RCI-Royal Caribbean International announced the restart of sailings from Florida and Texas. The company had previously announced a return of Alaskan cruises in May.
RCI is planning summer voyages on 6 of its ships. The first of the comeback trips are scheduled to disembark from Miami FL on July 2 with Freedom of the Seas embarking on a special 4th of July weekend trip.
The first voyage from Port Canaveral FL will be a 7-night sailing starting on August 8 with another one planned to start on August 23.
RCI plans to have 12 boats sailing again by the end of August 2021.
Royal Caribbean’s summer lineup includes:
- starting July 2: Freedom of the Seas – 3-/4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day at CocoCay from Miami FL
- starting July 3: Odyssey of the Seas – 6-/8-night Southern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale FL
- starting July 19: Serenade of the Seas – 7-night Alaska from Seattle WA
- starting August 8: Allure of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral FL
- starting August 13: Ovation of the Seas – 7-night Alaska from Seattle WA
- starting August 14: Symphony of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean from Miami FL
- starting August 15: Independence of the Seas – 7-night Western Caribbean from Galveston TX
- starting August 23: Mariner of the Seas – 3- and 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day at CocoCay from Port Canaveral FL.
All Royal Caribbean crew will be vaccinated against COVID. Passengers are “strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated if they are eligible.”
Those who are unvaccinated or can't verify their vaccination will have to undergo COVID-19 testing and “follow other protocols, which will be announced at a later date.”
Vacationers planning to sail from Alaska, who are 16+ years of age must be fully vaccinated, and that will extend to anyone 12+ starting August 1.
Any cruises outside of those announced on Friday, June 4, are canceled through the end of August 2021. Impacted passengers may receive a full refund.
The announcement comes a day after Michael Bayley (Royal Caribbean's President and CEO) announced on Facebook that RCI has gotten approval from CDC for test cruises as soon as next month. A few days ago, the company announced that it got the CDC approval for test cruises on Freedom OTS June 20-22.