Royal sailing from Bahamas this summer

[Ken at the beach]

25 minutes ago, rbschultz said:

Vaccinated adults will not need to be tested prior to boarding

You will require a negative PCR test to enter the Bahamas and if Celebrity is any indication Royal will also require to see this document.  Celebrity is also administering everyone an antigen test at the pier.

 

With Celebrity if you go to St. Maarten early pre cruise you will have to get another PCR test on the island within 72 hours of boarding or you will be denied boarding

[natefish95]

I for one am really glad to see this happening. I've never sailed on Royal, but I think this would make a very unique introduction to them. I usually sail solo, so not sure how they'll be treating any solos, but I don't mind dining alone every night if it will get me back on a ship. 

 

I'll be fully vaccinated next week and don't mind wearing a mask if needed. I have already started looking at flights. I hope the prices aren't too outrageous, but I have a travel credit anyways. 

[LouChamp]

we are fully vaccinated and have been blessed to have seen the world.  will wait it out. will not be guinea pigs 

[pink845]

All I can say is that this Bahamas Cruise will be an interesting experiment.  One in which I do not wish to take part.  We are awaiting our second doses in April, and vaccines or not, we will not be exposing ourselves until at least 2023.  

[Sweetnspicy]

I would go in a heartbeat if I was vaccinated! I’m 30 and not currently eligible in WA state. I wear a mask all day at my retail job and have found some great masks for my busy job so I’m sure I would be comfortable in them on a cruise. Can’t wait to see how these cruises in June go! 

[Joseph2017China]

21 minutes ago, pink845 said:

All I can say is that this Bahamas Cruise will be an interesting experiment.  One in which I do not wish to take part.  We are awaiting our second doses in April, and vaccines or not, we will not be exposing ourselves until at least 2023.  

The experiment is already over, cruises on Royal Caribbean are now over 3 months going on.  Another one just started in Israel.  Pretty much the process has been tested, and so, Bahamas is not an experiment, just a ramp up of what is already happening.  I would expect in the coming weeks, possibly a ship leaving St Maartin, and one leaving Cozumel.  Both locations willing to homeport ships.  

[Mikew0805]

2 hours ago, mo&fran said:

There is a high speed ferry from Port Everglades.

To Nassau?

[ridge4]

At least a step in the right direction, and we do have non-stops on AA from DFW.   Will wait for more information regarding masking and freedom to leave the ship on our own. 

[lovetocruise79]

Is there any news on requirements when they reach each port as far as having to do cruise only excursions?

[EatonDoolittle]

3 minutes ago, lovetocruise79 said:

Is there any news on requirements when they reach each port as far as having to do cruise only excursions?

 

Celebrity has announced that ship excursions are NOT required for their new St Maarten sailings.  I would guess RC will be the same. 

Good news. 

I'll wear a mask on boarding, etc. crowded places,  if absolutely necessary, but not being able to wander on my own would be a deal killer.  

[firefly333]

5 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

 

Celebrity has announced that ship excursions are NOT required for their new St Maarten sailings.  I would guess RC will be the same. 

Good news. 

I'll wear a mask on boarding, etc. crowded places,  if absolutely necessary, but not being able to wander on my own would be a deal killer.  

I dont think that was the question. I think they asked if rcl ship excursions are required if you do want to get off in ports. 

 

Or maybe I'm not understanding your reply.

Edited March 19, 2021 by firefly333

[lovetocruise79]

Just now, EatonDoolittle said:

 

Celebrity has announced that ship excursions are NOT required for their new St Maarten sailings.  I would guess RC will be the same. 

Good news. 

I'll wear a mask on boarding, etc. crowded places,  if absolutely necessary, but not being able to wander on my own would be a deal killer.  

Agreed, as most people have said we wear a mask now so what is the difference. But I want to be able to come and go as I please. A lot of the islanders will loose money if people aren't allowed to take the excursions they offer or stopping at local places to shop, drink etc. The locals will loose money the desperately need.

[erinsmom03]

3 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

 

Celebrity has announced that ship excursions are NOT required for their new St Maarten sailings.  I would guess RC will be the same. 

Good news. 

I'll wear a mask on boarding, etc. crowded places,  if absolutely necessary, but not being able to wander on my own would be a deal killer.  

 

This is me too! I can tolerate all the other protocols, and DH and I are both fully vaccinated, hope DD will be able to get her next month (MI will allow all 16 and up to be eligible on Apr 5). I can tolerate a mask. I just want to do my own excursions!

[EatonDoolittle]

Just now, firefly333 said:

I dont think that was the question. I think they asked if rcl ship excursions are required if you do want to get off in ports. 

 

Yes, and I answered it.

Celebrity says no on their ships, so as the sister company, RC will no doubt follow the same guidelines

[Hoopster95]

23 minutes ago, Joseph2017China said:

Both locations willing to homeport ships.  

 

17 minutes ago, ridge4 said:

At least a step in the right direction

 

10 minutes ago, lovetocruise79 said:

Is there any news on requirements when they reach each port as far as having to do cruise only excursions?

