Royal Caribbean halts new bookings for cruises departing through early January (2024)
Royal Caribbean International has stopped bookings temporarily for cruises through early January due to capacity limits being met.
"Sailings departingthroughearly January 2022are no longer open to new reservationsbecause they’ve met the limited capacity we’ve set,"Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales and trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International.
This comes on the heels of COVID-19 clusters emerging on Royal Caribbean ships.
Odyssey of the Seaswas sailing in the Caribbean with 55 cases as of Thursday. And Symphony of the Seasdisembarked Saturday with 48 people who tested positive.Passengers told USA TODAYthat the ship's crew and medical staff seemed "overwhelmed," an assertion Royal Caribbean denies.
Passengers on Symphony of the Seas indicated the staff was overwhelmed by the COVID-19 situation onboard, an assertion the cruise line has denied.
The sailings have been removed from Royal Caribbean's website, as the cruise line has done with other cruises earlier in the year, the cruise line said.
The limiting of capacity is part of "robust, multilayered protocols" that the line has in place including vaccination requirements, mask-wearing and testing.
"With the recent uptick of COVID-19 in the world and added omicron variant concerns, we feel it prudent to temporarily tighten our onboard health protocols to require masks indoors at all times unless actively eating or drinking," Freedsaid. "This new update also applies to vaccinated areas and venues."
The cruise line asked that passengers understand that health and safety come first.
Royal Caribbean International has stopped accepting new reservations for cruises departing through early January, in order to further limit onboard capacity and better accommodate physical distancing.
During the months of January through March, you'll find idyllic tropical weather with temperatures in the mid 70s to low 80s and low humidity. January also marks the beginning of the Caribbean dry season, which greatly minimizes the chance of rain during your cruise vacation.
Winter Is the Best Season to Cruise for Avoiding Crowds
With the exception of Christmas and New Year's cruises, and possibly late-winter sailings to warm-weather destinations, you'll find fewer crowds cruising in the winter months.
As the start of the dry season, January yields the least amount of rain all year. While climates will vary depending on which region you're sailing, expect temperatures to range from the upper 80s during the day to the mid-60s in the evening.
Water temperatures in the Caribbean can be cool in January and February, depending on how exposed your destination is to the chilly waters of the open Atlantic. The occasional winter storm and breezy conditions can make waters a bit rougher in January and February as well.
Winter. The heart of the region's high season is December, January, and February. A combination of sunny days, comfortable temperatures in the high 70s and low 80s, and low rainfall draws visitors. This is the best time to visit the Caribbean for reliable weather.
The earliest and last cruises will have lower prices. Summer months tend to have calmer seas. The west coast of France and north coast of Spain (Bay of Biscay), and the North Sea can be rough during winter months (November through March).
Typically, the winter months are the most intense. Transatlantic cruises tend to see their roughest waters in November, December, and February. Thankfully, the majority of mainstream cruise lines do not conduct transatlantic cruises in December and February.
Before your cruise departs, you can head online and recreate your booking. This will tell you whether certain cabin categories are sold out, as well as a rough estimate of how many rooms are available within each.
You will see that the temps hardly change over the year. You can check the 10 day forecast right before you leave. We have cruised in Dec, Jan, Feb, and Mar and have always had nice swimming weather.
Beyond holiday periods such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Labor Day when there may be some flash sales, January and February are particularly good times to book a cruise, as the first two months of the year are considered “wave season” in the cruising industry.
Honestly Oasis class has always seemed the least crowded to us. There are three exceptions to that- the Windjammer (avoid at all costs on Oasis class), public spaces on boarding day, and after muster. We have been on several Oasis cruises that left us wondering where everybody was...
The spring and fall are the optimal times to visit, with fewer tourists, cooler temperatures and lower prices. You'll also find that most everything is open during that time and easier to see without battling the crowds.
The official hurricane season in the Caribbean runs from 1 June to 30 November, but within that, there are variations. On rare occasions, hurricanes can occur as early as May.
Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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