Belize Welcomes Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas

Belize Welcomes Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas

Belize City, Belize, Friday, September 24, 2021 – Belize welcomed the Independence of the Seas, which is operated by Royal Caribbean International (RCI), to the country earlier today. This is RCI’s first call to Belize since the suspension of the cruise industry due to the pandemic over a year ago. The Independence of the Seas which departed from Galveston, Texas on September 19th with over 1,650 persons onboard, included Belize as a part of its 8-day Western Caribbean Cruise.

Belize reopened its cruise sector in June with strict health and safety protocols. This includes a requirement that all cruise passengers must be fully vaccinated or provide a negative test result in order to be allowed entry to Belize. The Independence of the Seas is operating with 98 percent of its passengers and 99 percent of its crew having been vaccinated and there were rigorous protocols in place for disembarking passengers.

Royal Caribbean International is the third cruise line to call on Belize since the cruise sector reopened which underscores the growing demand for Belize as a prime tourism destination. Cruise tourism is a crucial component to Belize’s tourism recovery efforts, and the ability to provide a safe and secure experience for the passengers, crew and the destination is paramount. The Belize Tourism Board remains committed to the full recovery of the cruise industry to pre-COVID numbers and looks forward to welcoming an increasing number of visitors to our shores in the months ahead.