive in Vancouver, we'll be staying at the Pan Pacific Vancouver hotel because it was so highly recommended by others that have cruised out of Vancouver.

We board Serenade of the Seas on May 29th, and I will be sharing the details on the blog, as well as across my social media channels.  Be sure to follow me on FacebookYouTube, and Twitter for live updates throughout the day.

Haines brewery

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!

Icon of the Seas construction update: mystery sphere installed on ship

In:
24 May 2022

While we don't know what it is yet, the sphere-like object that is part of Royal Caribbean's newest cruise ship has been installed onboard.

Icon of the Seas sphere installation

Royal Caribbean released a new construction update teaser that talks about the pearl-shaped object being added to Icon of the Seas.

We first spotted this object in December 2021, and it remains a mystery as to what it possibly could be.  Royal Caribbean has not confirmed what it is, but we do know now where it is located.

In the video update, the object was placed about mid-ship, amidst the various blocks of Icon of the Seas during her construction progress.

Sphere installation

It measures 46 feet tall and 50 feet in diameter, with 578 aluminum external panels.

According to the update, the object is 175-metric tons and was transferred on a barge down to the shipyard for installation.

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Icon of the Seas is under construction in Turku, Finland.

Other interesting facts:

  • 9 miles of cables for power & lighting
  • 1,323 feet of air conditioning ducts
  • Steel mounting frames on the inside
  • It required two tugboats to move it to the shipyard
  • 5,600-metric-ton-crane lifted it into position
  • It's taken 45,000 working hours to construct the sphere

What is the sphere?

Since news of the sphere's existence came to light, Royal Caribbean has not confirmed what it is.

In fact, Royal Caribbean has released no information about what the design of the ship will be at all.

In March 2022, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider said about the new class of ship, "everything you'll see on icon will will be an evolution or revolution."

"And and we'll push forward again us being the at the top of the mantle on the ultimate family vacation."

There has been quite a lot of guesses shared on social media as to what the sphere might be, but it remains a question.

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.

Royal Caribbean's Memorial Day Sale offers up to 35% off savings

In:
24 May 2022

Royal Caribbean is celebrating Memorial Day weekend with a new Cruise Planner sale that offers up to 35% savings on pre-cruise purchases.

Allure of the Seas aerial rear

The Memorial Day Sale runs between May 24, 2022 - May 31, 2022 and is valid on sailings from May 29, 2022 - March 31, 2023.

The offer is valid on certain shore excursions, drink packages and internet packages.

Royal Caribbean states guests can expect to see:

Beverage: Up to 40% off

  • Classic Soda Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices.
  • Classic Soda + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Over 20% off onboard prices.
  • Spring Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
  • San Benedetto Water Cans: Discount varies by ship.
  • Evian Water Bottles: 40% off onboard prices.
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices.
  • Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Discount varies by ship.
  • Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices.

Shore Excursions: Up to 25% off

  • Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship. 

Internet: Up to 50% Off

  • VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
  • VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship. 
Giovanni's Table on Allure of the Seas

Dining: Up to 55% Off

  • Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship.

Gifts & Gear: Up to 20% Off

  • Anniversary Decorations with Champagne
  • Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries
  • Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries
  • Inky Beach Set
  • Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe)
  • Inky Travel Set
  • Red Wine and Cheese
  • Royal Caribbean Beach Towel
  • Strawberries with Champagne
  • White Wine and Cheese

Photo Packages: Up to 70% Off

  • Photo Packages: From 5 - 100 Print and/or Digital Options: Discount varies by ship.
  • Photo Package: Private Photo Session: Discount varies by ship.
  • Photo Package: All Digital: Discount varies by ship.
Casita on Oasis of the Seas

Casitas: Up to 20% Off

  • Casita Packages: 20% Off Onboard Prices

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Full Royal Caribbean fleet returns to service with Rhapsody of the Seas restart today

In:
23 May 2022

It's taken many months, but every single Royal Caribbean cruise ship is back in service.

Rhapsody of the Seas in Bay of Kotor, Adriatic Sea, Montenegro

Rhapsody of the Seas returned to service on Monday, which was the last cruise ship in the fleet to resume cruises following the shutdown due to Covid-19 in 2020-2021.

Rhapsody is beginning to offer 7-night Mediterranean and Greek Isles itineraries from her summer home in Rome (Civitavecchia).

