Starting May 21, RCI-Royal Caribbean International will again hire crew members from India.
The news comes a couple of weeks after the line announced a temporary suspension of assignments for shipboard employees from India/people who reside in the country.
Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley revealed on Facebook that the crewing from India would once again commence, with enhanced health and safety protocols for the crew.
“We are restarting crewing from India on May 21st. There will be enhanced protocols to ensure safety. PCR test, 14-day quarantine, PCR test, Charter flight, PCR test, Vaccine, Quarantine and PCR test. Hopefully, these enhanced protocols will only be in place for a short time as we all become vaccinated. Other countries where the pandemic is surging will have same protocols. FYI.”
According to Mr. Bayley, those protocols would be in place at least for a "short time." He added that due to additional quarantine requirements crew members' contracts would be lengthened during that period by two months.