Royal Caribbean said it would resume U.S. Virgin Islands calls in July 2021

Royal Caribbean Group executives said during a virtual U.S. Virgin Islands Community Business Forum on June 16, 2021, that the company planned to resume calls to the territory beginning July 6, 2021.

According to Jayne Halcomb, Royal Caribbean Group’s director of destination development for the Caribbean and the Americas, the scheduled calls were Celebrity Edge in St. Thomas on July 6, Allure of the Seas in St. Thomas on July 29, Celebrity Equinox in St. Croix on August 18, and Explorer in St. Croix on September 28.

Halcomb said the ships would begin sailing at about 30% guest capacity. She said Royal Caribbean projected about 213,000 passengers would visit the territory by the end of 2021, including 48,000 in St. Croix and 165,000 in St. Thomas, with an estimated $40 million in spending based on a Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association study cited during the forum.

Royal Caribbean officials also said the company planned to continue two-port visits and expected ships to remain in port later, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., depending on the season.

During the forum, company representatives outlined COVID-19 protocols, including testing requirements for unvaccinated passengers. Elisa Shen, Royal Caribbean’s associate vice president of onboard revenue and hotel operations, said the company was working with the Virgin Islands government as federal restrictions eased to allow passengers to move more freely on the islands.

Representatives from the Virgin Islands Department of Health also discussed the department’s Healthy certification program for businesses preparing for cruise passengers. Territorial ADA Coordinator Julien Henley said a Barrier-Free webpage would be launched on the Department of Tourism website to identify accessible businesses in the territory.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/royal-caribbean-announces-cruise-call-dates-during-community-business-forum/