As of today, all 26 ships are back in service. To date, Royal Caribbean International has carried more than two million passengers, cruising to 160 destinations across 2,000 voyages. 

Royal Caribbean had methodically resumed service on 13 of its ships since August 2021, which involved gathering crew members to staff the ship, prep the vessel for operation, and get everything going onboard.

Onboard cruise ships, the Cruise Compass daily newspaper celebrated the entire fleet's return.


Photo by Nick Vitani

A long journey back

The entire cruise industry voluntarily shut down operations in March 2020 at the onset of Covid-19, and the trek to get all of its ships back has been quite a process.

Quantum of the Seas was the first ship to restart sailings, when she resumed cruises in December 2020 out of Singapore. 

It would take another six months for the next ship to restart, with Adventure of the Seas resuming cruises from Nassau, Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean's plan to restart sailings was centered around a slow and methodical process.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and former CEO Richard Fain talked about their plan at the onset of ships returning, "We don't expect that... someday somebody blows a horn, and all the ships start operating right away. We think that it will be a gradual start, a little bit like society is opening up gradually."

"So we would imagine that we would start with fewer ships, and more likely to be more drive markets in the beginning, and then it would then evolve and grow from there."

Since then, ships have been able to resume cruises from the United States, Europe, and select ports in the Caribbean.

The only market that remains completely shutdown still is China, although Royal Caribbean remains hopeful cruises will be able to sail from there again soon.

Odyssey of the Seas

In addition to getting all the ships back in service, Royal Caribbean also launched Odyssey of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas.

Full capacity soon

Promenade deck

With every ship back in service, Royal Caribbean is also on the verge of its ships sailing full once again.

Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley indicated with every ship back in service, full capacity is around the corner as well.

"And as we head towards Memorial Day weekend," Mr. Bayley explained to a Wall Street analyst during the call. "We're going to see significant percentage of our ship sailing at 100% and greater."

By the time Royal Caribbean Group gets to the third quarter of 2022, they expect the entire company to be at "triple digits" in terms of capacity.

Royal Caribbean Post Round-Up: May 22, 2022

In:
22 May 2022

Happy weekend! In case you missed any Royal Caribbean news, here is a look at everything that happened this week!

Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean announced it has extended its Covid health protocols for both North America and European cruises.

North America protocols will be extended for sailings departing on or before September 30, 2022. European protocols have been extended for departures through June 30, 2022.

Royal Caribbean News

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 455th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, featuring an interview with Chris Gray Faust from CruiseCritic.

In this episode, Chris and Matt discuss how Covid testing for European cruises is impacting demand for these sailings and what the future may hold.

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: I tried the cheapest Royal Caribbean cabin I could find

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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 — I tried the cheapest Royal Caribbean cabin I could find — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

How to beat the chair hogs on your cruise ship

8 things some cruisers do that annoy everyone else | Royal Caribbean Blog

One of the most annoying things on a cruise are the people that reserve pool chairs without actually using them.

Since enforcement of the rules that are supposed to prevent chair hogs is lackadaisical, here are our best tips for getting around the chair hogs so you can still enjoy time by the pool.

50 Alaska cruise tips & secrets

Have an Alaska cruise coming up? We've compiled the largest list of Alaska cruise tips we can think of into one article!

Here are the fundamentals of planning a cruise to Alaska with some helpful advice you can use when you get there.

The top problems Royal Caribbean is facing as it returns to full capacity

Cruise ship docked in Miami

There's no sugar coating the fact that while Royal Caribbean is about to get all of its ships back into service this month, there are still challenges that lay ahead related to restart.

These issues impact the guest experience currently, and while likely temporary, they are still important considerations to be aware of before you sail.

Royal Caribbean extends North America and European cruise protocols

In:
20 May 2022

Royal Caribbean has extended its health protocols for both North America and European departures. 

Symphony of the Seas in PortMiami aerial

North America protocols will be extended for sailings departing on or before September 30, 2022. In addition, European protocols have been extended for departures through June 30, 2022.

The only notable adjustment to the previous health & safety requirements includes terminal testing updates for departures from Italy, with the full details provided below. 

The remainder of the protocols remain unchanged and are simply extended beyond a broader sailing window.  

Empty Pool chairs

An update was sent to guests booked on cruises, as well as travel advisors, with the changes.

You can review every protocol depending on where you are sailing from on Royal Caribbean's website.

