Royal Caribbean has made the announcement cruise fanatics have been looking forward to. Royal Caribbean International and its sister cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, will require COVID vaccines for all adult passengers and crew members when they start sailing cruises in the Caribbean in June. Royal Caribbean will sail departing from the Bahamas beginning June 12, the cruise line announced Friday.

After an unprecedented pause, departures will resume in June 2021, as Royal Caribbean introduces Adventure of the Seas® to her new homeport of Nassau, Bahamas. Offering weeklong getaways, vacationers can enjoy a day in Cozumel, Mexico, as well as an island-hopping sampler of popular Bahamian ports — including Grand Bahama Island and two consecutive days at our very own private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

These new itineraries will set sail June through August 2021, inviting fully vaccinated guests 18 years of age and older, as well as children under the age of 18 with proof of negative COVID-19 test results.

The sailings will not originate in or involve any stops at U.S. ports, meaning they will not require the approval of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They only require the approval of officials in the destinations where the ships will visit, which Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise now have.

Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said in a news release that the company is looking forward to returning to the Caribbean “gradually and safely.”

“The vaccines are clearly a game-changer for all of us, and with the number of vaccinations and their impact growing rapidly, we believe starting with cruises for vaccinated adult guests and crew is the right choice,” Bayley said, noting that as things progress, vaccine requirements and other safety measures are expected to evolve.