Royal Caribbean International has received CDC approval to conduct a simulated voyage with volunteers from June 20 to 22 aboard the Freedom of the Seas under the Conditional Sailing Order.
The acceptance is on a provisional basis and requires the company meet a number of conditions prior to the June 20 sailing date. The ship is expected to operate from PortMiami.
“After 15 months of hard work and collaboration, today’s approval of our simulated cruises is the latest promising step in our path to return to sailing in the U.S. We look forward to welcoming our crew, loyal guests and supporters from around the world this summer,” the company said in a statement issued Tuesday evening.
Among the criteria, the simulated voyage must be conducted with at least 10 percent of the maximum number of passengers permitted onboard the first two restricted voyages as part of the company’s agreement with U.S. port and local health authorities.
The simulated voyage is the next step for the company to get authorization to conduct cruises under the Conditional Sailing Order without having to require COVID-19 vaccinations for 98 percent of passengers and 95 percent of crew.
More details are to follow.