 

3 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

Celebrity has announced that ship excursions are NOT required for their new St Maarten sailings.  I would guess RC will be the same. 

 

 

Last 4 posts... thank you for bringing the discussion back to earth regarding this announcement... I had to scroll through pages 4-5 of this thread with all the garbage covid talk that was starting.

 

Let's relish in the fact that this is news we have ALL been so desperately yearning for for over a year. Let's talk about home ports, flights, hotels, the ship, how to get there, etc. Leave your covid transmission discussion to one of the other thousand threads that have already started on this forum.

 

Kudos the Ken for starting these threads and keeping us all informed when he gets the news 

[lovetocruise79]

Side note, this is great for these islands hopefully people will stay the night before or after and help with their economy!

[Ken at the beach]

25 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

Celebrity has announced that ship excursions are NOT required for their new St Maarten sailings.  I would guess RC will be the same. 

Do you mind posting the link for that.  There was no mention of that in the press release which only provided information on ship excursions and on the webinar they made a point of mentioning keeping people within the “bubble”

 

Celebrity will offer a range of curated tours for all interests and price points at every port of call. Private Journeys and Small Group Discovery Tours will also be available for those guests preferring to explore the destinations with only members of their family or traveling companions.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Ourusualbeach

[firefly333]

28 minutes ago, lovetocruise79 said:

Is there any news on requirements when they reach each port as far as having to do cruise only excursions?

Someone above posted celebrity says you can go off on your own. It's not as clearly written to me. .. and yes I also see a travel magazine who states you can .. 

 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Celebrity-Cruises-to-start-cruises-from-St-Maarten

 

_________

 

Celebrity will offer a range of curated tours for all interests and price points at every port of call. Private Journeys and Small Group Discovery Tours will also be available for those guests preferring to explore the destinations with only members of their family or traveling companions.

 

 

 

 

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Do you mind posting the link for that.  There was no mention of that in the press release which only provided information on ship excursions and on the webinar they made a point of mentioning keeping people within the “bubble”

 

Celebrity will offer a range of curated tours for all interests and price points at every port of call. Private Journeys and Small Group Discovery Tours will also be available for those guests preferring to explore the destinations with only members of their family or traveling companions.

You went back and edited. I posted the exact same wording ...and clarified it's a travel magazine saying otherwise, not celebrity. 

[karena1]

4 hours ago, thewebbys said:

CDC said last week at least until November 

Why am I not surprised???  The CDC is doing everything in their power to stop cruising from happening.  

[sandebeach]

49 minutes ago, Mikew0805 said:

To Nassau?

The only ferry that I know from Port Everglades is Baleria and it is only sailing to Freeport. It started back last month. There is a ferry from Miami that went to Bimini but I don’t know if it is still running. I just checked on JetBlue from Ft. Lauderdale to Nassau using last Saturday in June, and base fair roundtrip is $320/person. I thought it would be less than that. 

[EatonDoolittle]

OK, I stand corrected, don't want to be accused of starting rumors.

 

The same site that said Celebrity guests would not be required to take ship excursions, said that RC guests will.  So, it's back to nobody really knowing. 

 

Bayley said that as of now, passengers disembarking during calls in Cozumel and Grand Bahama will be offered "controlled protocol experiences, both for the community and the guests."

"There will be tours and excursions, there will be requirements of the tour operators -- regular testing, masks, social distancing, this type of thing -- until we've got a high degree of confidence that everybody there is vaccinated," he said.

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

3 hours ago, thewebbys said:

My question is: Who will book one of these cruises? I can see the cost of airfare going up as we type.

out of curousity I just priced up a round trip non-stop flight (economy) out of PHL to Nassau and it is only $315 with american airlines.    Pretty much what I would pay to fly to Miami or FLL.    

[livingonthebeach]

2 hours ago, ew101 said:

 

It was a desperate life and death situation.  The ships were turned away, not by the CDC.   This is more current:   Key West, Florida, voters opt to ban large cruise ships from visiting (usatoday.com)

 

Key West is in a different position than other ports in Florida as it is not a Home Port.  The Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Daniella Levine Cava, has written to the CDC to arrange a meeting and wants very much for cruising to start beginning July 4, 2021.  Miami is the largest cruise port in the world and has gone for over a year with a loss of port revenue and revenue of businesses and employees that depend on the cruise industry.  Key West had only day trippers going to Duval Street to buy T-shirts and bar hop - a totally different situation.

 

The article you posted about DeSantis not wanting Holland America docking in South Florida was a year old and the ship had many Covid19 cases onboard.  The only reason he did not want the ship here was to not tax our local hospitals.  I believe the ship was finally allowed to disembark its passengers here IIRC. 

[Mapleleafforever]

17 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

out of curousity I just priced up a round trip non-stop flight (economy) out of PHL to Nassau and it is only $315 with american airlines.    Pretty much what I would pay to fly to Miami or FLL.    

I did the same out of Toronto and same thing. Well, more expensive but same price as we usually pay to fly to Florida. We'll have no problem sailing out of Bahamas if that's what it comes to. Gotta get me more of that Junkanoo Soda.....followed by some HIIT on the beach to take care of the 50+ grams of sugar.