Royal Caribbean Reveals Plans For Florida, Texas Sailings

As it gears up for its upcoming return to Alaska, Royal Caribbean International has now announced that six of its ships will begin sailing from major U.S. cruise ports in Florida and Texas in July and August.

The summer begins with the Freedom of the Seas setting sail on a Fourth of July weekend itinerary that departs from Miami on July 2.

And by the end of August, 12 of Royal Caribbean’s ships will be sailing across the Bahamas, Caribbean, Alaska and Europe.

Royal Caribbean’s full summer line up is as follows:

• Freedom of the Seas – 3- and 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Miami, starting July 2
• Odyssey of the Seas – 6- and 8-night Southern and Western Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale, starting July 3
• Serenade of the Seas – 7-night Alaska sailings from Seattle, starting July 19
• Allure of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 8
• Ovation of the Seas – 7-night Alaska itineraries from Seattle, starting Aug. 13
• Symphony of the Seas – 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from Miami, starting Aug. 14
• Independence of the Seas – 7-night Western Caribbean sailings from Galveston, Texas, starting Aug. 15
• Mariner of the Seas – 3- and 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Port Canaveral, starting Aug. 23

The 2021 summer cruises are now available for booking.

Royal Caribbean notes that all crew members on these cruises will be vaccinated against COVID-19; and guests are strongly recommended to set sail fully vaccinated, if they are eligible.

Passengers who are unvaccinated or unable to verify vaccination will be required to undergo testing and follow other protocols, which will be announced at a later date.

Other measures in place for travellers to cruise with Royal Caribbean include:

• Vacationers sailing to Alaska who are 16 years of age or older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and those 12 or older as of Aug. 1.
• If departing from an international port, guests must meet the travel requirements of their home country and the country of departure. The most up-to-date policies can be found online on each country’s tourism site.

Royal Caribbean is continuing discussions with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and multiple state, local and port authorities in the U.S. and with various destination communities regarding the various requirements for the upcoming sailings.

The current process requires each ship to complete a simulation cruise before receiving approval to resume sailing once again from U.S. ports. The applications for simulation cruises are under review and receiving approvals on a rolling basis.

The progress made as a result of the ongoing collaboration with and support from the state, local and federal level continues to set the stage for Royal Caribbean to return to sailing this summer as planned.

The cruise line will share updates on measures with guests and travel advisors before their departure dates.

Cruises outside of those announced June 4 will be cancelled through the end of August.

Booked guests and travel partners impacted will be contacted with further details specific to their sailing, including the option to receive a full refund.

For added reassurance, all vacationers who have booked by July 31 are covered by the Cruise with Confidence program. Royal Caribbean is grateful for the patience and loyalty of its guests.

Sail on over to www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates for more.