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SINGAPORE – Guests going aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas cruise ship from Nov 8 will have to take only an antigen rapid test (ART) at the cruise terminal on the day of departure.
Previously, they were required to take a pre-departure polymerase chain reaction test.
This is similar to what Dream Cruises’ World Dream has been doing since cruise operators were allowed to resume sailings.
Currently only two cruise liners – Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas and Dream Cruises’ World Dream – are offering sailings from Singapore.
The new testing requirement for Royal Caribbean will last till the end of November, according to a post on the cruise operator’s website.
Guests who have upcoming trips on the cruise liner also received an e-mail on Friday (Oct 22) about the new requirements.
The e-mail said that the test will be taken in the terminal on boarding day during their selected arrival window, which they would have selected during their online check-in process.
“This testing cost continues to be included in your cruise fare,” the e-mail said.
However, those departing on sailings from Dec 2 will have to take an ART on the day of sailing at Raffles City Convention Centre before heading to the terminal for the cruise.
According to Royal Caribbean’s website, guests will have to register for a test appointment that should take place at least one hour prior to their arrival time at the terminal.
“In the event the guest does not successfully complete the Antigen test before arrival at the terminal, the guest will be ineligible to board the ship,” said Royal Caribbean on its website.
Dream Cruise guests currently have to do a pre-departure ART at the terminal, administered by Genting Cruise Lines’ appointed medical team. Any Covid-19 test that is not taken at the cruise terminal on the day of departure is not recognised. The cost of the test is also waived by the cruise operator.
Last month, Royal Caribbean announced that all Singapore passengers aged 12 years and above who book a cruise from this month will need to be fully vaccinated when they set sail.
It is not mandatory for Dream Cruises’ passengers to be fully vaccinated, according to its website.
Both cruise operators were given the green light to offer cruises-to-nowhere from Singapore under a pilot scheme that kicked off in November last year.
Under the scheme, the round-trip cruises have no ports of call, and passengers have to take a mandatory Covid-19 test prior to boarding.
