The first Royal Caribbean cruise in the US just launched after 15 months of no sailing - here's what happened

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cruise ship.Royal Caribbean

• The first cruise sailing out of a US port in over a year departed on Sunday from Florida, Bloomberg reported.
• The Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas cruise is operating as a "simulated voyage."
• All of the guests - Royal Caribbean employees and their adult plus-ones - are cruising for free.

Lines of people waiting to board a cruise ship may seem like an unfamiliar sight to most Americans now.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

But on June 20, these lines were back. The first cruise sailing from a US port in 15 months departed from Miami on Sunday ...

Volunteer Royal Caribbean employees for the Freedom of the Seas sailing at PortMiami on June 20.      Marta Lavandier/AP Photo

... after over a year of no sailings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jonathan Levin reported for Bloomberg.

The Freedom of the Seas cruise ship on June 20.      Marta Lavandier/AP Photo

Source: Bloomberg

But of course, there's a catch. The sailing isn't your typical cruise full of sunbathing tourists and packed hallways.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Instead, it's a "simulated voyage" - which was developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - aboard Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas ship.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cruise ship.      Royal Caribbean

These trial sailings are meant to test the safety of cruise ships amid COVID-19 …

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: CDC

… and are supposed to precede the COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate application needed for major cruise lines to resume "restricted passenger voyages."

Volunteer Royal Caribbean employees for the Freedom of the Seas sailing at PortMiami on June 20.      Marta Lavandier/AP Photo

Source: Insider

The Freedom of the Seas ship is accommodating around 650 guests, Bloomberg reported. But overall, the ship can lodge a little over 4,550 guests.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cruise ship.      Royal Caribbean

Source: Royal Caribbean, Bloomberg

The passengers are either Royal Caribbean employees who volunteered to take part in the trial voyages, or their adult plus-one's.

Volunteer Royal Caribbean employees for the Freedom of the Seas sailing at PortMiami on June 20.      Marta Lavandier/AP Photo

One of the guests will also include a CDC representative, Marnie Hunter, Leyla Santiago, and Sara Weisfeldt reported for CNN.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: CNN

And like many other Royal Caribbean sailings, all of the guests aboard this trial voyage are vaccinated.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: CNN

"The vaccine obviously is a key player here, and a game-changer for us and for the entire society," Captain Patrik Dahlgren, Royal Caribbean's senior vice president of Global Marine Operations, told Bloomberg.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: YouTube

The cruise will will sail for two-nights with a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, the cruise line's private island in the Bahamas.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cruise ship.      Royal Caribbean

Source: CNN

The biggest perk? It's free for all volunteers.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

"I feel really safe with my mask, I'm vaccinated, everyone's vaccinated, so I feel really good about it," Carolina Jimenez, one of the non-employee passengers, told Bloomberg.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: Bloomberg

"It's unfortunate how long it's taken to come back, but I think that's something no one could have controlled, and I'm just glad that now we're here and getting back to it," Jimenez continued.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Cruise lines can opt to skip these CDC trial sailings if the companies can prove that 95% of crew and passengers are fully vaccinated.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: CDC

But it seems like Royal Caribbean has decided to take both approaches: its Celebrity Cruises brand will begin setting sail on June 26 from Florida, fully vaccinated.

Freedom of the Seas passengers at PortMiami on June 20.      Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Source: Insider

Royal Caribbean's Celebrity brand has a vaccine mandate for crew and guests over 16-years-old, and the CDC has already "greenlit" the sailing despite headwinds from Florida's vaccine passport ban.

The Celebrity Edge cruise ship.      Celebrity Cruises

Any unvaccinated Celebrity Cruises guests, or guests unwilling to show proof of vaccination, will have to pay out-of-pocket for additional tests and will face additional on-board restrictions, Aaron Saunders reported for Cruise Critic.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas cruise ship.      Royal Caribbean

Source: Cruise Critic

Celebrity Cruises did not immediately respond to Insider's request about how this might impact the June 26 sailing.

Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas' pool deck.      Royal Caribbean