Matt is back from his Serenade of the Seas Alaska cruise and reviews the first leg of the cruise he took.
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Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas is a mainstay of the fleet, offering a blend of fun activities on a cruise ship that has been refreshed fairly recently.
Adventure of the Seas is a Voyager Class cruise ship, which means she is a medium-sized vessel in Royal Caribbean's fleet. While not as big as other ships, she still packs lots for families to enjoy.
In addition, the value you can get with an Adventure of the Seas booking is superb, as Royal Caribbean International often prices sailings much lower than the largest ships sailing the same itinerary.
Adventure of the Seas sails from a variety of places in North America and Northern Europe. Her current home port is Port Canaveral, Florida.
Here's a look at what Adventure of the Seas has to offer onboard, and what makes it a great choice for a cruise.
Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas is the third cruise ship in the Voyager Class of cruise ships and was launched in 2001.
She has 14 passenger decks and a maximum capacity of 3,807 guests (although her regular occupancy at double occupancy is 3,114).
In 2016 and 2018, she underwent a $61 million upgrade that added new dual racer waterslides, Cyclone and Typhoon, the popular FlowRider surf simulator, and a children’s aquapark, Splashaway Bay. They also added a new sushi restaurant and more than 100 new staterooms, a refresh of all existing staterooms, and a brand new Suites Lounge.
Measuring 138,193 in gross tonnage and 1,020 feet long, Adventure of the Seas is not a small ship. She has a capacity of nearly 4,000 guests at double capacity, 14 guest-accessible decks, and 1,963 staterooms.
Like all Voyager Class ships, she has a Royal Promenade that runs through the middle of the ship and is the main thoroughfare, with shopping and dining to enjoy.
You'll find a lot of onboard activities on Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, beginning with the pool deck.
Adventure has two side-by-side main pools and several jacuzzis, as well as an adults-only (18+ years old only) Solarium. The Solarium has both a pool and hot tub.
Kids will enjoy Splashaway Bay water park, which has mini slides, a drench bucket, geysers, and lots of areas to run around.
On the back half of the pool deck, there are the Perfect Storm waterslides, which have twin racer slides.
You can also hit the sports courts, try the rock-climbing wall, or even the FlowRider surf simulator. All of these experiences are complimentary. The FlowRider offers both stand-up surfing and boogie-boarding options throughout the cruise.
There's a two-story mini golf course, known as Adventure Dunes, which is complimentary to enjoy.
In terms of activities, you'll find a daily assortment of things to do onboard the ship. Each day, the Cruise Compass is distributed to guests with a guide to what times each activity is planned for, and at which venue.
Examples of activities you can expect include:
There is also a wide assortment of live music on Adventure of the Seas. From bands to solo performers, you'll find different venues offering live music throughout the day.
Three venues each evening offer a signature Royal Caribbean live music experience, with a piano player in the Schooner Bar, a guitarist in the pub, and a Latin band in Boleros.
Each evening in the Royal Theater, there will be a show. It could be a comedian, musical medley, magician, or dance performance.
Game shows are also hosted each day of your cruise, where guests are invited to try their skills at games such as "Battle of the Sexes." "Love and Marriage," and more.
One more must-do event is the free skate in Studio B. On select days, Royal Caribbean opens up its ice rink for guests to skate. Skates and equipment are provided and there is no extra cost. You just need long pants and socks to participate.
Read more: Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas review: What it's like to cruise on this ship today
Your Royal Caribbean cruise fare includes meals and snacks, along with some drinks. There's also the option to spend more and dine at specialty restaurants.
The good news is you definitely will not go hungry on this cruise with all the dining options.
Complimentary dining venues on Adventure of the Seas:
Specialty dining venues on Adventure of the Seas:
Should you spend extra on specialty dining? It depends on your tastes and budget.
There is nothing wrong with the food included with your cruise fare. The main dining room and Windjammer offer so much food for each meal, that you're likely to dine there and be quite content.
