Royal Caribbean International is the first cruise line to receive approval from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to operate test cruises as a key step toward resuming operations from U.S. ports.
“To all our colleagues, loyal guests and supporters all over the world, I am proud and pleased to share some bright and wonderful news! Boom! Onwards and upwards team!” Royal Caribbean International President Michael Bayley wrote on Facebook, where he posted the CDC approval letter dated May 25.
The company said the first test cruise approved is for Freedom of the Seas June 20-22.
“After 15 months of hard work and collaboration, today’s approval of our simulated cruises is the latest promising step in our path to return to sailing in the U.S.,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming our crew, loyal guests and supporters from around the world this summer.”
The test cruises will be operated out of PortMiami. Tens of thousands of people have volunteered for test cruises, Royal Caribbean has said.
Bayley wrote on Facebook that Royal Caribbean submitted its plans for test cruises to the CDC on May 21.
“The huge success of vaccines in the USA and many other countries and a commitment from the industry to operate with all of our crew vaccinated and the large number of vaccinated guests has created a clear pathway forward,” Bayley wrote on May 22. “Yesterday Royal Caribbean submitted the first of several port/health plans to the CDC, which are required to receive approval for the simulated voyages, which are required to precede approval for regular cruises. As we continue to vaccinate our crew, we are preparing for our return to service. In the coming days and weeks, we will announce more exciting news for all our crew and all our loyal guests.”
The CDC said the path to resuming cruises in the U.S. is now clear.
“Over the past month, senior leadership from CDC have met multiple times a week with cruise line senior executives to discuss the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO),” a CDC statement said. “During these meetings, participants asked questions and discussed the fastest path back to sailing without compromising safety. CDC and the cruise industry agree that the industry has what it needs to move forward and no additional roadblocks exist for resuming sailing by mid-summer.”
The simulated cruises are required for ships that don’t mandate vaccinations of at least 98 percent of its crew and 95 percent of its passengers – the latter of which is difficult to do for companies that attract families since young children aren’t eligible for the vaccines yet.
The CDC has outlined what the simulated cruises should include. Among the requirements is that passengers on test voyages must be 18 years old and present proof of vaccination or documentation that the passenger is not at high risk for severe COVID-19. All volunteer passengers “must be informed in writing that they are participating in a simulation of health and safety protocols that are unproven and untested in the United States for purposes of simulating a cruise ship voyage and that sailing during a pandemic is an inherently risky activity,” the CDC said.
