Royal Caribbean is set to resume cruise calls to Jamaica beginning in November, tourism officials told Caribbean Journal this week. 

The island’s cruise industry relaunched this summer, and now Royal Caribbean is planning to make its return to Jamaica after a year and half-long hiatus. 

Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett also said Carnival Corporation was planning some 110 cruise ships visits from its brands through April 2022. 

“We are seeing a welcome return of vessels with the recognition that Jamaica’s Resilient Corridors offer a safe environment for our visitors, tourism workers and the general population. The world has taken note of Jamaica’s protocols being implemented safely and effectively, as these plans clearly demonstrate,” Bartlett said. “With the return of stopover visitor arrivals since June 2020, we have been seeing steady growth towards pre-COVID-19 levels. Now that cruise is also back, we are looking forward to even stronger growth in our numbers. While there are a few matters we still need to resolve with regard to Royal Caribbean’s return, all requirements have been put in place to meet both United States and Jamaica’s COVID-19 protocols in addition to passenger movement being limited to our Resilient Corridors.”

Bartlett said the Royal Caribbean update came from the line during meetings with the company at Seatrade in Miami last week. 

All cruises must meet the island’s strict health requirements, which includes a mandate that all passengers ages 12 and up be fully vaccinated, along with showing evidence of a negative test result within 72 hours before the sailing begins. 

Unvaccinated passengers such as children must show a negative PCR test. 

“With a boost in cruises to Jamaica, we will in turn see a boost to the economic and social livelihoods of thousands of Jamaicans who work directly and indirectly in our cruise sector, providing a positive impact for many,” Bartlett said. 

– CJ