NEWS: Royal Caribbean will allow unvaccinated adults back on ship

Editorial Summary

The creator discusses upcoming changes to Royal Caribbean's COVID-19 protocols, noting that several requirements are beginning to erode. A significant update involves the company allowing unvaccinated passengers over the age of 12 to board ships starting August 8, 2022. This change allows for an unvaccinated population of up to 20 percent on voyages, an increase from the previous 15 percent limit. Additionally, the cruise line plans to drop COVID-19 testing requirements for vaccinated travelers on shorter sailings of six nights or less. The creator explains that these shifts are largely driven by the CDC ending its specific COVID-19 program for cruise ships, which transitioned previous requirements into mere recommendations. This allows cruise lines to align their policies more closely with other forms of leisure travel like hotels and theme parks. While the creator acknowledges the debate surrounding these changes, he concludes that this represents a gradual evolution of health protocols that has been occurring since cruising resumed in 2021. He suggests that these initial steps may lead to further reductions in testing requirements for longer voyages in the near future.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.