LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – June 6, 2021

From Bill Miller

June 2021

Tue Jun 1^st MSC Cruises:    Adam Coulter, UK Managing Editor of Cruise Critic, was on the very first cruise from a British port (Southampton) onboard the MSC Virtuosa (below). While a short cruise, it gave an insight into what might be cruising for the immediate future.  Mr Coulter’s observations in brief:

Buffets:  all foods and drinks handled by servers

Mask wearing in all public areas

Enchanced shipboard cleaning & cleansing

Fresh masks provided each morning

Great spaciousness with only 1,000 out of 6,200 passengers onboard

Different entertainments offered at same time to offset crowding

Fitbit, watch-like device to open stateroom door, booking entertainment & bill paying

Menus given through mobile phone

Lifeboat drill done through stateroom video

Passengers allowed ashore only on strictly guided tours

Mr Coulter concluded that while it might all seem strange at first, passengers adapt very quickly and easily.   Everyone is just happy to be back aboard a big, beautiful cruise ship and traveling.  And PS:  Staff & crew are more pleasing & caring than ever – they too are happy to be back!

Carnival:  Sprucing up!  The 2,800-passenger Carnival Victory sailed her final cruise last Feb but due to the pandemic, the ship’s transformation/refit was delayed for over a year.  Now, the vessel is currently in dry dock receiving a massive remodeling and will emerge as the renamed Carnival Radiance.

British Connection!   One of our top agents, Dave Hutchings sent photos of P&O’s new Iona in Southampton waters.   While German built, the 184,000-tonner is the largest British owned passenger liner yet. She can carry 5,200 passengers.   Quite a contrast from, say, the 83,000-ton, 2,233-passenger Queen Elizabeth of sixty years ago.

Captain Stubing:  Gavin MacLeod, a TV sitcom veteran who played seaman “Happy” Haines on McHale’s Navy, Murray on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the very different, vaguely patrician Captain Stubing on The Love Boat,  died on May 29th. He was 90.  The hugely successful Love Boat series was often featured onboard the Pacific Princess (seen below at Sydney), built in 1971 but now scrapped.   Sensibly, MacLeod became a long-standing spokesman for both Princess Cruises and the entire cruise industry.   

Moving About:   From over in England, Nick Braddock reports the giant ferry Silja Europa (below) is heading to Falmouth for G7 accommodation purposes.

Wed Jun 2  Mid East Bound!  The 205,000-ton MSC World Europa is set to debut at the end of 2022 sailing in the Middle East with bookings opening for MSC’s first World class vessel. She will set sail in Dec 2022 and will spend her inaugural season in the Gulf. Her season will commence with a special four-night sailing from Doha in Qatar to her new homeport of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The 6,850-passenger MSC World Europa will offer seven-night cruises from Dubai to the nearby Abu Dhabi and then onto Sir Bani Yas Island. Her program in the Gulf has also been enriched with calls in the port of Dammam, Saudi Arabia, visiting Al Ahsa oasis. The ship also calls Doha, the capital of Qatar, before returning to Dubai with an overnight in the city.

Silversea has announced new summer voyages in Alaska and Iceland, starting in Jul 2021.With the passage of the U.S. Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, which enables cruises to Alaska without required stops in Canada, the Silver Muse will resume round-trip sailings from Seattle starting Jul 29th, making Silversea the first luxury cruise line to operate in Alaska this summer. 

Spain will allow cruise ships to dock in its ports from Jun 7^th, the transport ministry said on Saturday, hoping to salvage the country’s battered tourism sector in time for the summer season.

UK Cruising:   Our super agent Dave Hutchings has sent along the photo below of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth, back to cruising and seen in Southampton Water.

TUI Cruises is set to grow in size and reach. It is reported that British cruise line Marella Cruises, which is currently owned by TUI Group, will be integrated into TUI Cruises – a joint venture between TUI Group and Royal Caribbean Group. The handover of Marella will expand TUI Cruises, which currently operates in the German market, into a European cruise line. Earlier, in 2020, another cruise line, Hapag Lloyd Cruises, was integrated into the TUI Cruises brand in a similar fashion. Marella Cruises currently has a fleet of four ships – the Marella Explorer, Marella Explorer 2, Marella Discovery and Marella Discovery 2. 

