Today's weird cruise news: Royal Caribbean trademarks face mask
Are you an unabashed Royal Caribbean fan? Get ready to get your Seaface on.
That's the name of a brand of face masks that just might be popping up on Royal Caribbean ships in the not-so-distant future.
Royal Caribbean isn't saying for sure, but the line's parent company, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., has filed a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the word "seaface" to be used in conjunction with a sanitary mask.
Visit TPG’s guide to all coronavirus news and updates
The application, which can be viewed at the patent office's website, requested that the trademark be listed under two categories of goods and services: "Sanitary masks for virus isolation purposes" and "cruise ship services."
In making the application, Royal Caribbean Cruises declared it had intention to use the mark in commerce or in connection with the categories it listed.
Royal Caribbean Cruises paid $225 per category to make the filing, or $450 in total, according to the application.
The filing was made on April 8 but went unnoticed for nearly two weeks. Its existence was first reported this week by Royal Caribbean Blog, a blog for Royal Caribbean fans that's unrelated to the line.
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When asked by TPG for more information on the trademark application, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Cruises said he would look into it. He did not respond in time for publication.
Royal Caribbean Cruises is the parent company of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea.
The application offered no clues as to whether Royal Caribbean Cruises was in the process of designing a face mask that would be worn by crew only, passengers only, both or neither.
Even if it's intended only for crew, we're guessing savvy Royal Caribbean fans will be able to snag one of the masks by befriending their room stewards. Or, maybe these masks will be sold in shipboard stores. Either way, great swag.
Royal Caribbean Cruises already is known for several customer-facing shipboard features that are branded around "sea" words. Passengers on both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises ships get "SeaPass" cards that open their cabin doors and are used for charging onboard expenses. Some Royal Caribbean ships have an indoor "SeaPlex" venue with bumper cars and other activities.
None of the Royal Caribbean Cruises brands currently are operating cruises. All major cruise lines around the world have temporarily shut down cruise operations through at least May or June due to the coronavirus outbreak. But when the lines return to service, it's likely that at least some cruisers will want to wear masks while on board.
Related: The bizarre story of the last 8 cruise ship passengers still at sea
Many travelers already are wearing face masks when flying and arriving at hotels, and at least one major country, Canada, is requiring travelers to have face masks while flying. As of today, all United Airlines flight attendants will be required to wear face masks while in the air.
Some sort of mask mandate on cruise ships -- either for masks worn by crew, passengers or both -- might be a requirement on some ships for a time after cruising resumes. Two Asia-based cruise lines, Dream Cruises and Star Cruises, already have said crew on their ships would be required to wear masks when serving food and beverages once vessels return to service.
In addition, in a "no-sail" order issued earlier this month for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requested that cruise lines develop a plan that "prevents, mitigates and responds to the spread of COVID-19 on board cruise ships." It's possible such a plan could involve some sort of mask use for either crew or passengers in certain circumstances.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.