What specialty dining offers is a greater variety of food, which a lot of cruisers really enjoy. Steaks, lasagna, sushi, and more are what you get with specialty dining and in many cases, these foods are not otherwise available in the complimentary venues. Moreover, the quality of the food tends to be higher than similar offerings in the dining rooms.
Most people tend to book a blend, and sprinkle in specialty dining to augment the main dining room or buffet.
You'll find many bars and lounges to enjoy a cocktail while on your cruise.
Here's a list of bars and lounges on Adventure of the Seas:
Most bars have the same drink menu, so what makes each special is the decor. Some are more laid-back venues, while others offer more of a focus on music or entertainment.
The Schooner Bar is a staple of the Royal Caribbean fleet, with live piano music each night of the cruise. It's a great place to sing along and have a drink.
If you prefer something more laid back, check out the Blue Moon in the Viking Crown Lounge on Deck 14. There are wonderful views of the pool deck and area around you.
Adventure Ocean is the name of the kids club on Adventure of the Seas, which is available for kids between the ages of 3 and 17 years old.
Adventure Ocean is divided into four age groups, with each group having their own programming and rooms suitable to the age range:
Adventure Ocean is mostly complimentary, with the exception of childcare after 10PM.
Aside from embarkation day, there are two types of Adventure Ocean operating hours: port days and sea days.
On sea days, Adventure Ocean is typically open
On port days, Adventure Ocean is open for the entire duration your Royal Caribbean ship is in port. Once the ship leaves port, it resumes the normal schedule described in sea days.
An arcade is also located in Adventure Ocean and open to guests of all ages, although it comes at an extra cost.
On the first day of your Royal Caribbean cruise, guests can register their children in Adventure Ocean prior to Adventure Ocean opening. While you can register kids at any point in the cruise, take advantage of the open house on embarkation day for an optimal experience.
You'll find shows performed in two venues on Adventure of the Seas: the Lyric Theater and Studio B ice skating rink.
In the Royal Theater, there are different shows performed each night. This includes a welcome aboard show on the first night and a farewell show on the last night. In between, the singers and dancers perform shows such as Invitation to Dance and Can't Stop The Rock.
In Studio B, guests can enjoy Cool Art...Hot Ice!, an ice skating show, which is described as, "a journey through time and space. The story unfolds when Arthur falls in love with a statue that comes to life. He's led by his muse on a whimsical journey where nothing is truly as it seems." It's a fun show that is worth seeing for the talented ice skaters.
Outside of signature production shows, a variety of other entertainment can be found on Adventure of the Seas, including live music, karaoke, and game shows.
If you're looking to forget your cares or stay in shape while onboard Adventure of the Seas, the Vitality Spa and Fitness Center is where you want to go.
The fitness center is complimentary (although classes cost extra) and has cardio and strength equipment you can use on a first-come, first-served basis.
Over in the spa, you can reserve an appointment for a massage, facial, or salon treatment. These all cost extra. Port days often have better discounts available than sea days, so be sure to ask about any onboard specials in the spa.
While not the newest or glitziest ship in the fleet, Adventure of the Seas has plenty to do onboard at a very reasonable price.
A Voyager Class cruise ship is an excellent value because they are still big ships with lots of activities that don't cost a lot to sail on. It has the signature venues most people expect with a Royal Caribbean ship, so there is not much compromise aside from lacking the absolute newest innovations.
Often people considering Adventure of the Seas are worried they are making a mistake by booking a ship that is 20 years old instead of newer ships. The reality is the age of a ship isn't what it once was, and recent upgrades in 2016 and 2018 really raised the bar for what you can do onboard. Yes, they are one of the older ships, but that isn't the end-all, be-all, of what makes a great ship.
Read more: 10 things I loved and hated about Adventure of the Seas
If there's something lacking on Adventure of the Seas, it's the staterooms still have the older feel to them compared to cabins on new Oasis or Quantum Class ships. Besides the decor, there's less storage space.
In addition, the suite experience on Adventure pales compared to the services and amenities you get for staying in a suite on Oasis or Quantum Class ships. Of course, the price of a suite is a lot more affordable on Adventure, and the Suite Lounge and concierge services are still lovely.