Further Return:  AIDA Cruises today announced that bookings are now open for AIDAcosma’s voyages over Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with AIDAcosma embarking Dec 22^nd  2021, on a unique positioning cruise from Hamburg to Gran Canaria. Guests will experience New Year’s Eve while anchored in the harbor of Madeira with a perfect view of its famous fireworks display. The cruises are now bookable and can be combined for an extended holiday in the travel period Dec 22nd 2021 to Jan 8th.

Island Princess & Millennium at Ketchikan

Hurtigruten:  With booking levels almost 50% higher than pre-pandemic levels, Hurtigruten Group reports record strong demand for 2022 small-ship experiences. As Hurtigruten Group reports its first-quarter results, the expedition cruise operator’s updated booking report shows very positive signs on the travel industry’s post-pandemic comeback. Across Hurtigruten Expeditions, the world’s largest expedition cruise company, and Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express, bookings for 2022 are currently 45% ahead of bookings for 2020 as of the same time in 2019.

Thu Jun 3^rd Queen Mary:  In the 85 years since its maiden voyage, the RMS Queen Mary has survived rogue waves, transatlantic crossings and even a world war.  For the last five decades, it’s enjoyed a second life docked in Long Beach, riding waves of popularity and tough times as a tourist attraction. But the historic ship is now facing its most challenging voyage yet.  After years of neglect by a string of operators, the Queen Mary is so creaky and leaky that it needs $23 million in immediate repairs, according to a trove of court documents and inspection reports released last month. There is growing concern that if something is not done soon, the ship could fall into critical disrepair and be in danger of sinking.

Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish is to feature the Wish Tower Suite, a penthouse situated in the forward funnel of the ship, when she debuts in summer 2022.

Chinese Owners:  The 2,600-passenger Carnival Fascination, which was sold by Carnival Cruise Line in 2020 due to the impact of the global pandemic, is currently undergoing a refurbishment to restart cruises out of mainland China. 

The Star Pisces at Hong Kong’s Ocean Terminal

Thu Jun 3rd Silversea has announced a return to sailing with new summer voyages in Alaska and Iceland, starting in Jul 2021. The Silver Muse will resume 10- and 11-day roundtrip sailings to Alaska from Seattle starting Jul 29th and 10-day roundtrip Reykjavik itineraries onboard the Silver Shadow showcasing Iceland will begin on Jul 30th.

P&O Cruises’ Oceana at Southampton

MSC Cruises:  It won’t be quite the world’s biggest cruise ship. But it’ll be close.  MSC Cruises on Monday said the massive new vessel it has on order for delivery in late 2022, the MSC World Europa, would be 22 decks high — four decks higher than the current size leader in the cruise world, Royal Caribbean‘s Symphony of the Seas.

It’ll also be 1,093 feet long, making it longer than any other MSC Cruises vessel ever built. Still, it won’t quite top the Symphony of the Seas as the world’s biggest cruise ship. The Symphony of the Seas and its three sister vessels — Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas — will remain the queens of the megaship world thanks to greater lengths and widths. In all, the MSC World Europa will measure about 205,000 tons — about 10% less than the four Royal Caribbean ships, known as the Oasis Class. Like the Oasis Class ships, MSC World Europa will be able to hold nearly 7,000 passengers with all berths filled — 6,762 to be exact.

Buzz along the Manhattan Waterfront:  Like others, Royal Caribbean is supportive of resumption of service. So, we’ve “heard” that they plan on doing a 2-day test cruise via Bayonne on Aug 17^th and then resume a weekly service as of Aug 29^th. Yes, things are indeed looking up!

