Boarding Requirements
What travel documents are required to board a Royal Caribbean cruise?
Everyone will need to present an accepted form of identification to board the ship based on their nationality/country of citizenship.
Guests who do not bring required documents may be denied boarding.
What are the pre-cruise testing requirements for my cruise?
Pre-cruise testing is no longer required to sail on any of our sailings
What vaccines are required to travel on a Royal Caribbean cruise?
All guests must ensure that they are medically and physically fit for travel. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) provide guidelines as to which vaccinations are required in each country. In many cases inoculations are recommended, but in some circumstances, they are required by the country from which your cruise departs or countries we visit. We recommend that you check with your health care professional or a Travel Medicine Specialist certified by the WHO for guidance. Other informational resources can be accessed on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traveler’s health website or by calling toll-free (877) FYI-TRIP and on the World Health Organization website.
COVID-19 Vaccination is no longer required to sail, though we recommend guests be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While vaccination is not required, we kindly ask that you disclose your status during check-in.
What are the top things to know after I have booked a Royal Caribbean cruise?
Gathering Documents
Make sure you have the proper forms of identification needed for your cruise. Give yourself plenty of time to obtain or renew your passport, if necessary. In order to make the boarding process as simple as possible, we strongly encourage you to visit RoyalCaribbean.com/onlinecheckin to check in online and print your SetSail Pass no later than three days prior to your sail date. Additionally, guests should look into any visa requirements for their itinerary. Learn more about required travel documents.
Vaccination Guidance
COVID-19 vaccination is not required to sail on any of our cruises.
Testing Requirements
Pre-cruise testing is no longer required to sail on any of our cruises.
Before You Board
Don’t forget to hand carry your passport, SetSail Pass, valuables and medications in your carry-on bag. You’ll need your passport and SetSail Pass to board the ship.
Getting To The Ship
Let us take you from the airport to the port with our “Transfers” program. “Transfers” may be included with our Air2Sea or Hotel offerings. You can also purchase this service separately.
Boarding The Ship
Please refer to your SetSail Pass for specific check-in times.
Are there any additional requirements during my cruise from Singapore?
For sailings visiting Thailand
Guests will be required to bring a copy of their passport photo or information page in order to debark and explore ports in Thailand. A soft copy or photo of your passport information page will be accepted.
For guests who require a visa to enter Thailand, please apply for the Thai Visa prior to check-in. For those who are available to apply for the Thai Visa upon arrival, please bring with you two passport-sized color photos for the Thailand Visa-On-Arrival Application (VOA) and $85 USD per person, for the handling fee. This will be charged in US dollars on your onboard account based on the current exchange rate and will cover the visa and service to the agency chosen by the Thailand government to obtain and process your visa and entrance procedures.
Can I book back-to-back cruises at this time?
Absolutely! We welcome guests to cruise on as many back-to-back cruises as they wish.
When should I arrive at the port terminal to board my cruise ship?
Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Your arrival time is listed on your mobile boarding pass. Those who arrive early will not be able to begin boarding, and those who arrive late will need to wait until we are able to work them into another group.
Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure manifests at least 60 minutes prior to sailing, guests are requested to complete Check-in no later than 3 days prior to their cruise. If you do not complete Check-in 3 days prior, you will be required to complete this process at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time. Please note: All guests must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail.
If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise. For your return home, you have the ability to select the flight that best suits your schedule. Depending on your disembarkation time and port, the time needed to arrive at the airport will vary.
What if I am not feeling well in the days leading up to my cruise? What if I test positive for COVID-19 before my cruise?
If you feel ill in the days before your cruise, you should not travel. Keep in mind you will need to answer a health questionnaire prior to boarding. A positive test result, or documented symptoms of communicable disease during the boarding process, will result in denial of boarding.
We recommend guests purchase travel protection to cover any interruptions to their travel plans such as illness and travel delays. Travel protection is available for purchase through our Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program.
What happens if I get sick onboard a cruise ship? How can I request my onboard medical records?
If any of our guests or crew members ever feel unwell during their sailing, they can be immediately evaluated by medical staff, with an in-stateroom visit or by video tele-consultation. A multitude of evaluative tests can be conducted right onboard in our medical lab. This is just one capability of our enhanced Medical Center.
In the interest of public health onboard, isolation and/or quarantine may be required to prevent exposure to people who have or may have any kind of infectious disease. A guest that is diagnosed as having an infectious disease by a member of our medical staff onboard will need to isolate onboard for a period of time — either until they can be safely disembarked at a port of call with private transport home, or when the sailing concludes back at the home port where it started. Those guests who meet the threshold to be deemed a close contact will need to meet necessary quarantine and/or testing requirements based on their vaccination status.
Guests who must isolate due to an infectious disease diagnosis will remain in their stateroom or be moved to a stateroom near the medical center where medical staff and Guest Services will check on them regularly, depending on availability. Complimentary amenities including room service and WiFi will be provided.
If you have been treated onboard, and need to request your medical records, please fill out the request form.
When should I arrive at the port terminal to board my cruise ship?
Guests should arrive at the terminal within the arrival time slot you selected during Royal App check-in. Your arrival time is listed on your mobile boarding pass. Those who arrive early will not be able to begin boarding, and those who arrive late will need to wait until we are able to work them into another group.
Due to government regulations requiring cruise lines to submit final departure manifests at least 60 minutes prior to sailing, guests are requested to complete Check-in no later than 3 days prior to their cruise. If you do not complete Check-in 3 days prior, you will be required to complete this process at the pier at least two hours prior to the published sailing time. Please note: All guests must be checked-in and onboard the ship no later than 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time or you will not be permitted to sail.
If you choose to fly ChoiceAir, Royal Caribbean automatically displays only the airline schedules that will enable you to meet your cruise. For your return home, you have the ability to select the flight that best suits your schedule. Depending on your disembarkation time and port, the time needed to arrive at the airport will vary.