PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — The return of cruising from Port Canaveral, and Florida in general, is drawing ever closer for Royal Caribbean.

But as its ships prepare to leave port with passengers again, those who are unvaccinated will find the journey to be much more of an ordeal compared with that of their vaccinated counterparts — at least for those sailing from Florida. 

Late Monday, Royal Caribbean updated its policies regarding cruises departing the Sunshine State, noting its policies for cruises departing before and after Aug. 1. 

Freedom of the Seas received its Conditional Sailing Certificate after successfully completing its simulated voyage earlier this month, Royal Caribbean President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Bayley announced Tuesday on Facebook.

The aptly named ship will hold its first revenue-sailing cruise over the Independence Day holiday weekend, from July 2-5. It will depart from Miami and will visit Nassau in The Bahamas as well CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s private island. 

The ship, with its fully vaccinated crew, will be the first of the Royal Caribbean International cruise lines to set sail from the United States since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the industry in March 2020.

Rules before Aug. 1

Guests are strongly recommended to get vaccinated. To be considered fully vaccinated, the final doses have to be administered at least 14 days before sailing. 

All unvaccinated guests are required to have additional COVID-19 testing done at their own expense, a cost of $136 per guest. Passengers 16 and older need proof of a negative PCR test completed “no more than three days before sailing.”

At the terminal, all unvaccinated guests 2 years old and up need a PCR test at the terminal by a Royal Caribbean-approved vendor. An antigen test will be required before they disembark at the end of the voyage, which will happen the day before the cruise ends. 

Tests are complimentary for those ages 2-15. All those not wanting to pay for and undergo those tests can receive a refund for their cruise.

Vaccinated guests have no testing requirements. .

A complete list of the requirements for Freedom of the Seas trips out of Miami can be found on Royal Caribbean's website. 

Rules after Aug. 1

Starting on Aug. 1, the vaccination requirements apply to all passengers 12 years old and up. 

At this point, for all cruises departing from Florida ports through Dec. 31, 2021, unvaccinated guests 12 and older have to show proof of an insurance policy with a minimum of $25,000 per person for medical expense coverage. 

They also need to have a $50,000 policy per person “for quarantine and medical evacuation related to a positive COVID-19 test result.” Those policies “must name the unvaccinated guest as the policy holder or beneficiary.”

The pre-cruise tests (12 years old and up) and terminal tests (2 years old and up) are also required following Aug. 1. Royal Caribbean also stated that a midcruise test will be required for unvaccinated passengers 2 years old and up for sailings that are seven nights or longer. 

Testing is complimentary for guests between the ages of 2 and 11.

A complete list of the requirements  for all sailings out of Florida home ports can be found on Royal Caribbean's website.