BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas set sail from Port Canaveral on Tuesday, marking the cruise line’s first trial voyage from the port since the pandemic.
The ship is off on a two-night simulated cruise to CocoCay.
“People really want to cruise. They’re just waiting. So I’m so excited we’re invited to do this and to be able to experience it and tell my clients it’s safe,” said travel agent and passenger Donna Entrichel.
Once Royal Caribbean is sailing from Florida with paying passengers, it will “strongly” recommend COVID-19 vaccinations for those who are eligible. Those who are unvaccinated, or unable to show proof of vaccination, will be subject to testing and additional health protocols at their own expense.
The cruise line said children will be tested at no cost.
The cruise line also said if a certain threshold of COVID-19 is detected onboard a ship during a voyage, the voyage will end immediately, and the ship will return to the port of embarkation.
Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.