What draws us to Adventure of the Seas is the price. You can sail on Adventure of the Seas for likely half the cost of a newer ship, and unlike smaller Royal Caribbean ships, there's still plenty to do. For most families, they should find enough activities to keep them busy without feeling like the ship lacks too much.
The crew members on Adventure of the Seas have always been quite good, and work hard to deliver a great cruise experience.
If you're a new cruiser, Adventure of the Seas is one of the cruise vessels you won't feel out of place on because of all the extra space and fun things to do. Voyager Class vessels are destination experiences, which make them a good choice for a first-time cruiser.
Between the value and fun offerings, you'll have no trouble enjoying a relaxing cruise aboard Adventure of the Seas.
Have a cruise booked on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas and excited to get onboard for all the fun?
Before you get your cruise started, it's a good idea to plan a few things and prepare for everything Wonder of the Seas has to offer.
While there are important things to do before any cruise you go on, Wonder of the Seas has its own considerations (as do all the Oasis Class ships).
The Royal Caribbean app is a must-have for any cruise, but super important for a new ship like Wonder of the Seas.
The reason why the app is so important is Royal Caribbean puts so much of its cruise planning tools once onboard in the app.
The app is free to download, so get it on your phone and then log in and ensure everything is ready to go.
Even if you're the "I don't want to carry around my phone all the time" type of person, the advantages of having the app installed for even just embarkation day make it totally worthwhile.
Now that you have the Royal Caribbean app installed, get a check-time assigned.
Royal Caribbean opens check-in times up to 45 days before your cruise. If you are still more than 45 days out from boarding, set a calendar reminder so you can get one later.
The nice thing about using the Royal Caribbean app is you can choose a check-in time without completing the rest of the check-in process on the app. Be sure to complete it, but in the meantime, get an early check-in time.
Remember, the earlier you check-in, the earlier you get onboard and start the fun.
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To get an idea of where everything is, it's a good idea to watch a walkthrough video tour of Wonder of the Seas.
Getting your bearings on an Oasis Class ship is always important for new cruisers, and a video tour is an easy way to know where everything is located before you ever get onboard.
Luckily, we have a great video that takes you around the ship with nothing but views of where everything is located and helpful descriptions of what to expect.
If you think a Royal Caribbean drink package is worth it for your family, then buy it now and lock in the price.
You can purchase a drink package on Royal Caribbean's cruise planner website. Yes, it will be cheaper than if you wait to buy it onboard the cruise.
It seems like everyone knows about how amazing the specialty restaurants are on Wonder of the Seas, so do yourself a favor and pre-book dining times early.
Just like the drink package, you can book specialty restaurants via the Royal Caribbean cruise planner.
These restaurants book up the quickest and almost always sell out:
On embarkation day, you can avoid the crowds by skipping the Windjammer buffet.
When you watch our Wonder of the Seas tour, you'll see how many great alternatives there are for embarkation day lunch.
My top choices for a quick bite to eat after you get onboard are:
The best time to ride the water slides and FlowRider is on the first day of the cruise.
Pack a bathing suit in your carry-on bag so that you can change into the bathing suit after getting onboard and having lunch. Most people will have packed their bathing suit in their checked luggage, which means very few people can go in the pool or enjoy the slides.
There are large restrooms on the pool deck you can change in, and then take advantage of the short waits.
Read more: The Ultimate Cruise Packing List
Speaking of things to pack, make sure you pack socks and pants.
If your Wonder of the Seas cruise is going to the Caribbean or Mediterranean, you might overlook bringing socks or long pants, but they're necessary if you want to try either the rock climbing wall or free skating sessions in the ship's ice skating rink.
If you are in a Grand Suite or higher cabin, then you'll have access to the suite concierge.
About a week before your cruise, the concierge should email you to welcome you onboard and give you the basics of what to expect.
Instead of just glancing at the email, email back the concierge and ask them to book dining times, reserve a cabana, or anything else you can think of to book before the cruise begins.
One of the best benefits of staying in a suite is the added service the concierge gives you.
