Royal Caribbean International has a new homeport in The Bahamas, and Celebrity Cruises has found a new home in Saint Maarten.

RCI today announced that travellers this summer can trade in virtual travel experiences for their long-awaited vacations and cruise in The Bahamas and Mexico with Royal Caribbean International. The global cruise line has announced a summer lineup of seven-night cruises on board Adventure of the Seas, setting sail this June from new homeport Nassau, The Bahamas.

Vacationers now have the chance to island-hop and relish the adventures they have missed, including the first series of two back-to-back days on Perfect Day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s game-changing private island destination in The Bahamas, and quality time exploring Grand Bahama Island, The Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico.

Travellers looking ahead to their summer vacations can book their roundtrip cruise as soon as Wednesday, March 24 and set sail starting June 12.

The new itineraries departing through August, which will sail with vaccinated crew, will be available only to adult guests who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and those under the age of 18 with negative test results.

Vicki Freed, RCI’s Senior Vice President, Sales, Trade Support and Service, told TravelPulse Canada that they won’t be sailing at 100% occupancy.

“We’ll be at a lesser occupancy and then over time, as we’re feeling that everything is working perfectly, then we’ll keep adding occupancy,” she said.

Today’s a really exciting day,” Freed said. “We’ve sailed to The Bahamas but never had ships actually sail from The Bahamas. But we’ve been very vested there for decades. This made the most logical sense, plus the airlift is excellent to The Bahamas. Add in our Adventure of the Seas ship and it’s a win-win-win.”

Freed said RCI is talking with other destinations about similar homeport arrangements.

Freed said RCI is still on pause in terms of dealing with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control but that they’re working closely with the CDC, which has helped them develop a lengthy list of safe cruising protocols.

She also said agents should reach out to clients who have future cruise credits, “because you want the FCC’s to be redeemed from the same travel partner that sold them the original cruise. And so that would be the lowest hanging fruit, to call those people and say 'You’ve got this FCC valued at X, do you want to think about booking the Adventure of the Seas out of the Bahamas?'“

“We are excited to get back to delivering memorable vacations in the Caribbean, gradually and safely," said Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "The vaccines are clearly a game changer for all of us, and with the number of vaccinations and their impact growing rapidly, we believe starting with cruises for vaccinated adult guests and crew is the right choice. As we move forward, we expect this requirement and other measures will inevitably evolve over time,”

“The opportunity to homeport in The Bahamas is a testament to the tremendous partners the government and the people of the island nation have been to us for more than 50 years. We are grateful for the confidence that they have in us and our commitment to a healthy and happy return to sailing," Bayley said.

Itinerary Highlights

The sun-soaked shores of Perfect Day at CocoCay, Grand Bahama Island and Cozumel beckon.

Royal Caribbean’s limited summer series with Adventure offers guests the unique opportunity to spend two consecutive days on Perfect Day at CocoCay, where all staff will be fully vaccinated. With double the time to enjoy the island’s ultimate combination of thrills and ways to chill, by day, travelers can hit the tallest waterslide in North America among Thrill Waterpark’s 13 jaw-dropping waterslides; Up, Up & Away, the helium balloon that floats up to 450 feet in the air; and the first floating cabanas in The Bahamas at Coco Beach Club. And as the sun sets, they can unwind with a cocktail in hand on Chill Island’s tranquil beaches or at the largest freshwater pool in the Caribbean, Oasis Lagoon.

On the agenda at Grand Bahama Island and Cozumel are turquoise blue waters, island vibes, and the options to safely explore each destination’s culture, history, cuisine and natural beauty on selected Royal Caribbean shore excursions.

Celebrity and Azamara News

Celebrity, meanwhile, will return to cruising with seven-night itineraries round-trip from St. Maarten starting June 5 on the recently renovated Celebrity Millennium through August.

Sales open for the new cruises on March 25. Special fares start at $1,999 per person for a veranda stateroom. The offer applies to new bookings, and includes flights booked through Flights By Celebrity. No promotional code is needed.

In other news, Azamara, the upscale boutique cruise line, is now an independent brand and has taken delivery of its fourth ship, named Azamara Onward.

The vessel handover, which took place on March 15, 2021, coincides with the close of Azamara’s purchase by Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, specializing in consumer, retail and distribution investments. Royal Caribbean Group sold Azamara in an all-cash transaction for $201 million that includes three ships and associated intellectual property.

Freed told TravelPulse Canada that the sale will allow RCI to focus on its upscale Silversea brand.