Passenger Cruise Ship “Oasis of the Seas” Returns to Port of New York-New Jersey & Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne Today; “Simulated Test Cruise” With Passengers Sails Sunday, August 22, 2021
NORTH BERGEN, NJ (August 18, 2021) – Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines “Oasis of the Seas” is scheduled to arrive in the Port of New York and New Jersey this morning, Wednesday, August 18, 2021. This arrival represents the first time since March 2020 that a cruise ship has called the Port as well as being the largest cruise ship to ever call the Port of New York-New Jersey
The vessel is expected to reach the Verrazano Narrows around 6 AM and be alongside at the Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal in Bayonne, NJ around 8 AM. The Oasis will arrive with approximately 1,800 fully vaccinated crewmembers onboard and will spend several days making final preparations for the “simulation test cruise” required by the CDC. The simulation test cruise is scheduled to depart on Sunday August 22nd with 700-1000 passengers on a one-week voyage to the Bahamas. Assuming everything goes well, the first revenue cruise is scheduled to depart on September 5th with about 3,000 passengers.
Royal Caribbean’s COVID protocol for the simulation test cruise mandates that all passenger participants must be vaccinated and be 18 years of age or over: there are a few passengers that are under 18 but these are family members of Royal Caribbean employees who must still have proof of vaccination, if over 12 years of age. If under 12, proof of a negative PCR test is required.
Assuming all goes well on the test cruise and the CDC gives the green light for the Oasis to resume weekly service, Royal Caribbean’s protocol is that passengers must be both vaccinated and provide proof of a negative PCR test taken within 3 days of boarding. For children under 12, a negative PCR test will also be required. Cape Liberty Cruise Terminal will have on-sight PCR testing available. This is being handled through a third-party vendor.