In the 61st edition of Coffee Talk with Vicki Freed this morning, Royal Caribbean shared first-hand experiences from a travel agent guest, Beci Mahnken, who sailed on the first sailing of Adventure of the Seas from Nassau Bahamas.
Recovery - Just Around Corner
As Beci, and the group of associates traveling with her, began their trip they were filled with weird emotions. For months, just like us, they were engaged in "removal of dreams" as they processed cancellations. They were very excited to get back to cruising as it signaled to them that recovery was just around the corner. Journey with them as they embark on this 7 day voyage from Nassau.
The cruise out of the Bahamas was with fully vaccinated crew and guests. The test before traveling went away, so the only requirement was to complete the Bahamian Health Visa. Completing this was easier than they had expected. You fill the visa out on your phone by entering your information and uploading a copy of your vaccination card. 
Muster 2.0
Since the ship sailed at 30% capacity it was like having the entire ship to yourself. There were signs posted around the ship reminding guests about social distancing. One change were elevators were limited to one group (maximum 4 guests) at a time, so you might have to wait awhile for an elevator. It did beat being crammed into the elevators though.
Perfect Day at Coco Cay
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Bahamas Check-in
There's about a 3-4 hour approval process.
At your designated check-in time you show your vaccination card and passport. An antigen test (nose swab) is done and you are taken to another room where your passport and documentation is checked. The waiting time is about 20 minutes in this room. You watch for your email to be posted which indicates a negative test. Once this is completed you board a shuttle to the ship.
The main takeaway was that the entire process was seamless / easy with no stress.
Crew Happy to See Them
While the crew were all wearing masks, you could see the smiles through them as they greeted the guests onboard. With the limited capacity on the ship, the crew outnumbered passengers. Walking around the ship they were greeted with "Welcome Home" and "Welcome Onboard". They too are travel professionals in their own right who's main job is to help make dreams come true. They missed doing that just like we missed putting our guests on cruises and land vacations.
Staterooms were cleaned twice a day, just as usual. There was lots of emphasis on cleaning throughout the voyage. Ships have always put emphasis on keep the ship clean and sanitary even before the pandemic.
One of the most noticeable changes in the embarkation process was the new and improved muster drill (safety briefing). No longer to do you need to put your vacation on pause to gather for the safety briefing. You simply watch the video on your phone's app or in your stateroom then at your leisure check-in at your assigned muster station.
There you are given a 1-1 briefing of how to put on your life jackets and you have the ability to have any questions answered. This is very helpful, especially for first time cruisers.
Once you've checked in, you'll have sticker placed on your card indicating completion of the briefing. We've been told that this modification to the briefing is here to stay even if some of the other protocols go away,
Onboard Experience
Since the ship sailed at 30% capacity it was like having the entire ship to yourself. There were signs posted around the ship reminding guests about social distancing. One change were elevators were limited to one group (maximum 4 guests) at a time, so you might have to wait awhile for an elevator. It did beat being crammed into the elevators though.
Dining
There were a few changes with dining. You could dine with anyone linked to your reservation. Paper menus were on the table but if you weren't comfortable with that, there was a QR code that you could scan to view an online version of the menu.
You are probably wondering about Windjammer (buffet). The same great selections were available. The only difference was that the crew served you. This was also true at drink stations. They saw this as an improvement over having everyone's hands on the serving utensils as was the case in the past.
Entertainment
The same wonderful shows as expected from Royal Caribbean's production company. Some rows / seats were blocked off to allow for social distancing. The same was true in the Casino where some machines were closed and tables had limited seating capacity.
All the thrills and chills of Royal Caribbean's private island awaited them as they arrived at Perfect Day at Coco Cay. They decided to splurge and purchased on of the over water cabanas for the day.
The food was amazing including Filet Mignon, Lobster Tail, Chicken and Grouper. They ate to their heart's content and enjoyed the cabanas immensely. They highly recommend Coco Beach Club - it was worth the money to them.
Overall Experience
Experiencing the ship at 30% capacity was amazing! The crew was very friendly and attentive. Everything you expect in a cruise experience was there. They won't hesitate to book their guests on Royal Caribbean ships out of the Bahamas and elsewhere.
Thank you Vicki and Royal Caribbean for arranging this opportunity to learn about the experience onboard Adventure of the Seas as you return to cruising. It is comforting to see all the attention to detail that has been put into taking care of our guests onboard your ships as you resume operations.
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