Regardless if you are a patron of the arts at home or not, plan to see all the shows onboard.
Wonder of the Seas has a few signature shows onboard that are must-sees, so plan your evenings accordingly.
This includes:
You won't be able to pre-book entertainment before your cruise (unless you have a Royal Genie), but you can book show times as soon as you get on the ship and connect to the wifi.
Then open up the Royal Caribbean app, and you'll be able to book show times.
More helpful information
Happy Sunday! I would like to wish all the dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day! Hope you get to have a relaxing and fun-filled day with your family!
Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the latest Royal Caribbean news!
We might know the name of Royal Caribbean's next new cruise ship.
Royal Caribbean registered 9 new cruise ship names recently with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Names include previously used names, such as Majesty and Splendor of the Seas, as well as new names, such as Titan or Nova of the Seas.
Our first live blog from a European cruise has begun, with Jenna sailing on Anthem of the Seas.
She is sharing everything from her 7-night Spain & France cruise, which sails roundtrip from Southampton, England.
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 — How to make Royal Caribbean's drink package work for you! — and don’t forget to subscribe here.
What are the best reasons to book a cruise super early or at the very last minute?
Both options offer have their benefits, whether saving money by booking far in advance or coming across a last-minute cruise deal.
We've got a look at the pros and cons of booking your cruise late and early to help determine which option works best for you.
Unfortunately, Matt tested positive for Covid at the end of his Alaska cruise, and shared what the experience was like from start to finish.
From getting tested, to quarantine, to being escorted off the ship, Matt shares what his experience was like so you have an idea of what to expect if it were to happen to you.
If Royal Caribbean gets its way, we could all benefit from faster onboard internet.
Royal Caribbean is looking to add SpaceX's Starlink internet access to its cruise ships, but first needs to get approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
"Working with SpaceX Services, Inc., we believe we have identified a true next generation solution for our vessels that meets the rigorous technical and operational requirements commensurate with our growth plans," John Maya, Royal Caribbean Group's Vice President, Operational Excellence, said in a letter to FCC international bureau chief Tom Sullivan.
Could you be sailing on Titan of the Seas? Or perhaps a new Monarch of the Seas?
Royal Caribbean registered 9 new cruise ship names recently, which could be used for a new cruise ship.
The registrations were made between June 10 and June 11 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Here are all the new names trademarked:
Three of the names are names of former Royal Caribbean cruise ships: Splendor, Majesty, and Monarch of the Seas.
Majesty and Monarch are the names of two former Sovereign Class cruise ships that were sold off during the pandemic. Monarch was scrapped and Majesty's fate remains unclear.
Read more: A last look at Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas
Splendor (spelled previously as Splendour) was a Vision class cruise ship, which is now sailing for Marella Cruises.
Royal Caribbean had also registered Splendor of the Seas back in December 2021.
To date, Royal Caribbean hasn't ever re-used the name of a former ship, although it did once bring back a ship to the fleet and restore its name (Empress of the Seas).
Before you start planning your Nova of the Seas cruise, keep in mind Royal Caribbean often trademarks a bunch of names together while it figures out which one it will use.
Quite often they register a few names together before deciding on which they may use. Not only does it give them flexibility in choosing a name, but it keeps the public from knowing a new ship's name before they are ready to announce it.
Think of this list as the finalists in a naming competition. In short, it's better to have more names than you need to ensure no one takes up a name later.
Now is your chance to show us how much you (think you) know! Share your predictions what these trademarks will be used for the name of a new ship in the future!
Each week we get another batch of cruise news to share covering what's happening in the world of Royal Caribbean cruises.
In an effort to cover it all for you, this week's update is a look around a few tidbits and updates you should know about.
Last week, Royal Caribbean sent a letter to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking for permission to use Elon Musk's Starlink internet service on their cruise ships.
It appears one cruise ship may have Starlink installed as a test.
Brandon from The Weekend Cruiser shared an update from onboard the ship with a look at an array of satellite receivers installed onboard Freedom of the Seas.
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The antennas are installed at the front of the ship by the mini-golf course, with six on each side of the ship for a total of 12 receivers.