Queen Mary 2 & Costa Fortuna together at St Kitts

Disney Cruise Line will conduct a test and simulation cruise for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with volunteer guests aboard the 2010-built Disney Dream out of Port Canaveral for a two-night cruise. Disney follows Royal Caribbean International as the second cruise line to get CDC approval for the test cruise option, which will lead to letting a ship operate with non-vaccinated passengers under health and safety protocols. 

Dream Cruises’ recently announced restart of cruises onboard the Genting Dream in Hong Kong has been met with an enthusiastic response from the public. After just one week of sales since bookings officially opened on May 27th, Genting Dream’s first two high seas “Super Summer Seacation” cruises departing on July 30th and Aug 1^st  are close to 90 percent while Friday night departures throughout August are at nearly 50 percent capacity.

The Azores at Reykjavik

Out of the old shoebox:   

Above:  Viking Sun berthed in reflection in Brazil (Jan 2019);       Below:   The legendary France departing from New York  (Jun 1973)

Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places! 

LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – APRIL 25, 2021

From Bill Miller
May 2021

Mon May 17^th  P&O  Cruises The new 5,200 guest Iona sailed into Southampton on Sunday ahead of her naming ceremony.  The $1 billion ship was completed a year ago, but has yet to see any commercial service.  

Costa:  The Costa Luminosa is back in service  as the ship sailed on Sunday from Trieste, becoming the company’s second ship to resume operations in 2021 after the Costa Smeralda re-entered service earlier this month from Savona.  The 2,800-bed Luminosa will offer Adriatic Sea itineraries and also call in Greece as part of Costa’s four-ship sailing plan for summer 2021, all operating under the company’s Costa Safety Protocol. 

Above:  Crystal Symphony & Oosterdam at Turks & Caicos

Fresh Face!  When Carnival Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Mardi Gras, arrives to her new home in Port Canaveral, Fla. on Jun 4th, she will be flying the Bahamian flag to designate the new ship registry for the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) ship to operate in North America.  The Mardi Gras has been the most highly anticipated new ship in the cruise industry for more than a year, with her arrival and inaugural impacted by the extended pause in cruise operations from U.S. ports. But with more and more hopeful signs of a return to guest operations and constructive discussions between the industry and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Carnival is moving the ship to Port Canaveral to get her ready for sailing.  The ship will depart from Barcelona on May 21st to start her transatlantic voyage and eventual arrival.

Crystal Cruises announced yesterday:   “This is a bittersweet moment as we say goodbye to Crystal@Home, our virtual connection for the last year, and say hello to our return to cruising this July. Indeed, from our early-on yoga sessions to our weekly Wednesday travel stories and Thirsty Thursday concoctions, we learned to balance our wellness and our wanderlust during an extraordinary time.”  

Above:   P&O’s Iberia at Fiji (1966)

Another Naming Ceremony:  Viking Cruises’ newest ship, the  Viking Venus,  will set sail from Portsmouth today (Mon) on its maiden voyage and naming ceremony. The ship will be christened by journalist and broadcaster Anne Diamond as godmother. The first passenger sailings will start on May 22 as Portsmouth becomes the homeport for Viking Venus’ initial five UK sailings.

Resumptions!  Seven cruise line brands from Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, have announced plans to resume guest cruise operations this summer, with AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises (UK) sailing from global ports in Europe and the Caribbean

Tue May 18^th Alaska!  The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill last Thursday that could allow cruise ships to return to Alaska ports this summer. The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act would temporarily suspend the requirement for cruise ships stop in Canada. Canada is closed to cruise traffic through Feb 2022, making a stop there impossible.

Pulling Up the Anchor!   All far too long to list here, almost all cruise lines are now posting re-start dates – from Southampton to Singapore, from Antigua to Auckland.   

Carnival Cruise Line intends to restart service in the United States without requiring passengers to have the COVID-19 vaccine, according to President Christine Duffy, in an interview on NBC Nightly News on Monday. “There is no mandate for any other business to have that requirement. We wouldn’t be able to have kids under 12 onboard,” said Duffy, standing at Port Canaveral near the Carnival Liberty. Duffy said they are working to restarting in July as the brand is currently continuing its discussions with the CDC.

