Royal Caribbean CEO Says Cruising Is Back As First Cruise Sets Sail From U.S. Waters

It’s been a long time baby, but the cruising industry is back and from what we can tell, it’s better and safer than ever before! As more and more people are getting vaccinated both at home and abroad, the big oceangoing cruise lines, along with Royal Caribbean, are preparing to sail from U.S. waters again.

Cruising Update: Royal Caribbean CEO Says Cruising Is Back As First Cruise Sets Sail From U.S. Waters

Royal Caribbean’s Celebrity Edge departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on June 26^th. All guests ages 16 and older, along with the entire crew, are fully vaccinated.

Richard Fain, chairman, and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, shared a video of himself standing on the bridge of the Celebrity Edge docked at Port Everglades. The ship is currently on a week-long Caribbean itinerary, and it is the first cruise ship to sail from a U.S. post in 15 months because of the ongoing pandemic that has been Covid-19. He says in the clip, “This is the first cruise and just one cruise, but it’s the start of something huge.”

The ship is currently sailing at 41 percent occupancy. Fain also added that the Freedom of the Seas will leave Miami for its first revenue sailing on July 2. Fain did however admit that many people are still confused over the new rules and regulations set by the CDC for cruises.

“For example, we’re still not 100 percent sure about the specific protocols on specific sailings. Here in Florida we still don’t understand all the implications about the law about vaccination documentation,” Fain said.

Fain was most likely referring to the recent ruling in which a judge ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s conditional sailing orders on the cruise industry “likely constitutes an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power to CDC.” In other words, the CDC cannot tell you what you can or cannot do during your next cruise, regardless if you are vaccinated or not.

Royal Caribbean, along with the other major cruise lines in the industry, has added protocols including social distancing, reduced capacity, face mask policies, temperature screenings, medical facilities designed for Covid-19 testing, and more.

In the meantime, tell us, where are your travels taking you this season? Drop us a line with your thoughts in our comments section below. How concerned are you about all of the new travel rules and regulations this year? Also, come back here for all of the latest news, details, and updates you need to know before your next adventure!

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