Before you can expect to get super-fast wifi on a Royal Caribbean ship, the FCC needs to approve the technology because right now Starlink isn't allowed on moving vehicles.
For those of you keeping score at home, Royal Caribbean has signed a deal with Eagle LNG Partners LLC to provide liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering for Icon of the Seas.
Icon of the Seas will be the first Royal Caribbean cruise ship to run on LNG.
The LNG supply will be sourced from Eagle LNG’s liquefaction facilities in Jacksonville, Florida.
Eagle LNG’s facilities are designed for loading bunker vessels and LNG carriers for the Caribbean while maintaining economies of scale using modular liquefaction technology. The facilities will be capable of blending in renewable feedstocks to help customers achieve their carbon reduction goals.
Something to keep an eye on is a change for sister-company Celebrity Cruises and their vaccination policy.
For all Celebrity Cruises Europe sailings, guests 17 years of age and younger will no longer be required to be vaccinated in order to sail.
Also, unvaccinated guests sailing in Europe now have the option to either bring a negative pre-arrival test taken within 1 day of sailing or get tested at the terminal.
Royal Caribbean has not made any similar change to their European cruise protocols.
There's a good chance you have a future cruise credit from a cancelled cruise and want to know how to use it.
Many cruisers have questions about how a Future Cruise Credit works, and I did some digging to find answers.
This voucher for a specific amount comes with its own set of rules and things to know, so here is a breakdown of what Royal Caribbean's Future Cruise Credit is all about.
Updated June 30, 2022
A Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is essentially a voucher for future travel. It has a monetary amount associated with it, and it is provided in lieu of a refund.
A FCC may be used towards the deposit and/or base cruise fare of any future cruise.
It cannot be used to pay:
It can be used towards a new sailing you book, or any existing sailing you have previously booked.
As of June 6, 2020, a FCC can be used for a new cruise reservation deposit.
As it pertains to the Future Cruise Credits issued under the Cruise with Confidence program, the Cruise with Confidence FCC cannot be redeemed to repurchase the same sailing where the original booking canceled.
The FCC compensation amount for impacted sailings is based on the total cruise fare paid at the guest-level and is exclusive of taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuities which are being refunded to the original form of payment.
If there is leftover value in the Future Cruise Credit, the remainder will be reissued in a new Future Cruise Credit. The new FCC will have the same expiration date as the previous voucher.
Once a FCC is issued, it is sent to each guest via email.
It can take a bit of time for a FCC to become available. A few weeks is fairly typical, but it largely depends how busy Royal Caribbean is with processing them.
Effective June 1st, 2022, unredeemed Cruise with Confidence FCCs no longer expire.
This means if you received a FCC under the Cruise with Confidence program, there is no longer a deadline to use them and they are good indefinitely.
Yes, any FCC issued is "owned" by the guest, and is never attached to any agency until it is applied to a booking.
How long does it take for the Future Cruise Credit to be issued/available?
Royal Caribbean will allow a one-time transfer of an FCC to someone else.
It currently does require a call into the call center if you booked directly. If you booked with a travel agent, then your travel agent can request the FCC transfer.
Once the FCC is transferred, then that person can use your FCC since it belongs to them going forward.
If a Future Cruise Credit was leveraged to pay for a reservation now impacted by the suspension of cruising, Royal Caribbean will make it easier by combining all funds into one voucher.
The value of the original FCC will now be added to the new FCC at 100% of its original value, plus 125% of any amount paid by the guest on the cancelled
sailing.
In a unique scenario where you may have been impacted by multiple phases of suspended sailings where your original Sailing Suspension FCC was redeemed on a newly impacted reservation, a full refund is feasible. Assuming the terms of the original FCC are met, the refund amount will equate to the value of the cruise fare at 100% and will not include
the incremental 25% earned through the original selection of a Future Cruise Certificate.
When Royal Caribbean files a trademark application, it sparks interest in what it could possibly mean.
Royal Caribbean Group filed a number of new trademarks recently that seem to be connected to its next new cruise ship, Icon of the Seas. Or perhaps not at all.
