On November 10, Royal Caribbean shared the following portals with their Travel Advisors.

Dear valued Travel Partners,

As our return to service continues, we are as excited as ever. We’re evaluating protocols and updating you, our valued advisors, as public health standards evolve. To help you better assist you, we are pleased to share the health and safety protocols that guests can expect when sailing with Royal Caribbean® from Puerto Rico, Barbados and U.S. homeports through
March 31, 2022.

Health and safety protocols are subject to change and, as these occur, we’re committed to updating you.

Pre-Cruise Requirements

Vaccination
All guests 12 years and older must bring proof of vaccination, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card, with the final dose of the vaccine completed at least 14 days prior to sailing.

Testing for sailings from U.S. Homeports

• Pre-Cruise: All guests 2 years and older must present a negative PCR or antigen test result.

• Vaccinated guests ages 12 years and over, test must be taken no more than 2 days prior to sailing. Guests under the age of 12, who are considered fully vaccinated, should follow the guidance for vaccinated guests.

  • Unvaccinated children ages 2 to 11 years, test must be taken no more than 3 days prior to sailing — but not on boarding day.

  • No testing required for guests under age 2 years.

  • Pre-cruise testing costs and scheduling are the guest’s responsibility.

• Embarkation Day: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years will take a complimentary PCR test for COVID-19 during check-in. Registration details will be sent via email in advance.

• Onboard: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years will take a complimentary antigen test prior to debarking. Depending on sailing length, there may be additional testing. Registration details will be provided onboard.

Testing for sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Entry to Puerto Rico:

  • All guests unvaccinated guests 2 years and older will need a PCR or antigen test for entry.

  • Guests arriving from non-US countries (regardless of vaccination status) will need a PCR or antigen test for entry.

  • Guests flying in or connecting should check the Puerto Rico’s entry rules.

• Pre-Cruise:

  • Vaccinated guests must present a negative PCR or antigen test result taken no more than 48 hours prior to sailing in order to board. If for any reason your clients can’t arrange this test prior to sailing, we have port testing available for scheduling here.

  • Unvaccinated children ages 2 to 11 years must present a negative PCR test result taken no more than 72 hours prior to sailing in order to board. There continues to be no testing required for guests under age 2.

  • Proper documentation (printed negative test results or negative test results presented on your phone) from an accredited laboratory (no doctor’s notes) is required to sail. All costs for this test are the guest’s responsibility and must be done on their own, not at the terminal.

• At the terminal: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take a PCR test for COVID-19 when checking in at the terminal. Registration details for this test will be sent via email in advance. This test is complimentary.

• Prior to disembarking: Unvaccinated guests ages 2 to 11 years are required to take an antigen test onboard within 24 hours before the cruise ends. Registration details will be provided during your cruise. This test is complimentary.

  • For re-entry into one’s home country, guests may require proof of a negative COVID-19 test. If needed, we’ll offer complimentary testing on Day 5 or 6 of the cruise. Testing details will be provided onboard.

• No testing is required for guests under age 2.

Vaccinations & Testing Requirements for sailings from Bridgetown, Barbados

• Due to the requirements of destinations on our Barbados itineraries, we can only accept vaccines that are authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO).

• Guests under the age of 12 years, who are considered fully vaccinated, should follow the guidance for vaccinated guests below. Children with one dose of a vaccine do not count as fully vaccinated for the purpose of our sailing. The only mixed MRNA vaccines accepted are combinations of Pfizer and Moderna.

• Entry to Barbados: Guests must follow Barbados’ COVID-19 Travel Guidelines. All guests 5 years and older — regardless of vaccination status — must present a negative PCR test result taken no more than 3 days prior to arriving in Barbados.

• Pre-cruise: All unvaccinated guests 2 – 11 years old must present a negative PCR test result no more than 3 days prior to sailing. The PCR test used for entry satisfies this pre-cruise test requirement as long as its within 3 days of sailing date.

  • The PCR test used for entry satisfies this pre-cruise test requirement as long as its within 3 days of sailing date.

  • If PCR test results are older than 3 days, guests will have to secure their own PCR test while in Barbados.

  • The terminal antigen test does not satisfy unvaccinated guests’ pre-cruise testing requirement.

• Pre-cruise testing costs and scheduling are the guest’s responsibility.

• At the terminal: All guests 2 and older — regardless of vaccination status — are required to take a complimentary embarkation day antigen test and receive a negative test result. Registration details will be sent via email in advance for the antigen test at the terminal.

• No testing required for guests under age 2

• Prior to Disembarking: Guests 5 and older (regardless of vaccination status) planning to tour Barbados before making their way to the airport or enjoy an extended stay in Barbados shoreside, are required to undergo additional testing.

  • Guests that go directly to the airport, on their own or through an RCI tour, will not be required to undergo any testing onboard.

• For re-entry into your home country, guests may require proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Testing details and options will be provided onboard at guests’ expense.

Healthy Shore Excursions
Families traveling with unvaccinated kids are required to purchase a tour through Royal Caribbean to go ashore (except at our private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay). These tours follow our health guidance and are available at a variety of prices. Fully vaccinated parties may book a shore excursion or visit most ports freely — with the exception of those listed below, which will require tours for all guests who wish to go ashore in November and December, regardless of their vaccination status: St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Kitts
Antigua, Tobago, Trinidad, Grenada, Martinique, Dominica& St. Vincent.

For Barbados:
Due to current requirements of our Barbados itineraries, all guests on December sailings from Barbados will need to book a tour if they wish to go ashore in ports of call, regardless of vaccination status. We will continue to update booked guests and the information as we know more about this requirement for future sailings.

Mask Guidance
Masks are required in the terminal, in select locations inside the ship, and may be required at various destinations. Guests under 2 years old don’t need a mask.

Dining
For Main Dining, we will designate areas for everyone, including parents and unvaccinated children, and areas for vaccinated parties only. My Time Dining will not be available to parties that include unvaccinated guests. Some specialty restaurants will be open to everyone, while others will be for vaccinated parties only.

Other Venues
If your clients have sailed with us before, they’ll notice there are fewer guests onboard, letting them ease back into vacation mode. The ship’s venues are set up to easily allow for physical distancing and there will be signage to guide them.

Theaters and activity venues will offer spaced seating with options for everyone and for vaccinated guests only. Be sure to make show reservations once onboard using the Royal Caribbean app.

What To Bring

Travel Documentation Checklist

• Passport Book or Passport Card, valid for at least six months after the cruise, is recommended. If your client does not have a Passport, they can bring a state-certified U.S. Birth Certificate + a valid Driver’s License or picture ID issued by the government for age 16 and older. If the name doesn’t match, bridging documents are required, like a Marriage Certificate.

• A COVID-19 vaccination record card for all guests 12 years and older, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 vaccination record card.

• A negative test result for COVID-19 printed or shown on your phone (not a doctor’s note).

• For Travel to Puerto Rico: All travelers age 2 years and up must complete the TravelSafe Declaration Form to enter Puerto Rico. Vaccinated travelers (age 12 years and up) will need to upload their proof of vaccination.

• For Travel to Barbados:

  • Barbados Immigration/Customs Form: All travelers to Barbados, or their legal guardians, must complete the Immigration/Customs form to enter Barbados. This is available on the BIMSafe app, or at travelform.gov.bb, and should be completed 24-72 hours before leaving.

  • A negative test result for COVID-19 for entry printed or shown on your phone (not a doctor’s note).

For additional protocol information, please click the link below to read the detailed FAQs.

Please note that health protocols are expected to change over time. Guidance for other ports and sailings is still in development with federal, state, and local authorities. We will update you and your clients as protocols change.