Royal Caribbean Protocol Updates

Updated August 30, 2022

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have announced that they are welcoming all guest, regardless of vaccination status, beginning with sailings departing on September 5, 2022, from any U.S. homeport (excluding sailings visiting Bermuda or Canada).  Please make note of not only the changes to vaccination status for U.S. departures, but also testing requirements for some of our European itineraries. 

What You Need To Know

All U.S. Departures beginning September 5^th (excluding Canada, Bermuda, and Transpacific sailings)

Vaccination:

• If eligible, we recommend that guests be fully vaccinated against COVID‐19. While vaccination is not required, we kindly ask that guests disclose their status during check-in to ensure we maintain a highly vaccinated onboard population.
• Grand Cayman will now allow unvaccinated guests to disembark in port

Pre-Cruise Testing:

• Sailings 9 nights or less:
  • Unvaccinated guests ages 5 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no earlier than 3 days prior to sailing.
  • Fully vaccinated guests do not need to test for these sailings.
  • Accepted tests are FDA‐approved PCR or antigen tests, which now includes self-tests. (Yes, the unsupervised ones!)
    • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of the self-test result, or the actual self-test in hand.
• Sailings 10 nights or more:
  • All guests ages 5 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no earlier than 3 days prior to sailing.
  • Accepted tests are FDA‐approved PCR or antigen tests, which now includes self-tests. (Yes, the unsupervised ones!)
    • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of the self-test result, or the actual self-test in hand.

U.S. Departures visiting Bermuda beginning September 5^th

• While requirements for sailing have changed for some destinations, most of Bermuda’s local regulations and requirements are still in place.
• This means vaccination and pre-cruise testing requirements remain unchanged.
• We’ve removed the boarding day test requirement.

Sailings beginning September 5^th that begin, end, or stop in Canada

• While requirements for sailing have changed for some destinations, Canada’s local regulations and requirements are still in place.
• The vaccination requirement and the pre-cruise & embarkation testing requirement (2 days prior for vaccinated guests | 3 days prior for unvaccinated + boarding day test) remain in place.

All European & UK Departures beginning September 5^th (excluding Transatlantic sailings)

Vaccination:

• All European and UK Itineraries (excluding Transatlantic sailings)
  • We recommend that guests be fully vaccinated against COVID‐19 and up to-date, when eligible.
  • While vaccination is not required, we kindly ask you disclose your status during check-in to ensure we maintain a highly vaccinated onboard population.

Pre-cruise Testing (check departure port for info):

Sailings departing from Amsterdam, Barcelona, and the U.K.

• Sailings 9 nights or less:
  • Guests ages 12 years and older who are unvaccinated or not up-to-date must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no earlier than:
    • 24 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
    • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
  • Up-to-date guests do not need to test for these sailings.
  • Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests, which now includes self-tests. (Yes, the unsupervised ones!)
    • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand.
• Sailings 10 nights or more:
  • All guests ages 12 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result.
  • Up-to-date guests must present a negative COVID-19 test taken no earlier than 3 days prior to boarding day.
  • Unvaccinated or not up-to date guests must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no earlier than:
    • 24 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
    • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
  • Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests, which now includes self-tests. (Yes, the unsupervised ones!)
    • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand.

Sailings departing from Athens, Greece

• All guests ages 12 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken no earlier than:
  • 48 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
  • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
• Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests taken in person.
  • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results.
  • Telehealth and unsupervised self-testing are not accepted for sailings departing from Greece

Sailings departing from Tarragona, Spain

• All guests ages 12 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken no earlier than:
  • 48 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
  • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
• Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests taken in person or supervised virtually.
  • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results.
  • Unsupervised self-testing is not accepted for sailings visiting Greece

Sailings departing from Haifa, Israel

• All guests ages 12 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken no earlier than:
  • 48 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
  • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
• Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests taken in person or supervised virtually.
  • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results.
  • Unsupervised self-testing is not accepted for sailings visiting Greece

Sailings departing from Italy visiting Greece

• If the sailing departs from any Italian port and makes at least one (1) stop in Greece, the following testing is required.
  • All guests ages 12 years and older must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a test taken no earlier than:
    • 48 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
    • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
  • Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests taken in person or supervised virtually.
    • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results.
    • Unsupervised self-testing is not accepted for sailings visiting Greece

Sailings departing from Italy not visiting Greece

Vaccination:

• Guests ages 12 years and older who are unvaccinated or not up-to-date must present a negative COVID-19 test result taken no earlier than:
  • 24 hours before boarding day if taking an antigen test
  • 72 hours before boarding day if taking a PCR test
• Up-to-date guests do not need to test for these sailings.
  • Accepted tests are PCR or antigen tests, which now includes self-tests. (Yes, the unsupervised ones!)
  • Proof of a negative test can be the printed or digital results, a clear photo of your self-test result, or your actual self-test in hand.

Onboard Testing:

• Any sailing visiting Greece
  • Guests ages 12 years and older who are unvaccinated or not up-to-date will require additional testing to be completed onboard at their own expense, in order to go ashore.
• Any sailing ending in Spain
  • Guests ages 12 years and older who are unvaccinated or not up-to-date will require additional testing to be completed prior to debarking in Spain at their own expense.