The new trademarks were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office late last week.
Two of the trademarks sound like marketing slogans, since they play on the name of Icon of the Seas.
Icon of the Seas is under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland.
The other trademarks are less obvious, and could be names of a venue or feature on the new ship.
Royal Caribbean often trademarks names in bunches, so that it can later decide which name to use. This is most commonly seen with ship names.
Each of the trademarks simply has a description of a trademark registration is intended to cover the category of cruise ship services. This is the commonly used description that Royal Caribbean Group uses as a catch-all for almost everything it trademarks.
Since the names seem to have a common theme among them and were all registered on the same date, it stands to reason they are related. Either as the possible name of a new feature, or names of different parts of a new feature.
Royal Caribbean has been extremely quiet about its new class of cruise ship, the Icon Class.
They have not yet revealed what the ship looks like, or any features.
The only substantive announcement they've made so far is to tease a sphere-like object that was recently installed onboard.
There's been no word what it is, or what it does. With trademarks like "orb", "pearl", and "oyster", it could be related.
As always, it's important to remember trademark filings don't necessarily mean anything or indicate any intention Royal Caribbean has. Moreover, Royal Caribbean Group files all of its trademarks under a single brand on behalf of all of its subsidiary lines, which includes Royal Caribbean International. Celebrity Cruises, and SilverSea.
What do you think the names could be used for? Share your guesses in the comments!
The same day the United States announced an end to needing a negative Covid test to enter the country, the cruise industry said it wants to next move to looking at pre-cruise testing requirements.
Ever since cruise ships restarted sailing in late 2020 and early 2021, a pre-cruise covid test has been required.
While the specific requirements vary depending on where the ship sails from, in general, a negative covid test is required up to 2 or 3 days before the cruise for anyone that wishes to sail.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) issued a statement on Friday in support of the U.S. lifting testing requirement for travelers arriving by air to the USA.
At the end of the statement, CLIA mentioned a next step of looking at pre-cruise testing.
"As the CDC monitors the improving health landscape and works with airlines to support a smooth transition with the lifting of the pre-arrival testing requirement, we believe a review of pre-embarkation testing requirements for cruise travelers is also in order."
Just like the testing for international air travelers, CLIA points to the economic impact opening up cruises without a pre-cruise test.
There was no mention of changing vaccine requirements in the statement.
The problem with having to take a covid test just a few days before a cruise is it inserts an x-factor into vacation plans of will they or will they not be able to go.
For many cruisers, a positive result just before the start of their vacation could ruin their plans.
Besides that, no other form of leisure travel subjects their customers to a covid test as a requirement for entry. This includes casinos, hotels, theme parks, or zoos.
Then there's the issue of actually getting a test done in time. Vaccinated guests can choose to do a proctored at-home test, but these tests cost extra. Tests at pharmacies are often free, but getting an appointment can be daunting.
In short, pre-cruise testing adds stress to planning and getting excited for a cruise because of the fear of a positive test derailing plans.
Royal Caribbean recently added new questions to its post-cruise survey that ask people who just took a cruise on their thoughts on the amount of health protocols.
Post-cruise surveys are one of the most important metrics Royal Caribbean uses in measuring customer feedback. These are comments from people that actually paid and went on vacation, rather than comments from people who may or may not actually cruise.
The addition of these questions seems to hint at the company wanting to know what its customers think about the current set of protocols.
Questions include if there were enough or too many health protocols on the cruise, what impact (if any) did the health protocols in place have on the cruise experience, and if the same health protocols were in place again for the next cruise, would they cruise again?
There are still a lot of cruisers who want pre-cruise testing to remain as a way to prevent someone who has Covid from boarding their ship.
Melissa Chapa wrote on the RoyalCaribbeanBlog Facebook page, "Only reason I cruised is because of testing."
Jason Lutes added, "These tests have kept some cases off the ship. If they do away with pre-cruise testing, quarantine time while cruising might go up."
