The cruising industry largely shut down after several high-profile Covid-19 outbreaks on ships as the illness started to spread in 2020. Now, as the number of Americans getting vaccinated continues to rise and restrictions ease up, the big oceangoing cruise lines are preparing to sail from U.S. waters again.
Celebrity Edge is set to depart from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 26 to sail through the Caribbean with beefed-up health and safety measures, including the crew and all guests ages 16 and older fully vaccinated. Other cruises, from Royal Caribbean to Carnival, will soon follow.
“Cruise lines have gone to great lengths to make sure there will never be a significant outbreak of Covid-19 on a ship again,” says Gene Sloan, senior reporter for cruise and travel at The Points Guy.
Some have added protocols including social distancing, reduced capacity, face mask policies, temperature screenings, medical facilities designed for Covid-19 testing and more.
“Every major line also now has a plan should even one or two passengers start feeling sick with Covid-like systems,” says Sloan.
Of course, nothing is foolproof: Royal Caribbean recently canceled the first sailings of its newest ship, Odyssey of the Seas, after eight crew members tested positive for Covid (six were asymptomatic, two had mild symptoms, according to NBC 6 in Miami). The ship’s inaugural cruise, scheduled to leave from Fort Lauderdale on July 3, has been pushed back to July 31.
Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said in a statement that “the positive cases were identified after the vaccination was given and before they were fully effective,” and that the company delayed the cruise out of an “abundance of caution.”
Still, travelers are ready to hit the high seas: World cruises are selling out, the maiden voyage for the new Disney Wish (launching next year) is already booked solid and cabins this summer are hard to come by, partly due to fewer ships in the water and reduced capacity, as well as people rebooking trips that were canceled over the past year.
“There’s been a lot of pent-up demand,” says Chris Gray Faust, managing editor at Cruise Critic.
Here’s what travelers can expect as they start cruising again.
Less crowded ships and ports
If you can find a cabin on a ship, it could be a great time sail due to the current capacity reductions required by the CDC, says Lisa McGregor, owner of Passport Pleasures Luxury Travel, a Florida-based agency that specializes in cruise voyages.
“Just like when we were flying last year and the planes were empty, now you have an opportunity to sail with fewer people and have a lot more breathing room,” says McGregor.
A socially distanced cruise activity on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas
A socially distanced cruise activity on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas
Another perk, according to Sloan: “The ports that cruises visit also are less crowded than usual, so you’ll be welcomed with open arms. Many of the places cruise ships go rely heavily on tourism to survive, and they haven’t had much business in more than a year. They are thrilled that cruise ships are coming back.”
Some money-saving deals
Even though there’s reduced capacity and high demand, cruise lines are enticing people with sales and promotions. For instance, Carnival is offering 40% off sailings, Royal Caribbean is giving 60% off a second passenger, Princess is throwing in shipboard credits and even Crystal — a super luxury line with butlers — is extending discounts.
But according to Anne Scully, a partner at Embark Beyond, she’s seeing waitlists for popular cruises and demand extending into 2022 and 2023. “Things are pretty tight right now,” she says.
Showing proof of a vaccination
Vaccination requirements vary by cruise line and port of departure, but some ships require proof of vaccination or have perks for vaccinated travelers. Cruise lines will have a way to indicate vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers, whether it’s with a wristband or a mark on your seacard.
Gray Faust says that when she recently traveled on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas (which departed from Bahamas), she had to show her original vaccination card when checking in on the ship and had to upload it online to get in and out of the Bahamas.
The vaccine card was also useful on land. “The Bahamas will not let people eat indoors unless they’re vaccinated,” says Faust. “So we had to show our vaccine card to eat inside a restaurant.”
Vaccination and mask zones
Cruises won’t only be available to people who have been vaccinated — but you’ll have a much more enjoyable time if you are.
According to CDC rules, ships that have at least 95% of crew and passengers fully vaccinated can use their discretion when it comes to mask rules. Ships that don’t meet those numbers can have designated areas for fully vaccinated passengers where masks and physical distancing are optional.
Royal Caribbean, for example, just released its new health and safety protocols for the July and August sailings from Miami on Freedom of the Seas. The line will designate some bars, lounges, restaurants, and events for vaccinated guests only (no masks required). In the Main Dining Room, there will be areas for vaccinated guests to dine separately.
Unvaccinated guests will also need to pay for additional Covid testing.
“It’s expected these sentiments will be mirrored for the line’s other ships, particularly the ones sailing from Florida and Texas,” says travel expert Pauline Frommer.
