RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — While travel numbers have increased, they still fall short of what they were before the pandemic, but cruise lines could soon be a bit busier.
Royal Caribbean announced they’ll no longer require passengers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 on some trips. For local travel agents, that’s good news.
“I have had a list of clients who have just been waiting and waiting for vaccine requirements to lift on these different cruise lines,” Mallory Dumond, a travel agent, said.
But it’s not 100 percent back to normal. Some unvaccinated travelers will still be met with restrictions on their journeys.
“There are some stops along the way that are not going to let unvaccinated travelers off the ship for excursions or to enjoy the port, they’ll have to remain on board,” Dumond explained.
Some cruise-goers we spoke with say being around unvaccinated passengers doesn’t make them nervous, as they themselves are protected against COVID-19.
“We’re both vaccinated,” Lexie Goble said of her and her fiancé. “We didn’t have to get vaccinated to go, because we already were.”
Like most travelers, Goble and her fiancé are just happy to be back on board and traveling the globe.
“This is our first real trip since the pandemic, so it’s super exciting to be able to get back into these sort of things and see new places,” she said.
Royal Caribbean made the announcement on Wednesday, but it only applies to some departure ports. Passengers will also still need to test negative before going on the cruise.