Randie Williams shared a story about how pre-cruise testing helped, "For my last cruise my husband tested covid positive 2 days prior to leaving. He was asymptomatic. We would have never known he had covid and could have passed it on to many passengers if we were allowed to board without a test."
There is a risk of catching Covid-19 everywhere in life, including on cruise ships. Unfortunately, I tested positive for Covid on the last day of my cruise, and I wanted to share my experience for what to you can reasonably expect.
I was sailing on a 7-night Alaska cruise from Vancouver, Canada.
Anecdotally, it seems far more people are worried about what your life is like onboard after testing positive in terms of your treatment onboard, rather than the effects of the virus.
Keep in mind my experience may vary from your experience, as regulations are changing all the time.
I certainly had read plenty of other people's experiences on various cruise lines to have a ballpark idea of what to expect, but after going through it myself, here's the important takeaways.
Before anything else, you will likely start feeling the effects of Covid. I'm sure most people start off in denial of what it could be. I certainly did.
My first symptom was a sore throat on the second-to-last day, but I had gotten up super early for the glacier viewing and stood outside for hours to watch it all, so I chalked it up to overdoing it. My energy levels were good and I had no temperature or any other symptoms.
As the evening came, I found myself getting quite tired and again, assumed it was a result of many days of touring Alaska.
That night, things got much worse and my fever rose along with an even worse sore throat. By the time dawn broke, I couldn't take it anymore and found a home covid test I brought onboard. Sure enough, it came up positive.
At this point, I felt miserable and called medical to inform them of my symptoms and positive test.
The next thing that happens is the medical team came up to our cabin and tested everyone.
The ship's doctor and nurse arrived to give us a quick antigen test each, and dropped off DayQuil, lozenges, and Tylenol to deal with the symptoms I was experiencing.
The doctor listened to my breathing and then told us we'd have the results very soon, likely within the hour. He also mentioned all the treatment was complimentary.
Almost exactly an hour later, I got a call that I was positive, but my wife and kids were negative.
Probably the biggest concern about Covid on a cruise ship is being quarantined. It's no secret there are inside cabins on every ship designated for Covid patients.
I was able to stay in my stateroom for two reasons: it was the last day of the cruise and we had a two bedroom suite.
The doctor explained that if I could quarantine myself in one of the bedrooms, I could remain there. That certainly seemed like a better idea than going elsewhere.
I was not to leave my cabin at all. My wife and kids could leave the cabin, but had to wear masks and were not allowed to eat in any restaurants.
Instead, we were allowed to order food from room service at no extra charge. After one or two orders, the room service rep started calling me to place orders before I could.
In terms of the food, it's the exact same room service menu as any other guest has access to. For dinner, we were able to order from the main dining room menu just to give us something different.
The room service food menu gets old quickly. Unlike the main dining room, there's no variations or new options. I could see how this could become frustrating if I had been in quarantine for a longer period.
You'll be provided with complimentary Voom and free phone service.
One thing that will stop is daily cleaning on your cabin.
Once you test positive, expect a lot of phone calls to check on you.
I was impressed by the amount of crew members that called to check on me, and give me information. I was concerned about not having access to all the questions about what happens next, but between the medical team and guest services, they ironed it all out.
The medical team called a number of times to check on how I felt, and were happy to provide more meds if I needed them.
Guest services also called to coordinate plans (more on that next). Also, both medical and guest services cross checked the other, asking me if the other had done certain things to ensure no balls were being dropped.
Guest services provided me options for what I could do at the conclusion of the cruise.
Because we were in Canada, which has public health regulations requiring me to continue to isolate after the voyage ends, I was given three options:
First, I could disembark in Vancouver and quarantine in Canada for a minimum of 10 days (9 days since I had quarantined one day in my stateroom).
Second, I could disembark and take my rental car (that I had parked in Vancouver) and drive back to the U.S.
Third, stay onboard for the next sailing. This was a shock to me, but in the paperwork Royal Caribbean provided, it listed staying onboard as an option sometimes allowed if there's space for it.
I'd need to quarantine for 4 more days, and if I tested negative after that, I could get off the ship in port and resume normal cruise activities.