Above:  The Carmania at Port Everglades (Jan 1966)

Thu May 20^th  Princess Cruises, Holland America Line & Carnival Cruise Line expect to resume US cruising in July with Alaska sailings from Seattle. The news immediately follows Congress’s passage of a cruise ship cabotage temporary waiver for Alaska operations which is on its way to President Biden to sign into law. Plans for the lines’ itineraries to fulfill obligations under the Passenger Vessel Services Act waiver are expected to be approved.

Fri May 21^st  Alaska:  Following passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, work with Alaska government officials, and recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Holland America Line is announcing plans to restart cruising to Alaska in July roundtrip from Seattle, Washington, aboard Nieuw Amsterdam. Bookings are open for the 11 Saturday departures that will operate from July 24 through Oct. 2. The seven-day “Alaskan Explorer” itinerary calls at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan. Scenic cruising in Alaska’s iconic locales includes Glacier Bay and Stephens Passage. 

MSC Cruises:  Cruising from the UK is back after a 14-month hiatus as the MSC Virtuosa is set to cast off from the port of Southampton for a four-night sailing on Thursday.  Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said: “We are very proud that MSC Virtuosa’s first ever sailing marks the resumption of cruising from British ports after an enforced break of more than a year and effectively heralds the next phase of restart for our industry.

Southampton:   Dave Smith reported: “Yesterday (Thursday) we had Ventura docked at QE2 Terminal 38th berth & around 5pm yesterday we had the first cruise ship sailing from Southampton for over 14 months. The ship was the MSC Virtuosa.  She is 1,087 feet long, launched in 2019, has a capacity of 4,842 (double occupancy) or 6,334 maximum capacity, and her gross tonnage is 181,541.  The ship is only carrying 1,000 guests, however, and is on a 4-night cruise along the South Coast of England, then more 3 & 4 day cruises to follow. Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth & the P & O Iona will shortly set sail on cruises around the coast of the British Isles, getting back to normal we hope!”

More News from the UK:    Alan Moorhouse reports:  “In Southampton yesterday, it was a new day, a new page and a new start of the post pandemic era. Hopefully! The new Iona had just been named. The new MSC Virtuosa left on the first ‘seacation’ out of the UK.  Britannia led a P&O ‘hornfest’ as she passed Iona and Ventura. Meanwhile, the new, recently named Viking Venus was nearby in Portsmouth and which will soon host the almost new Scarlet Lady.”

Sun May 23^rd Turkey: Justin Zizes has shared a recent view (below) of 4 large cruise liners being scrapped at Aliaga.

Tue May 25^th Update from California:  Long Beach bought the Queen Mary in 1967 for $3.45 million, and for decades the city has leased the ship to a string of operators who have failed to make a profit. The ship’s latest operator, Eagle Hospitality Trust, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January and the city is now battling with the leaseholder in bankruptcy court over the Queen Mary’s future. A city-commissioned inspection report released in court documents last week says the historic vessel is in worse condition than previously thought and will need an additional $23 million in urgent safety repairs to keep it viable in the next two years. The ship could be in danger of flooding or even capsizing if the repairs aren’t addressed, according to court documents. The Queen Mary in the meantime remains closed until further notice.

Barbados & Beyond:  The Caribbean may be the cruise market coming back in the strongest and quickest manner, backed up by the North American source market wanting to stay close to home.  The Caribbean commanded an average of 38.9 percent of the global deployment of the cruise industry prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that number is expected to grow in the future as the industry returns to sailing. Cruise guests from North America will want to stay closer to home, with homeports in Florida, Texas and Louisiana driving the majority of deployment to the Caribbean on big ships.

Above:  Carnival Splendor at Cabo San Lucas 

Wed May 25^th Viking will expand its Mediterranean presence this summer by adding a third ship for round-trip cruises from Malta.  The Viking Star will now join sister ships Viking Venus and Viking Sea there and will sail a new 11-day itinerary, Malta & the Western Mediterranean.

