by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:07 PM ET, Fri February 26, 2021
The Mayor of Cozumel said Royal Caribbean International could move its operations base to the island if the current cruise sanctions in the United States aren't lifted.
According to Riviera Maya News, Cozumel Mayor Pedro Joaquin Delbouis said the fourth cruise ship dock being built on the island will be designated as a home port and could be ready as soon as May.
"A company has established a Plan B, that if in April there is no decision to sail, Cozumel would be its home port starting May," Joaquin Delbouis told the Riviera Maya News. "We were consulted and we immediately said yes."
Royal Caribbean Senior Project Manager Richard Gibbs released a statement to TravelPulse about the statements made by Joaquin Delbouis:
"While we suspended most of our global operations through April, our company is preparing for a healthy return to sailing. Protecting the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit remains a top priority. As we continue to navigate this pandemic, we've made continued progress on many fronts. We're engaging with various stakeholders, particularly governments and partners in the travel industry around the world, to evaluate the feasibility of returning to cruising from several destinations once it is safe to do so. No final decisions have been made regarding these efforts."
Royal Caribbean senior vice president Vicki Freed said the test sailings mandated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have yet to be scheduled due to a lack of updates from the government.
"The reason you haven't heard anything is because we don't have dates yet," Freed said during her weekly Coffee Chat with travel advisors. "We don't have any more information. But as soon as we do, I promise we will get that information to you."
Joaquin Delbouis said Cozumel was chosen since it had a long history of hosting cruise operations and Cancun does not have the space required for a pier large enough to host the massive vessels.
On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean announced all-new short Caribbean sailings in 2022-23 on eight ships from five ports, with bookings now officially open.
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