MIAMI, June 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelers can
once again mark their calendars and set their sights on a summer
full of long-awaited cruise vacations. Building on the excitement
of its upcoming return to Alaska,
Royal Caribbean International has announced that six of its
award-winning ships will begin sailing from major U.S. cruise ports
in Florida and Texas in July and August. The cruise line's
comeback will kick off on July 2 in
Miami, the cruise capital of the
world, with Freedom of the Seas* embarking on a
special Fourth of July weekend sailing to Perfect Day at
CocoCay. By the end of August, 12 Royal Caribbean ships will
be cruising once again across The Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska and Europe.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8644152-royal-caribbean-freedom-of-the-seas-return-to-service/
On the heels of the first cruise in Royal Caribbean's highly
anticipated return to the U.S. will be the debut of the brand-new
Odyssey of the Seas* on July 3. The game-changing ship will set sail from
Fort Lauderdale on new 6- and
8-night Caribbean cruises, to soon
be followed by Allure, Symphony,
Independence* and Mariner of the Seas.
In the coming weeks, the cruise line will announce its plans to
reintroduce its full fleet around the globe by year's end. The
2021 summer cruises are available to book today.
"This is it. Vacationers can finally plan to take their precious
time off this summer and truly get away after what has been a
challenging time for everyone. I would like to sincerely thank our
guests and travel partners for their incredible patience and
understanding during this very difficult period. Thanks in
large part to the successful rollout of vaccines, the world of
adventure is beginning to open up, and we are all excited to start
delivering great vacations to our guests, who have increasingly
told us they are getting vaccinated. As of today, 90% of all
vacationers booking with Royal Caribbean are either vaccinated or
planning to get vaccinated in time for their cruise," said
Michael Bayley, president and CEO,
Royal Caribbean International. "We also thank Governor DeSantis of
Florida, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Broward County Mayor Steve Geller and Chairman of the Canaveral Port
Authority board Wayne Justice and
board commissioners for their steadfast support of our industry and
for providing access to vaccines to the thousands of crew on our
ships off the eastern seaboard. This act of understanding and
humanity has been deeply appreciated, and we are grateful for their
support, which is enabling the health and safety of our guests,
crew members and the communities we visit."
Royal Caribbean's newly
revealed cruise vacations offer a range of itineraries that vary in
length and destination, ease and flexibility in booking, and
convenient departure ports across the U.S. Whether departing
Florida on two of the world's
largest cruise ships, cruising from Texas to discover the best of the western
Caribbean or venturing out to
cooler temps to explore the wilds of Alaska, there is something for
everyone.
Royal Caribbean's full
summer lineup:
- Freedom of the Seas* – 3- and 4-night
Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay
sailings from Miami, starting
July 2
- Odyssey of the Seas* – 6- and 8-night Southern
and Western Caribbean cruises from
Fort Lauderdale, starting
July 3
- Serenade of the Seas – 7-night Alaska sailings from Seattle, starting July
19
- Allure of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and
Western Caribbean itineraries from
Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 8
- Ovation of the Seas – 7-night Alaska itineraries from Seattle, starting Aug.
13
- Symphony of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and
Western Caribbean sailings from
Miami, starting Aug. 14
- Independence of the Seas* – 7-night Western Caribbean sailings from Galveston, Texas, starting Aug. 15
- Mariner of the Seas – 3- and 4-night
Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay
sailings from Port Canaveral, starting Aug.
23
The expanded summer lineup will go beyond the U.S. to include
international ports across the Atlantic, like Barcelona and Rome, when Harmony of the
Seas returns to Europe. Starting Aug.
15, the Oasis Class ship will set sail on 7-night
itineraries to the Western Mediterranean and visit iconic
destinations like Palma de Mallorca,
Spain and Provence, France.
The new U.S and Europe cruises
extend Royal Caribbean's previously announced plans to return to
sailing, which include Adventure of the Seas departing from
The Bahamas on June 12 as well as Anthem of the Seas
sailing out of the U.K. and Jewel of the Seas from
Cyprus in July. The complete list
of Royal Caribbean's 2021 cruises is available here.
U.S. Health and Safety Measures
Travelers can plan their cruise adventure with peace of mind
knowing that all crew members will be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if
they are eligible. Those who are unvaccinated or unable to verify
vaccination will be required to undergo testing and follow other
protocols, which will be announced at a later date. Other measures
in place for travelers to cruise with Royal Caribbean include:
- Vacationers sailing to Alaska
who are 16 years of age or older must be fully vaccinated against
COVID-19, and those 12 or older as of Aug.
1.
- If departing from an international port, guests must meet the
travel requirements of their home country and the country of
departure. The most up-to-date policies can be found online on each
country's tourism site.
Royal Caribbean is continuing
discussions with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and multiple state, local and port authorities in the
U.S. and with various destination communities regarding the various
requirements for the upcoming sailings. The current process
requires each ship to complete a simulation cruise before receiving
approval to resume sailing once again from U.S. ports. The
applications for simulation cruises are under review and receiving
approvals on a rolling basis. The progress made as a result of the
ongoing collaboration with and support from the state, local and
federal level continues to set the stage for Royal Caribbean to
return to sailing this summer as planned. The cruise line will
share updates on measures with guests and travel advisors before
their departure dates.
Cruises outside of those announced today will be cancelled
through the end of August. Booked guests and travel partners
impacted will be contacted with further details specific to their
sailing, including the option to receive a full refund. For added
reassurance, all vacationers who have booked by July 31 are covered by the Cruise with
Confidence program. Royal Caribbean is grateful for the patience and
loyalty of its guests.
*Note: Freedom, Odyssey, Independence of the Seas' 2021
summer sailings are that of existing itineraries for the following
ships: Navigator, Independence, Explorer and Liberty of the Seas,
respectively. Guests booked on these ships will be automatically
transferred to the new ship.
About Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean International has been delivering
innovation at sea for more than 50 years. Each successive class of
ships is an architectural marvel featuring the latest technology
and guest experiences for today's adventurous traveler. The cruise
line continues to revolutionize vacations with itineraries to more
than 270 destinations in 72 countries on six continents, including
Royal Caribbean's private island destination in The Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay, the
first in the Perfect Day Island Collection. Royal Caribbean has also been voted "Best Cruise
Line Overall" for 18 consecutive years in the Travel
Weekly Readers' Choice Awards.
Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter
and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional
information or to make reservations, vacationers can call their
travel advisor; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800)
ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.
Royal Caribbean International is applying the recommendations of
its Healthy Sail Panel of public health and scientific experts to
provide a safer and healthier cruise vacation on all of its
sailings. Health and safety protocols, regional travel restrictions
and clearance to visit ports of call, are subject to change based
on ongoing evaluation, public health standards, and government
requirements. U.S. cruises and guests: For more information on the
latest health and travel alerts, U.S. government travel advisories,
please
visit www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates or
consult travel advisories, warnings or recommendations relating to
cruise travel on applicable government websites.
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SOURCE Royal Caribbean International