Protocols for sailings from Florida

Vaccines

All Royal Caribbean guests age 12 and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose administered at least 14 days before sailing.

Children age 11 and under do not require COVID-19 vaccination to cruise. However, kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the protocols for vaccinated guests. 

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

All crew onboard the ship and at our private destinations are fully vaccinated and receive a booster dose as they become eligible.

Testing

Woman taking covid test

Before arriving on boarding day, you’ll need to take a COVID-19 test on your own, at your own expense, to meet boarding requirements in line with U.S. CDC guidance.

  • Vaccinated guests must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day. Kids age 5 to 11 who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the testing protocols for vaccinated guests.
  • 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.
  • Unvaccinated kids' pre-cruise test cannot be taken on boarding day, because that may affect the sample taken during the kids' test at the terminal.
  • Guests under 2 years of age do not need to complete a pre-cruise test.

For guests sailing to Bermuda, additional travel and testing requirements may apply to your sailing.

In addition to the pre-cruise test, unvaccinated kids will take one or two more tests, depending on the length of the cruise. Royal Caribbean's test provider will administer these, at no cost to our guests.

At the Terminal
For all cruises, unvaccinated kids will take a complimentary test when checking in at the terminal. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

Prior to Disembarking
For cruises that are 5 nights or longer, unvaccinated kids will take a complimentary antigen test onboard before the cruise ends. Guests will be notified onboard about how to register for this test.

Guests under 2 years of age will not be tested.

Sailings longer than 10 nights may have additional onboard testing requirements.

Masks

Allure of the Seas

Masks are optional for vaccinated guests and recommended for unvaccinated children while onboard. 

In cruise terminals, masks are optional unless required by local regulation. Some destinations we visit may require masks.

Guests under 2 years old don’t need to wear a mask. These protocols remain subject to change.

Dining

In the Main Dining Room, vaccinated guests may dine with other vaccinated guests outside their travel party. Parties that include unvaccinated kids will be assigned a table of their own.

We recommend that you make dining reservations via Cruise Planner before your cruise or using the Royal Caribbean app onboard.

Tables and chairs in all dining areas are sanitized frequently.

Ports of call

Guests can visit most ports of call freely, regardless of vaccination status.

A couple of ports currently require guests to book a shore excursion to go ashore. These tours are available at a variety of price points and may be purchased in advance on Cruise Planner or once onboard using the Royal Caribbean App.

Protocols for cruises from Italy

Vaccines

Guests 12 years and older must present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with the final dose administered at least 14 days before sailing.

Guests under 12 years who are vaccinated can present proof of vaccination and follow the vaccinated protocols.

Additionally, to be considered up-to-date, guests must have received all doses in their vaccine series and have received their booster if the second vaccine was administered over 270 days (9 months) ago.

The vaccine must be approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Guests who are vaccinated with WHO approved vaccines, not approved by the EMA, will be considered unvaccinated for the purpose of our sailings departing from Italy.

Testing

Covid test

Pre-Cruise

  • Guests who are fully vaccinated must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 2 days before boarding day.
  • Guests who are considered unvaccinated must show a negative result for a PCR or antigen test taken no more than 1 day before boarding day.
  • Kids under 12 years who have been vaccinated may present proof of full vaccination and follow the testing protocols for vaccinated guests.

Embark

There will no longer be testing requirements in the terminal for Italian departures. 

Onboard Testing

  • Guests who are considered unvaccinated by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or who are not up-to-date with their vaccines will require additional testing during our sailings.
  • Onboard testing will be at the guest's expense if they 12 years and older and considered unvaccinated or if they are not up-to-date at the price of $55 USD per test.
  • Onboard testing will be complimentary for any unvaccinated guests ages 6 – 11 years who require testing.
  • These guests will receive registration information once onboard based on the below.
    • During the Cruise: Depending on our itinerary, guests 12 years and older — or 6 years and older in Italian ports — will have additional testing requirements.
    • Prior to Disembarking: Guests 6 and older who meet the above criteria may be required to test before disembarking.

Guests under 2 years old are not required to test.

Masks

Masks are optional for vaccinated guests and recommended for unvaccinated children while onboard. In our terminals, masks are optional unless required by local regulation.

Some destinations we visit may require masks. Guests under 2 years old don’t need to wear a mask.

These protocols remain subject to change.

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