SINGAPORE – Guests going aboard Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas cruise ship from Nov 8 will only have to take 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 (PCR) test.
This is similar to what Dream Cruises’ World Dream – the only other cruise liner offering sailings from Singapore – has been doing since cruise operators were allowed to resume sailings.
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 email 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,” according to the e-mail.
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 even 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.
Currently only two cruise liners – Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas and Dream Cruises’ World Dream – are offering sailings from Singapore.
Dream Cruise guests currently have to do a pre-departure ART at the terminal, administered by Genting Cruise Lines’ appointed medical team. Any other Covid-19 tests that are not taken at the cruise terminal on the day of departure are not recognised. The cost of tests is also waived by the cruise operator.
Last month, Royal Caribbean announced that all Singapore passengers aged 12 years old and above who are booking a cruise from October 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.