My family would need to test every day, but they would be able to enjoy the ship if they tested negative.
It was tempting to stay onboard, but the fear someone else could test positive (since they had been exposed to me) made it seem too risky.
Later in the disembarkation process, I spoke with a couple that opted to quarantine onboard and they spent the entire cruise in quarantine because they continued to test positive. That made me feel much better about my decision not to stay onboard.
We chose the option of taking our rental car and driving back to Seattle to stay there Had I not had a rental car already parked in Vancouver, I likely would have been stuck in Canada, per the Canadian regulations.
I had to provide guest services with the address and my ArriveCAN number for departure.
The most impressive part of the lengths Royal Caribbean goes to support those that catch Covid during their sailing is the compensation package they provide.
Since I could not drive home to Florida, Royal Caribbean offered me a daily per diem if I quarantined in a hotel.
Specifically, it offers reimbursement, up to a limit of:
In addition, all quarantined guests and their travelling party get a prorated refund of their cruise fare based on the time spent in quarantine and cruise time lost. This refund will come back to the original form of payment.
In my opinion, this quite a generous offering, especially the financial support given after you've left the ship and are isolating in a hotel.
On the morning of disembarkation, we were instructed to wait in our cabins until all other guests were off the ship.
At 9am, crew members came to take my luggage. It would be brought down separate from other guests luggage.
At 9:45am, a crew member came to escort us out. It felt kind of surreal being back in the Centrum again. Again, I was happy to only have had one day of quarantine.
They escorted us to a conference room where eventually 10 other Covid positive guests joined us. This represented 11 out of 2,100 guests, or just 0.5% of the guests on our sailing.
We each had similar stories of "how it happened". Most appeared to be heading to a hotel in Vancouver that Royal Caribbean had arranged for.
We were taken off the ship and into a van to take us to our quarantine place. The bus dropped me off to pick up my rental car, which was parked nearby.
Bring a few covid tests with you so you can test in your cabin before calling medical. From what I understand, you may still be temporarily quarantined if you call with covid-like symptoms but test negative.
Have some shows or movies downloaded on your mobile device to watch. Most streaming services you subscribe to allow you to download programming to watch offline (like on an airplane). There isn't much else to watch.
Bring extra prescription medicine for a possible quarantine.
Bring a few over-the-counter flu medications with you. My wife packed Ibuprofen and some Halls, but I wish I had daytime and night time DayQuil or even Mucinex to deal with my sore throat.
I was probably different from most that run into this situation, because I knew a lot about what cruise lines were doing with people that tested positive for Covid. I was looking to see how much truth there was to any of the subjective comments people had made in their experiences.
Yes, the room service menu gets tiresome and if I had to eat it for 3, 4 or more days, I probably would have really hated it. But I never got food that was cold. Luke warm, perhaps. But no different than how some food comes very hot or not so hot when in a dining room.
I freely admit I was lucky to only have to quarantine for 1 day onboard. The television programming is limited, and there were no pay-per-view movies on Serenade of the Seas. Moreover, their slow internet made streaming anything pretty much impossible (although YouTube worked fairly well, since it could buffer better than other services I tried).
I thought the support from medical and guest services was exemplary. I was encouraged to call with any questions. So when I wasn't sure about mixing meds, I called the medical center and got a hold of the doctor almost immediately. My primary physician at home isn't that accessible.
Besides "how bad is quarantine", my other concern was communication because I had read some people lamenting gaps in time before knowing what was going to happen next.
I started my ordeal around 7am. By lunch, I had a good idea of what the game plan was, and by 4pm I was clear on disembarkation and what to do after that.
I knew when I booked this cruise, and every other cruise I've taken since June 2021 that there's a risk of getting Covid. I was fortunate not to have run into this until now, but I can say it was handled well.
It would have been a heck of a lot easier if this had happened on a cruise from Florida, as I'd much rather quarantine in my own home. But the generous compensation package helps a lot.
I'm not not sure what sort of compensation options there are if the cruise had ended in the USA, which likely has different requirements than than of Canada.
I hope this article serves as an overview of what could happen and what to expect.