Tips and advice

Six things to know about the return of cruising

Planning your next cruise? Here’s what the exports say you should expect.

/ WHAT TO KNOW WHEN BOOKING Cruise specialist and travel agent Kathy Pavlidis has one crucial insight for those hoping to be on a cruise when sailings finally restart. “My only advice is don’t leave it too late. A lot of the availability for 2022 is already drying up, as people are trying to make up for lost time. People are even setting their sights on 2023.”

As far as what people are booking, they’re looking to return to cruise in style with longer and more luxurious voyages.

“People do want to cruise – they have a lot of future cruise credits around – but they’re looking for longer Mediterraneantype itineraries and expedition-type cruising,” says Ms Pavlidis.

Another interesting insight is that you probably won’t be meeting too many first-time cruisers on your return to the seas. “The mass market has tended to drop off a little bit. People who are new to cruise have mostly stopped.”

/ NEW COVID PROTOCOLS The first thing you should expect is to have to fill in some extra paperwork before you’ve even left home. Exact protocols will obviously vary line by line, but you can expect to fill out a health questionnaire and, depending on requirements, attach

Buffets like the ones presented in Windjammer eateries on Royal Caribbean cruises will return in time, but in a modified form.

a proof of vaccination or negative COVID test. There may also be extra health screening.

A writer for The Points Guy was onboard Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas when it restarted operations in the US earlier this year. He calculated that boarding took him about an hour. This is a bit longer than Royal Caribbean’s previous “15 minutes or less” standard, but not the hugest sacrifice given the circumstances.

Instead of meeting at the waterfront, cruise passengers were first instructed to go to a nearby hotel, where they had their temperature checked and underwent a COVID test.

While it seems unlikely that this will become the new standard, you can expect boarding to be a little different.

Royal Caribbean has reported that demand for speciality dining increased. Book early if you’re planning on some fine dining.”

A few more changes may be present as you get on board and get comfortable in your cabin. You might find the usual safety drills and exercises are given via smartphones.

And when you settle in to your cabin, you will probably find it stocked with hand sanitiser and face masks. And your cabin may well be disinfected each day.

/ DINING CHANGES To put your mind at ease, the buffet isn’t going anywhere, despite some scares. However, it’ll be slightly different. Royal Caribbean global vice-president culinary, dining and beverage Linken D’Souza addressed future guests: “Rest assured, the buffet will exist. There may be some small modifications that allow us to ensure that we have a really great, healthy return to service. But your favourites and what you’re used to at the Windjammer will still be there.”

A writer for The Mirror who was on the first UK cruise since 2020, sailing on MSC Virtuosa, talked through his experience with the buffet. “I was guided to the basins to wash my hands and the food was served by staff – you can’t help yourself. All this might sound far from the normal, relaxed vibe on a cruise but became second nature.”

Another thing to be ready for on the food scene is that specialty dining seems to be more popular than ever. Royal Caribbean has reported that demand for speciality dining increased on Adventure of the Seas. If you’re planning on some extra fine dining on your return to cruise, make sure you book early.

/ LIMITED CAPACITY In a positive, if you happen to find yourself sailing on a ship that is being required to sail below its passenger capacity, you’ll enjoy all sorts of benefits.

Besides obviously feeling less worried about COVID, you’ll also feel like you have the ship almost to yourself. You’ll also feel like you have more room if you stop off for excursions in areas that are designed to handle thousands more guests than are actually on board.

There’ll be shorter wait times, less lines and crowds, and a more relaxing experience, with more open areas and free places to relax on board.

/ GET READY TO USE YOUR SMARTPHONE Expect to be receiving safety instructions, ordering food and beverages, making reservations and getting your bearings via a smartphone app. Royal Caribbean, among others, spent its time in lockdown heavily investing in and developing its app.

Even at full capacity, this should help reduce waiting times at restaurants and kiosks, help with the reservations process and keep you better informed about the happenings on the ships. And, of course, get you any safety information you might need as soon as possible.