Last weekend, one of our Sales Managers, Christine, who has been on over 30 cruises, sailed for the first time in over a year. Was it worth it? The verdict is in.
A Wonderful Experience
Just like the rest of the world, I didn’t know quite what to expect, regarding the new world of cruising, when I set sail with Royal Caribbean last weekend. My experience on Freedom of the Seas out of Port of Miami ended up being wonderful. It was so nice to be back on a ship out in the water!
Tips for Smooth Sailing
I highly recommend that all passengers download the Royal Caribbean app on their mobile device prior to departure and have their check-in completed. Unlike in the past, passengers should not show up to the port until their scheduled time of arrival selected during the online check-in process (this time is also stamped on your Set Sail Pass). Port authorities would not allow passengers to get in line to enter the terminal until their scheduled time; therefore, people that arrived early had a tough time. There were a few extra checkpoints that passengers had to get through before boarding (regarding health questions, vaccination verification, passport validation, etc.); however, the process was quite smooth overall. Passengers should bring their physical vaccination card with them if applicable.
Onboard Experience
Once onboard, we were shown to our muster station where we did a 3-5 minute private safety demonstration and scanned in to validate that we completed the requirement. This was much nicer than doing the traditional muster drill in a crowded lounge or theater. We then were permitted to go to our cabins where our SeaPass cards were waiting for us. Dinner in the main dining room was wonderful and the reduced capacity made the experience pleasant without feeling crowded. The entire crew was so welcoming and enthusiastic to have passengers back onboard.
My Time Ashore
Our Perfect Day at CocoCay stop was wonderful! I highly recommend the swim-up bar at the pool and/or finding a chair (or paying for a cabana) at the beach. Another nice thing about CocoCay is that your SeaPass card is your currency on the island as well—so drink purchases, sports equipment rentals, etc. are all linked to your onboard account. We enjoyed the production show “Once Upon a Time” in the theater, which was very whimsical and, as always, I was impressed by the quality of the singers and dancers!
Our next stop was Nassau, Bahamas, and I elected to stay on the ship. The gym was fully open, although they were not offering the group classes (yoga, Zumba, etc.). I had lunch in the Windjammer Café. The buffet is fully open. Masks are required if you are near the food, and the crew serves the food to you; you never have to touch the serving utensils, which was lovely! The pools and pool bars were all open (main pool, Splashaway Bay kids area and the Solarium). We enjoyed Chops Grille (specialty restaurant) on our last night, and the food was fantastic.
Debarkation
Debarkation was the easiest it’s ever been. For US passport holders, all they do is take your picture, and you are free to go. They didn’t even need to check our passports. It was a great trip overall that felt safe and, yet, allowed for a fun and carefree vacation experience!