Another One Gone! Formerly with the Fred Olsen Line, the 48-year-old Boudicca (below) was last serving as an accommodation vessel at Pendik, near the Tuzla Shipyard in Turkey. She was built in 1973 by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland as Royal Viking Sky.  But earlier this month, the 21,500-ton the ship was beached for scrapping at nearby Aliağa. 

The ship certainly had a diverse history.  In 1991–1992, she began sailing for Norwegian Cruise Lines as the Sunward – and then alternating, in summers, as the Baltic-based  Birka Queen.  Between 1993 and 1997, she sailed for Princess Cruises as their Golden Princess.   Then, it was to Hong Kong-based Star Cruises in 1997–1998 as the SuperStar Capricorn followed by a charter 1998–2001 as the South Korean-operated Hyundai Keumgang. She went back to Star Cruises in 2001–2004, again as the SuperStar Capricorn, before  going on charter in 2004–2005 as  Grand Latino for Spain’s Ibero Cruises.  She joined Fred Olsen in 2005, becoming the Boudicca. 

Above:  Victoria & United States at New York (1965)

Out of the old shoebox:   

Above:   The classic Michelangelo seen at Genoa – with Lauro Lines’ Roma & the Rumanian Transylvania also in port.

    Below:  A splendid painting of the outbound Aquitania

Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places! 

LIVES OF THE LINERS:   

CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – MAY 18, 2021

From Bill Miller

May 2021

Thu May 13^th  Norwegian Cruise Lines’ next new ship initially will sail in Northern Europe before moving to North America for voyages out of New York City, the line announced on Monday. Scheduled to debut in Aug 2022, the 3,215-passenger Norwegian Prima (below) also will offer voyages out of Galveston, Texas; and Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida, during its first year in operation. Currently under construction at a shipyard near Venice, Italy, the $950 million Norwegian Prima will be the first of a much-awaited new series of vessels for Norwegian that are scheduled to debut over the next six years.  Norwegian has announced few details of the new vessels other than that they’ll measure around 140,000 tons — about 15% to 17% smaller than the Breakaway Plus Class ships the line has unveiled in recent years. 

Among the inaugural voyages planned are:  A 12-night, transatlantic sailing from Southampton, England, to New York starting on Sep 23rd, 2022, with calls at Lerwick, Scotland; Reykjavík, Iceland; and Halifax, Nova Scotia; and  a five-night, roundtrip voyage to Bermuda out of New York on Oct 10th.

Fri May 14^th Holland America:  It was smooth seas and fair winds for Holland America Line’s newest ship, the 100,000-ton Rotterdam, which returned in the evening of May 6 to Fincantieri’s Marghera (Venice) shipyard in Italy, after successfully completing two sets of sea trials off the country’s Adriatic coast. 

Europe Bound!  With the European Union poised to reopen to Americans and an eventual travel corridor between the U.S. and U.K. remaining likely, airlines are cautiously excited over the possibility of summer travel to Europe boosting their bottom lines. But just how big of a boost remains to be seen, with the window to capitalize on the usually busy summer travel season starting to close — partly thanks to the strong resurgence of domestic travel demand.

Above:  MSC Orchestra at St Petersburg, Russia

Norwegian Cruise Lines is about to up the ante when it comes to the suite life on megaships. The world’s fourth-largest cruise brand on Wednesday announced that its next series of vessels would have the largest variety of suite categories available at sea, including three-bedroom suites that are larger than anything that has emerged from other lines in recent years. The six-ship series also will boast a higher staff-to-passenger ratio and a higher space-to-passenger ratio than other recently built big cruise ships, allowing for a higher-end experience across the board.

Royal Caribbean:  The annual “Monsters of Rock Cruise” is set to sail on the Freedom of the Seas in 2022, marking the sailing’s 10th anniversary Departing out of Miami, Florida, promoter On The Blue announced the five-night full ship charter cruise will set sail Feb 9th to 14th  and visit two ports in CocoCay, Bahamas and Labadee, Haiti, and feature performances from Alice Cooper, along with performances from over 35 artists.

