Now hiring: Cruisers willing to go on simulated voyages for Royal Caribbean
2020 continues to bring the unimaginable, this time in the form of a potential new career field.
Royal Caribbean is looking for passengers to set sail on simulated voyages to test safety and health protocols, according to Cruise Industry News. Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service, made the announcement Wednesday and said while details aren't worked out, the company will have a number of trial cruises with volunteers and employees with the goal of convincing the CDC that cruise lines can restart operations.
On October 30, the CDC said it would not extend its "no-sail" order but created a framework for conditional sailing that has a phased approach to resuming cruise ship passenger operations in US waters.
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The simulated voyages are a part of the phased approach and must prove to the CDC the lines have the ability to mitigate COVID risks on ships.
After canceling the remaining planned 2020 cruises, Freed said the first sailings in 2021 may be short voyages to CocoCay in the Bahamas allowing the company to operate in its own bubble.
Related: A preview of new COVID-related cruise restrictions
While all travel-related industries have had a rough 2020, the cruise industry is the only one to basically have all North American operations halted. TPG Senior Reporter for Cruise and Travel Gene Sloan just boarded the first cruise ship to sail in the Caribbean since March. I'm sure the sailing will be closely watched by everyone in the industry and die-hard cruise enthusiasts as well.
If you happen to be one of those enthusiasts who just can't resist staying off a ship any longer, be sure to volunteer on Royal Caribbean's first simulated voyages in the meantime.
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- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
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| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
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For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases