Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas has officially been given the green light to perform a test cruise out of Port Canaveral as well as Symphony of the Seas which will sail out of Miami. Both of these ships will perform two-night simulated sailings with Allure of the Seas departing from Port Canaveral on July 27th and Symphony of the Seas sailing from Miami on August 1st. These Oasis-Class ships are the largest yet to be granted approval from the CDC to begin test cruises. In fact, they are two of the largest cruise ships in the world. Allure of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas are the second and third Royal Caribbean ships to confirm test voyages following Freedom of the Seas which will be sailing from Miami on June 20th.
Update: Two more Royal Caribbean ships have been given approval to begin test cruises. Mariner of the Seas will sail from Port Canaveral on August 1st and Independence of the Seas will sail from Galveston on August 11th.
All of these simulated cruises will give Royal Caribbean the opportunity to test their new health and safety protocols under the CDC’s Conditional Sailing Order. If all goes as planned, they will be able to operate without vaccination requirements which is key for allowing families onboard as children under 12 are not eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
Royal Caribbean has been flooded with volunteers ready to help them get back to sailing after being on pause for over a year. Those who still want to sign up can do so here. The cruise line said in a statement “Royal Caribbean International has incredibly loyal and supportive guests. To date, more than 350,000 people have volunteered to participate in our return to sailing efforts. Their encouragement and unwavering confidence in us over the last 15 months have contributed to the collective effort of bringing cruising back. There are logistics to figure out and we will share details once they have been worked through. We look forward to having Volunteers of the Seas be part of the Royal comeback this summer.”
Once testing is complete, Allure of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas will be sailing from Port Canaveral. Allure of the Seas itineraries include 6 and 7-night Eastern Caribbean as well as 7-night Western Caribbean voyages. Allure of the Seas is a fan favorite among cruisers seeking an exhilarating adventure. Between four pools, ten whirlpools, two surf simulators, two rock-climbing walls, a sports area, a kid’s water park, and a ten-deck-high zipline, the activities are endless onboard. Not only is she grand in size, but the Allure is also one of the most awarded cruise ships. She’s won over 64 titles including Best Large Cruise Ship, Best for Entertainment, Best Individual Ship, and more.
Mariner of the Seas itineraries include 3 to 6-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings as well as 8-night Bermuda cruises. Mariner of the Seas is recently revamped and ideal for action-packed weekend getaways. An astrology-themed escape room and glow-in-the-dark laser tag arena make sea days exciting, as well as an arcade packed with modern and classic games. Outdoor fun involves three stories of waterslides, one of Royal Caribbean’s beloved surf simulators, and even a virtual reality trampoline experience called the Sky Pad! In the evening, you can catch original Broadway-style productions in the Royal Theater.
Are you sailing with Royal Caribbean from Port Canaveral? Once you’ve booked your cruise, don’t forget to reserve your hotel accommodations, airport transportation, and cruise transfers or parking through Go Port. We’ll take care of everything you need pre and post-cruise so you can make the most of your vacation.