| RCG returns two ships

ROYAL Caribbean Group (RCG) has marked its 2021 return to cruising in North America, with Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International (RCI) to restart from Jun in the Atlantic.

Celebrity’s revolutionised Celebrity Millennium will offer a homeport season from St. Maarten, offering seven-night sailings from the Dutch kingdom, while RCI will offer week-long itineraries from the Bahamas and Mexico aboard Adventure of the Seas.

Travellers can book a roundtrip RCI cruise as soon as Thu, with sailings starting from 12 Jun, while those eager to book with Celebrity can do so from Fri.

RCI cruises will enjoy island-hopping itineraries, including trips to Perfect Day at CocoCay, Grand Bahama Island and Cozumel.

Celebrity will offer two different itineraries; one exploring the ABC Islands, and another visiting Tortola, St. Lucia and Barbados.

The cruise line will also offer a range of curated tours for all interests and price points at every port of call, with Private Journeys and Small Group Discovery Tours to be available for those guests preferring a more intimate exploration.

Both lines will offer departures through to Aug, which will sail with vaccinated crews, and will be available to adult guests who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus, as well as those under the age of 18 returning a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of embarkation.

In addition to filling out appropriate entry forms, RCI vacationers must meet the travel requirements of the Bahamas, which may include receiving a negative test result before entering the country, and testing upon arrival.

The cruise line is directing travellers to the Bahamas’ website, where the most up-to-date policies can be found.

Other details on additional health and safety measures to be implemented by Royal Caribbean Group will be announced at a later date.

Celebrity President & Chief Executive Officer Lisa Lutoff-Perlo hailed the significance of returning to the Caribbean after more than a year away, saying it marks the measured beginning of the end of what has been a uniquely challenging time for all.

“We have been in constant contact with the leadership of St. Maarten these past months to support each other and share learnings and best practices…I am forever grateful for the support and collaboration of the St. Maarten Government,” she said.

The kingdom’s Minister of Tourism & Transport Ludmila de Weever concurred, adding the significant economic milestone of bringing Millennium to its shores.