Royal Caribbean has announced they they will be moving towards removing their vaccine requirements. The new policies are expected to be announced the week of August 1st with changes going into effect August 8, 2022.

We were able to take a look at what their now policies and protocols may look like!

Big changes are also coming to testing allowing guests to choose between PCR and antigen and expanding the use of home antigen test- adding unsupervised tests to their list of accepted testing options. We have not yet seen how testing procedures will change for vaccinated vs unvaccinated passengers but will clearly be paying close attention to those details!

In addition, Royal Caribbean seems to leave room for some vaccinated sailings saying, “While we hope you decide to sail with us, we understand if you prefer to join us at a later time. We will happily move you to a new ship and sail date where vaccination is required due to the destinations on the itinerary. However, if you prefer a refund, we will refund any and all monies paid to Royal Caribbean International to the form of payment used within one week of updated rule announcements.

In regards specifically to vaccination:

Vaccination: While anyone can cruise, we will maintain a high percentage of fully vaccinated guests onboard all our sailings, far above the general population. All crew will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Please note: Vaccination and testing requirements vary by port of departure, ports of call, and age group. We will continue to monitor and adjust guidance on vaccine and testing requirements as public health conditions evolve. We’ll continue to work with destination partners around the world to ensure the health and safety of the communities we visit.

The following are not the new policies from Royal Caribbean, but was shared with Moms at Sea by an independent source, and give some insight into what we might expect. We cannot confirm that these are aligned with the specific protocols yet to be released by Royal Caribbean.

Q: Will Royal Caribbean Group be following CDC guidelines? · The CDC’s COVID-19 for Cruise Ships program has ended. Based on this change, we’ve been evaluating the path forward and working with destination partners around the world to align with the rest of society, as well as other travel and hospitality businesses.

Q: What do the new guidelines include? · For sailings departing from the U.S. on August 8th, 2022 and later (excluding Alaska, Canada): Testing: Testing will be required for unvaccinated guests over 2 years of age on all sailings. For vaccinated guests, testing will be required on sailings that are six nights or longer. We will keep our ongoing crew surveillance. Vaccination: While anyone can cruise, we will maintain a high percentage of fully vaccinated guests onboard all our sailings, far above the general population. All crew will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Please note: Vaccination and testing requirements vary by port of departure, ports of call, and age group. We will continue to monitor and adjust guidance on vaccine and testing requirements as public health conditions evolve. We’ll continue to work with destination partners around the world to ensure the health and safety of the communities we visit.

Q: Why is Royal Caribbean Group changing its testing policy? Cruising has proven to be one of the safest environments anywhere. As society continues to evolve, we are aligning with the travel and hospitality sector everywhere, and will continue to meet destination regulations.

Q: Will vaccinations be required to sail? We recommend being vaccinated when eligible. Vaccination requirements vary by port of departure, ports of call, and age group. We are continuing to monitor and adjust guidance on vaccine requirements as public health conditions evolve. As of now, Royal Caribbean International ships will continue to sail highly vaccinated passenger cruises and continue to fully vaccinate and boost our crew as they become eligible. Additional details will be published later next week.

Q: I’m not vaccinated and would like to sail after August 8th, 2022. What happens if my sailing requires vaccination and I choose not to be vaccinated? We will happily move you to a new ship and sail date where vaccination is not required. However, if you prefer a refund, we will refund any and all monies paid to Royal Caribbean International to the form of payment used within one week of announcement.

Q: All eligible guests sailing should be vaccinated. I’m not okay with this change. Can I cancel my booking? While not required for sailings departing from the U.S. (excluding Canada and Alaska sailings) on and after August 8th, 2022, we strongly encourage all eligible guests be vaccinated against COVID-19. And know, our ships will sail with a high percentage of fully vaccinated guests, far above the general population. Additionally, all crew will continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible. Health and safety are our top priorities and we would never do anything to risk that. With any changes we make, our goal is to foster the robust, long-standing commitment to public health we’ve demonstrated. Cruising has proven to be one of the safest, most controlled environments anywhere, and our mitigation techniques will continue to prioritize this. Data shows that the cruise industry has led the way in health and safety protocols that mitigate the spread of COVID-19. COVID is something that has become part of society for the foreseeable future and like you, we’ve learned how to move forward and evolve. While we hope you decide to sail with us, we understand if you prefer to join us at a later time. We will happily move you to a new ship and sail date where vaccination is required due to the destinations on the itinerary. However, if you prefer a refund, we will refund any and all monies paid to Royal Caribbean International to the form of payment used within one week of updated rule announcements.

Q: Are all crew members fully vaccinated? All crew on board our ships and at our private destinations are fully vaccinated and up-to-date with their boosters as they become eligible.

Q: What are Royal Caribbean Group’s crew surveillance protocols? We plan to continue our onboard crew testing and surveillance programs as part of our layered public health measures.