Viking Ocean Cruises announced the “restart of limited operations” from locations including Bermuda, with the cruises “available exclusively for vaccinated guests.”  The cruise line’s website shows sailings from Bermuda in June and July of this year, and the itinerary shows the ‘Bermuda Escape’ 8-day cruise will visit all three Bermuda ports – Hamilton, Dockyard and St George’s — with prices starting at $1,799.

Update from Southampton:   Dave Smith reports “The P & O ship Britannia has been docked in the Ocean Terminal on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, but do not know when she is sailing.  Rumor has it that the brand new Iona [also P&O] is due in port next week.”

Sat May 15^th New Guidelines:   In a major win for cruise fans, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention updated its Conditional Sailing Order on May 12 to loosen mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated cruise passengers. The update also allows vaccinated cruise passengers to explore independently on shore at ports of call.

In the updated rules for the resumption of cruises, the CDC says cruise ship operators “at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that — if they are fully vaccinated — they may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask except in crowded settings.” The CDC further says cruise lines may allow fully vaccinated passengers to explore ports on their own. The agency says those who are vaccinated “may engage in self-guided or independent exploration during port stops, if they wear a mask while indoors.” The CDC notes, however, that foreign countries could have their own requirements concerning independent port exploration.

Immediately, lines began putting out information. Masks will not be required at Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Vicki Freed, the line’s senior vice president of sales, said in her Wednesday Coffee Talk. The CDC has been meeting frequently with cruise lines since it updated its guidance for test cruises and restricted startup cruises last week. The updates included rules for mask wearing, social distancing and shore excursions.

Cruise line officials, including Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, had criticized the agency for not issuing separate guidance for passengers who are fully vaccinated, as opposed to those who are not. Norwegian Cruise Line has committed to sailing ships with 100 percent vaccinated passengers and crew through October. Cited as particularly onerous in the original guidance were restrictions on how long cruise passengers can take off their masks to dine, as well as rules to wear a mask outdoors by the pool. The updates appear to address some of these concerns.  

Carnival Cruise Lines this week notified its guests and travel advisor partners of cancellations for additional sailings as it works toward plans for a possible July restart in the U.S. on select ships.  Carnival hopes to begin operating sailings on three ships from Florida and Texas, including Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze from Galveston, and Carnival Horizon from Miami.  Further, if Carnival can find a solution to allow cruise ships to visit Alaska, the Carnival Miracle will assume some of Carnival Freedom’s departures from Seattle. Given that there is still some uncertainty in our ability to operate these cruises, guests booked on those sailings who wish to make alternate summer vacation plans may cancel without penalty by May 31, 2021 and receive a full refund.  The company is cancelling sailings on all other ships through July 30th.   Guests whose cruises are cancelled are eligible for a future cruise credit (FCC) and onboard credit (OBC) or a full refund.    Separately, late last week Carnival notified its guests that the Carnival Splendor’s pause out of Sydney was extended another month, as it cancelled sailings from Aug 19th to Sept. 17th.

Further CDC Update:  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has seemingly lightened up on its complex cruise regulations, releasing an update to its COVID-19 operation guidelines for cruise lines wanting to operate from U.S. ports under the agency’s Conditional Sail Order. While the CDC stressed its mask order remains in effect, it said that “cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask except in crowded settings.”   The CDC also noted that cruise lines may allow fully vaccinated passengers to go ashore on their own, instead of having to participate in organized group tours.

New Cruise Line:  Former Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) bosses have reunited to launch Ambassador Cruise Line, a UK-based operator aimed at the over 50s market which plans to start sailing with one ship in Apr 2022. Ambassador will operate cruises on the Ambience, formerly known as the Regal Princess and then Pacific Dawn,  a P&O Australia-based ship, which had been set to become CMV’s flagship under the name Amy Johnson.

