Starting May 21st Royal Caribbean will once again hire crew from India. This great news comes two weeks after the company announced a temporary suspension of all assignments for shipboard employees from India or people who reside in this country. 

Odyssey of the Seas has departed the port of Limassol, Cyprus today and is heading back to its homeport Haifa, Israel where the crew will receive the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19. According to our source, the captain made an announcement on the ship’s PA system that the port agent confirmed the crew vaccination for tomorrow May, 7. Odyssey of the Seas crew will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, our source said.

Following the recent announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that cruises could resume from the US ports by mid-July, cruise lines are moving forward with the restart plans and already started with the necessary preparations for the upcoming season. Yesterday three major cruise lines announced the start of crew vaccination including MSC Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International.

Indian crew members will not be able to board Royal Caribbean ships at this stage after the company decided to temporary cancel all assignments for shipboard employees from India or people who reside in this country. According to a letter sent to the crew, this decision is based on various reasons and related to recently announced travel restrictions and complexities with crew movement to and from India.

Like many nations struggling with the Covid-19 pandemic, Myanmar faces additional destabilizing risks from the military coup. Cruise ship crew members from this country shared their concerns about the current situation and worries that this might affect their next sign-on date. In hopes that the cruise lines will not forget them they sent an open letter voicing their concerns.

Royal Caribbean newest Quantum Ultra Class ship, Odyssey of the Seas has arrived in the port of Limassol, Cyprus to collect crew ahead of the final preparations for the inaugural summer season in the Eastern Mediterranean

Following the recent developments in St. Vincent the U.S. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), has released revised natural disaster alert, offering transit opportunity for U.S. citizens who wish to depart the island. According to the announcement the U.S. Embassy is coordinating with Royal Caribbean Group for a maritime transit opportunity for U.S. citizens who wish to depart St. Vincent on Friday, 16 April.

The past few days have been devastating for the people on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent after La Soufriere volcano erupted several times in an explosion of ash and hot gas. The larges eruption happen this Monday, since the volcanic activity started last week, and poses a serious threat to residents yet to be evacuated.

The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have declared Red Alert and ordered mandatory evacuations on Thursday after La Soufriere volcano is in danger of exploding. Evacuation is underway by land and sea in preparation for an explosive eruption of the volcano.

Crew members are proud and hardworking people, loyal to the cruise lines and committed to their jobs at sea. They are breadwinners for their families but also visionaries who dream for a better future. During this difficult year some found different jobs, others waited for that call from the cruise lines. However, almost all of them are eager to get back at sea and continue doing what they do best.