Resources

• Royal Caribbean Healthy Sail Center
• Royal Caribbean Healthy Sail Center FAQs
• Celebrity Healthy at Sea
• Celebrity Country Travel Requirements

 

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Exciting News from Celebrity Cruises

Have You Been Waiting To Cruise Again - Wait No Longer

We just concluded the latest briefing by Celebrity Cruises regarding changes to testing and vaccination requirements both in the U.S. and Europe.   They mentioned that Top Gun has their sequel Top Gun Maverick and they said this is Cruising's Sequel.   As you can see from the charts below, more people are now able to cruise with relaxed requirements.  There are only a few exceptions, which are anticipated to change in the near future as well.   We can unravel the requirements and find the perfect cruise for you, your family, and your friends.

We encourage you to contact your Travel Advisor to plan your next vacation NOW.   Pricing has remained steady, allowing ships to fill up.   Don't miss the boat (ship)!  Prices will rise - take our word for it.   Your cruise deposit will lock in these low prices and also an incentive that is currently in place.

Here are the latest updates.  Click on the images to enlarge.   You can also visit Healthy Sailing page.

We can't stress enough - don't try to plan on your own.  The requirements for our October sailing has changed 3 times in less than a month.   We are keeping updated so you don't need to.

 Current Celebrity Cruises Promotions

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Accessibility for All at Seas

  ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL

DID YOU KNOW… That 12% of Americans with disabilities have taken a cruise in the last 5 years, while 10% of the general U.S. population has taken a cruise in the last 3 years. That means travelers with disabilities enjoy cruising at an even greater rate than those without! 

Sources: Study by the Open Doors Organization and U.S. Travel Association 

               Cruise Lines International Association

Royal Caribbean International® believes the best vacations come without limitations. They are committed to providing the most accessible cruise vacation experience to guests with disabilities and special needs. That’s why they strive to meet the needs of every guest, by outfitting their ships with a wide variety of features designed to give access to all*, including guests who have:      

• Mobility disabilities 
• Hearing disabilities 
• Visual disabilities 
• Other disabilities including children with disabilities
• People of short stature 
• Individuals with cognitive, intellectual and development disabilities

Every year, thousands of guests with disabilities and special needs sail on Royal Caribbean International. Wherever our ships can go, you can, too – on a cruise designed to wow and accommodate you.

*Activities and amenities vary by ship

PLANNING AHEAD 

While we don’t require information about the type or extent of your disability, the more information you can share with us about your specific needs, the better we are able to assist you. We encourage you to notify us of your needs at the time of booking, however to guarantee availability of specific equipment or services, please provide at least: 

• 60 days notice if you need sign language interpreting services 
• 30 days notice if you need special equipment or services  to accommodate your disability 

If the cruise line does not receive enough advance notice, they will make reasonable efforts to provide requested equipment or services, but they do not guarantee they will be provided.

AUTISM FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION

Autism on the Seas certifies Royal Caribbean with an Autism Friendly Certification for their efforts to ensure their products and services are accessible for inclusion and participation by the autism and developmental disability community. 

Autism Friendly Certification includes achievement in up to seven areas, such as cruise line staff training, youth program services, pre-vacation planning and services, dining and dietary needs, disability accommodations, guest satisfaction and feedback, and support for “Cruises with Autism on the Seas Staff.” There are four levels of certification, each progressing with increased levels of staff training. 

Families with autism sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Autism Friendly Certified ships can be confident that Royal Caribbean has autism friendly products and services that will help accommodate family members with autism. 

They offer Autism friendly films; toys; activities and a tv station that is geared to Autism. But this channel is only available on the following classes of ships – Quantum; Oasis; Freedom; Voyager and Radiance. 

Their staff are required to have a 4-year degree or equivalent education and have at least 3-5 years of experience working with Autism teens and children.

CONTACT US WITH YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS    

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Let's Make a Deal Princess Cruises

Princess Upgrade Program

 

One thing I love about the cruise industry is the lines love to imitate each other. If you see a new innovation, including changes in ship design, dining options, activities, or service offerings, odds are that if you wait awhile, you'll see the same or similar introduced on other ships / cruise lines. 

The latest trend is the ability to bid to upgrade your cabin. First introduced by Royal Caribbean International on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises (Royal UP), Princess Cruises becomes the latest to offer this option to passengers.

Starting next month, passengers who have paid their final payment will receive an email inviting them to bid on an upgrade to the next higher cabin category.   For example, you could purchase an Interior stateroom and bid on an Oceanview;  or an Oceanview and bid on a Balcony cabin.

Princess Cruises has not released complete details, but we would imagine they will suggest minimum bids for each of the cabin upgrades you are being offered.   The more you bid, the more likely you will actually win the upgrade.

How Does Princess Upgrade Work? 

• Check whether your cruise is eligible for bidding on an upgrade. 
• Browse through the upgrade options available and place your bid(s) to upgrade your stateroom on your upcoming cruise. Making a bid on multiple staterooms will increase your chances of being upgraded, but you’ll only pay for one. 
• Get notified via email if your request for an upgrade has been approved. If your bid is accepted, you’ll be charged for the upgrade. If not, you’ll enjoy the stateroom you already have and won’t be charged anything additional. 

Your bid is priced per person and based on two guests per stateroom for the length of your cruise. 3rd and 4th guests in a stateroom are upgraded without additional cost.

By the end of October, Princess Cruises intends to launch this new program fleetwide, but it will initially be available on five ships that sail from the U.S. Beginning September 6, guests sailing Discovery Princess, Enchanted Princess, Regal Princess, Ruby Princess, and Caribbean Princess will have first access to participate in the program.

Are You Feeling Lucky?

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