The 1,400-passenger ship’ maiden voyage will be a “short-break cruise” out of Tilbury to Hamburg, Germany, starting on Apr 6th next year. The ship’s debut full-year program, running from Apr 2022 until May 2023, will include 33 sailings, calling at 88 ports across the Baltics, Greenland, the Arctic and Iceland. During the winter months, Ambassador plans to offer “expedition-style voyages” to the Canaries, Cuba, the Caribbean, Cape Verde and Scandinavia. All passengers and crew will be required to be vaccinated for Covid-19 prior to departure, the line confirmed.

Sun May 16^th Alaska:  The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that will allow foreign-flagged cruise ships to operate in Alaska without calling on a Canadian port as the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act was passed on Thursday. It’s a huge step to saving part of the 2021 Alaska cruise season. 

Update on Restarts:  The three largest cruise brands are targeting different restart plans should get the green light to cruise in July from U.S. ports, according to recent announcements and comments from executives.

Carnival Cruise Line said earlier this week it is hoping for a July restart in the U.S. on select ships. Carnival hopes to begin operating sailings on three ships from Florida and Texas, including the Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze from Galveston, and Carnival Horizon from Miami.  

Royal Caribbean International   “We believe we are now seeing a clear way forward to safe cruising in the near future,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, on the company’s business update call in late April.

Added Michael Bayley, CEO and president of the Royal Caribbean International brand: “With what (CDC letter) we received last night July looks very realistic (for restarting cruises in North America).”  As for the Alaska season, Fain noted there are uncertainties and that service resumption may require a waiver from the Passenger Vessels Service Act as long as Canada will not allow ship calls. Alternatively, Canada could allow technical calls. “Given the momentum, there is reason for optimism,” Bayley added.

Norwegian Cruise Line had intended to restart in the United States on Jul 4th, having submitted what it referred to as an ironclad plan and letter to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in early April. But as of early May, and with no reply from the CDC, company executives said that a July restart from U.S. ports won’t be happening. “The July U.S. launch at least from our company, it’s just not possible,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO, on the company’s first quarter earnings call in early May.

More News from the UK:   Two of our top UK agents,  Dave Smith & Nick Braddock report that P&O Cruises’s brand new Iona (below) will arrive today (Sun May 15^th) at Southampton for the first time.  German built, the $1 billion ship has been laid-up (mostly in Norway) since delivery last year.  The 184,000-ton Iona is the largest British owned passenger ship yet, measures 1,130 feet in length and can carry up to 5,200 passengers.  A sistership, the Arvia, is now under construction.   

Mon May 17^th   Getting Closer!  The cruise industry is getting closer to a restart in the United States as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released another update to its Conditional Sail Order late last Friday. The update added new sections for the screening of embarking passengers for restricted voyages, testing of embarking and disembarking passengers for restricted voyages, test selection and specifications for passenger screening testing on restricted voyages, and onboard COVID-19 testing for symptomatic passengers and their close contacts. In short, the changes continue to open the door for cruise lines to operate with ease if passengers and crew are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Late last night we received multiple updates to the CSO from the CDC,” said Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, in a Saturday morning social media post.  “All reflect the significant progress made with the vaccines. Reading the updates last night and this morning give me increased optimism. Today the light at the end of this long dark tunnel is bright. One step at a time!”

Change at Royal Caribbean:  With an ongoing conflict involving Israel, Royal Caribbean International is expected to cancel or at least significantly adjust its summer season from Haifa on the new Odyssey of the Seas.  According to a report from Crew Center, staff aboard the ship have already been informed the season has been scrapped. Industry sources indicated earlier in the week that the company would need to at least delay the season amid ongoing violence in the region. Now it appears the ground-breaking home-porting operation, which was set to see Royal Caribbean make history by putting a brand new ship into Israel, will need to wait.

Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places!

