Tag Archives: Omicron

Royal Caribbean Details Low COVID-19 Case Numbers

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Independence of the Seas in Southampton

Independence of the Seas in Southampton, UK. Photo credit Spacejunkie2

Since restarting operations in 2020, Royal Caribbean Group has carried approximately 1.3 million guests, with about 2,500 guests testing positive for COVID-19, for a positivity rate of 0.19 per cent.

Those numbers were shared by President and CEO Jason Liberty on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call on Friday.

“This positivity rate is still a small fraction of what it is in society at large, and nearly all cases onboard were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms,” Liberty said.

“Our rigorous health and safety protocols with 100% per cent vaccination rate among our crew and close to 100 per cent vaccination rate among our guests provide a safe environment where we can fulfil our mission of delivering amazing vacations. And our guests are responding by providing record Net Promoter Scores for us, exceeding their expectations,” he added.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of the Royal Caribbean International brand, also said that while the Omicron variant did impact crew aboard, most crews had no symptoms.

“99 per cent of the crew positivity was asymptomatic and the 1 per cent was extremely mild symptoms. I mean, it really was remarkable in many ways. But the impact on the crew was effectively 0, except to take them out of operation for the period of their quarantine,” Bayley said.

TUI Clamps Down, Not Allowing Pre-Cruise Overnights

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TUI Cruises has told guests on select sailings they cannot board if they have booked a pre-cruise stay or an overnight before the start of their trip, according to Schiffe und Kreuzfahrten, a leading German blog covering cruising. 

Coming on the heels of the news the company will require booster shots, the German brand is essentially telling guests to fly straight to the ship with no pre-cruise activity.

The company also said it will only take bookings with arrival and departure packages (i.e. flights) it books for guests along with the cruise, allowing it to control the full journey. Post-cruise stays are still okay.

Exceptions are being granted for guests that have already booked flights or other transportation, which will be checked by the cruise line at embarkation. 

Ships/Itineraries Impacted:

  • Mein Schiff 2 from Jan. 28 to April 11
  • Mein Schiff 3 from Jan. 20 to April 24
  • Mein Schiff 4 from Jan. 23 to April 24
  • Mein Schiff 5 from March 6 to May 22
  • Mein Schiff 6 from Jan. 24 to Feb. 28

The Mein Schiff 1 is exempt as it continues to sail from German homeports, which are easily accessible for the company’s German-speaking passengers.

Cruise Stocks Are Way Up Since First Fears of New COVID-19 Variant

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P&O Britannia, Oasis and Allure of the Seas in St. Kitts, photo credit Spacejunkie2

Cruise line stocks are doing well despite fears over the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and are significantly up since dropping on variant fears on Nov. 26.

Carnival Corporation stocks were up just under 20 per cent since closing on Nov. 26 as of mid-morning on Thursday, Jan. 6., has gone from $17.95 to $21.50.

Royal Caribbean Group was seeing a similar surge, up 19 per cent since closing on Nov. 26 at $67.98 with the Thursday morning price hovering just under $81.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has also rallied since late November, coming from a close of $20.06 on Nov. 26 to a price of $21.76 on Thursday, Jan. 6.