Cruising is Back...The Return to Sailing!

By:  Stephanie Novarro, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent

On July 27, 2021 I had the pleasure to be one of 657 guests on board the Allure of the Seas for its simulation cruise! This was a practice cruise with members of the CDC on board to observe the new protocols before the ship returns to sailing full time. This is a day I will never forget, after over 500 days cruising is back. As we left Port Canaveral the beaches were lined with people waving and new crews documenting the moment.

I was so impressed with how Royal Caribbean is handling all of the new health and wellness protocols, from the moment we arrived at Port. Not only that, but also how genuinely happy the crew was to welcome us onboard. They were so excited!

This is how the process went:

• Twenty-Four hours prior to arrival I completed my wellness check in the app. (basic questions like are you feeling sick, coughing, sneezing, etc) When we arrived at the port, our vaccine cards were checked and we were given a purple bracelet to indicate that we were vaccinated. I was also given a bracelet to wear that registered who I was in contact with on the ship. I thought this was really cool and a great way to do contact tracing in the event someone was sick.
• On embarkation day I was able to compete the safety check (again in the app). I watched three short videos. (things like what does the emergency horn sound like and lifejacket info)
• Once onboard I was able to go to my assigned muster station and show the crew my app and I got my sticker.

Speaking of those purple bracelets, there were many areas of the ship designated as “V*” or “vaccinated only” areas. These areas were mask free (mixed areas like hallways and the Windjammer required masks).

Even with only a small number of us onboard, nothing was lacking in food, fun and entertainment! The crew even got to know us by name, which just makes the whole experience that much better! I think I gained about 20 pounds from all of the food, it was just that good! I had “My Time Dining” which is only available to V* (vaccinated) guests. I was able to pick what time I wanted to eat, opposed to traditional dining which was for the “unvaccinated”.  The French Onion soup was delicious! Many of the specialty restaurants are only available to V* (vaccinated) guests as well. On my second night I was able to snag a reservation at Izumi for some yummy hibachi and sushi!

Crew members were constantly cleaning and wiping surfaces, extra sanitizer stations were everywhere, and tables were marked clean or dirty. These practices also carried over to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Perfect Day at CocoCay, was literally perfect and we had admission to Thrill Water Park too! I spent the morning surfing waves in the wave pool and going down water slides. My inner child was happy! Food is included on the island and I had a bbq lunch. I explored the whole island, swam out to the floating bar and spent the afternoon lounging in Oasis Lagoon.

On our last day, we were asked to stay in our staterooms after breakfast to help keep people gathering in the common areas. We were given luggage tags the night before to identify our group number, and numbers were called on the TV. When our number was called we sadly disembarked.

This was a short 2-night itinerary, and I cannot wait to cruise again!

Please reach out to Stephanie, an agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels to plan your next vacation or you may contact Marvelous Mouse Travels.