Q: What kind of testing is allowed or acceptable? This can be either antigen or PCR test. Guests can now take advantage of at-home antigen tests (even the unsupervised ones!) to satisfy this requirement. We will be sending booked guests and travel partners specific details next week. Additional details will be publishedlater next week regarding specifics on acceptable tests and the latest requirements.

Q: How will the destinations visited be impacted by the latest guidelines? We are working with our destination partners to align cruise guidelines with countries that have different entry requirements and with other entry requirements in the travel sector. If there are differences, we will communicate those to our guests so they are prepared.

Q: How will Royal Caribbean Group react to an outbreak onboard one of its ships? Cruising has been proven to be one of the safest environments. If a guest or crew member tests positive for COVID-19 onboard, we have a robust, tiered plan that has been developed with guidance from local authorities and public health experts. In addition, we have transport protocols to ensure the ship can return to port and debark all guests. The health and safety of our guests, crew, and communities we visit remain our top priority. Our isolation policies will remain unchanged under these new guidelines. • Note: Should a guest test positive for Covid-19, they will be responsible for all costs associated with their return home. We recommend all guests purchase travel insurance to help offset any costs.

Q: Where can someone find the latest guidelines? We will be sending booked guests and travel partners specific details via email next week. Please be on the lookout if you’re already booked or check RoyalCaribbean.com later next week for specifics on acceptable tests and the latest requirements.

Q: What do these changes mean for guests? We will continue to have some of the highest safety guidelines in the travel and hospitality industry. We have significant and successful experience managing COVID-19 across diverse ship designs, operations, medical capacities, demographics, and itineraries, among other factors. We will continue to work with the CDC and other organizations around the world to ensure the highest level of safety on board our ships.

Q: Why did the CDC lift the program and remove the color-code system for cruise ships? Cruising has proven to be one of the safest environments anywhere. We have been incredibly successful in mitigating the spread and severity of COVID-19, resulting in a very small number of passengers or crew becoming seriously ill or requiring hospitalization as a result. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the CDC to ensure the highest level of safety at sea. Please visit the CDC’s website for any additional details.

Q: Will you be able to mitigate COVID at the level you are now without the CDC’s requirements? The health and safety of our guests, crew, and communities we visit are our top priority. With any changes we make, our goal is to foster the robust, demonstrated, and long-standing commitment to public health we’ve demonstrated. Cruising has proven to be one of the safest, most controlled environments anywhere, and our mitigation techniques will continue to prioritize this. Data shows that the cruise industry has led the way in health and safety protocols that mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Q: Do you see more cases of COVID on board your ships than other places? Cruising faced more stringent requirements than most other industries, and yet the data shows cruising has proven to be one of the safest environments anywhere.

Q: What evidence do you have of the effectiveness of your protocols? We have seen more than 3 million guests enjoy cruise vacations responsibly, under an evolving operating environment since our return to service in June 2021. With our mitigation techniques combined, we’ve been able to successfully maintain a very controlled environment onboard our ships – safer than society as a whole. In fact, data that PBI Research Institute in Finland has analyzed confirms the level of mitigation techniques present on cruise ships resulting in 30 to 80 times lower hospitalization rates on cruise ships than on land. Q: Is COVID still a concern on your ships? COVID is something that has become part of society for the foreseeable future. With new vaccines, treatment options, and other available therapies, the risk of severe illness or hospitalization from COVID continues to decrease. We have demonstrated our ability to effectively mitigate COVID onboard our ships and provide one of the safest forms of travel. This is a testament to the effectiveness of our protocols, and the agility of our business to prioritize public health. The vast majority of cases identified onboard our ships have been largely mild or asymptomatic, and rates of hospitalization have been significantly lower than on land. We are working diligently to ensure the highest level of health and safety onboard our ships.

Q: When will you reassess your guidelines? While the CDC’s COVID-19 for Cruise Ships program has ended, we have worked closely with them and our other partners around the world on updating our guidelines to align more with the travel and tourism sector as well as society as a whole. We will continue to revisit and update our guidelines and protocols, and any changes will be made with the highest level of health and safety top of mind.

Q: What type of tests will be accepted for my sailing? Does this test need to be proctored? Guests can take an antigen or PCR tests and can now also take advantage of at-home antigen tests (even the unsupervised ones!) to satisfy this requirement. If you are sailing on or after August 8th, 202, we will email you details on when and how to share your test results with us prior to your sailing.

Q: I am waiting to hear from Royal Caribbean International regarding my vaccine exception due to a medical or religious reason. Can I assume that this exception is approved and I can sail? Our Accessible Needs Team will reach out to you next week to advise. We are working with our destination partners to align cruise guidelines with countries that have different entry requirements and with other entry requirements in the travel sector. If there are differences, we will communicate those to our guests so they are prepared.