PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – After previously sailing this year out of Fort Lauderdale and Europe, Royal Caribbean says its fifth ship in its Oasis class will now call Port Canaveral home for at least the next two years.
Weighing more than 230,000 tons with a total capacity of nearly 7,000 passengers, Wonder of the Seas is currently the world’s largest cruise ship.
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Strategic Account Manager Joanne Cotterman says all guests are now welcome – a big change from when cruising restarted a year ago during the pandemic.
“We will take guests whether they are vaccinated or not vaccinated,” Cotterman said. “And we’ve actually just eliminated the testing requirements as well for all guests, no matter what their vaccine status is.”
The world’s largest cruise ship now calls @PortCanaveral its home. @RoyalCaribbean’s Wonder of the Seas departing the port tonight on a seven night cruise across the Caribbean. Full @news6wkmg report tonight at 11:30. pic.twitter.com/PvqPvRuW6O
— James Sparvero (@JamesSparvero) November 20, 2022
By eliminating COVID-19 rules, Cotterman said Royal Caribbean is boosting ticket sales.
A Wonder of the Seas passenger boarding the ship Sunday shared his thoughts on how the cruise industry has navigated the pandemic.
“I think that the industry’s doing a lot to keep everybody safe and secure,” Gary Emard said.
After seven nights across the Caribbean, Wonder Of The Seas is scheduled to return to Port Canaveral next Sunday morning and depart on another trip next Sunday afternoon.
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