LIVES OF THE LINERS:   

CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – MAY 10, 2021

From Bill Miller

May 2021

Wed Apr 28^th  Norwegian Cruise Line today announced a further restart of operations in Europe from the homeports of Barcelona and Rome with previously scheduled port-intensive itineraries to the Mediterranean and Greek Isles beginning Sep 5th. Currently scheduled to sail from Barcelona, the Norwegian Epic will cruise seven-night Western Mediterranean itineraries from Sep 5th through Oct 24th, with the Norwegian Getaway sailing a mix of 10 to 11-day Greek Isles voyages from Rome (Civitavecchia) from Sep 13th to Oct 25th.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises today announced its return to sailing with Seven Seas Splendor cruising from the UK beginning Sep 2021.The voyage will mark the cruise line’s return to service, as well as Seven Seas Splendor’s inaugural season, with the ship having only completed two cruises with guests after being christened in Feb 2020. 

Oceania Cruises announced that it will resume cruise operations with the 1,250-guest Marina (below) in Aug, beginning with sailings to Scandinavia and Western Europe. The Marina will resume her originally published voyage schedule, commencing on Aug 29^th in Copenhagen. 

Thu Apr 29^th  Holland-America reports it is now planning schedules and itineraries through 2024 and noted:  “Certainly of note is our historic 150th Anniversary trans-Atlantic voyage. The original voyage departed on Oct 15th 1872, aboard the Rotterdam I, the first Holland America Line ship.  Her maiden voyage sailed from Rotterdam to New York.  Exactly 150 years later on Oct. 15th 2022, the Rotterdam VII (set to debut later this year) will depart Rotterdam once again with calls at Plymouth and Le Havre, an overnight in New York and then continuing onto Fort Lauderdale.”

Before that historic crossing, the new Rotterdam debuts in Europe this summer and then repositions to Port Everglades for winter 2021-2022.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be warming to the idea of the cruise industry restarting in July from the United States. The CDC said:  We acknowledge that cruising will never be a zero-risk activity and that the goal of the CSO’s (Framework for Conditional Sailing Order) phased approach is to resume passenger operations in a way that mitigates the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard cruise ships and across port communities.

Sun May 2^nd Miami:   On Saturday, Miami-Dade County and Nomi Health started to provide cruise crew members with COVID-19 vaccination at PortMiami and will continue throughout the week, according to a statement. Some crew aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Explorer of the Seas received their COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday. 

“Vaccinating crew members is key to getting passenger cruises safely sailing again, putting hundreds of thousands of Americans back to work – including tens of thousands here in our community,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Miami-Dade County is committed to getting shots in arms and to making vaccination as accessible as possible for all, particularly the workers who power our economy.”

Australia:  As cruise lines schedule future sailings, Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess is now scheduled to set sail Mar 31st 2023 on a 28 night voyage  from Brisbane and it is all Australia.  Ports will include: Sydney (Australia), Hobart (Tasmania), Burnie (Australia), Kangaroo Island (Australia), Adelaide (Australia), Albany (Australia), Margaret River (Australia), Fremantle (Australia), Geraldton (Australia), Broome (Australia), Kuri Bay (Australia), Darwin (Australia), Cairns (Australia) and Willis Island (Australia)

This month-long cruise sails around the entirety of Australia, visiting several regions of the country. Based in Brisbane, the Coral Princess visits 14 different ports during the trip, including Hobart in Tasmania. The highlight of the itinerary is the Kimberly region, which is visited twice during the cruise.

Wed May 5^th   India:  The industry impact on crewing following Royal Caribbean Group’s temporary suspension of hiring Indian crew due to the COVID-19 situation in the country depends on whether other cruise lines follow suit and when India is deemed “safe.” India is an important source country for crew recruitment, and many Indians hold key positions in food and beverage and housekeeping, according to the Norwegian Seafarers Union (NSU).

Royal Caribbean International’s crew vaccination program is in full swing thanks to PortMiami, as COVID-19 vaccinations continued on Tuesday.  Crew from the Navigator & Freedom of the Seas received COVID-19 vaccines this morning in a terminal building at the port.  This effort follows the pop-up vaccination clinic hosted last week serving PortMiami employees and all members of the community. Approximately 900 crew members will be getting vaccinated this week, according to a port statement.

Thu May 6^th Dutch News!   Working in close coordination with the government of Greece, Holland America Line has received approval to restart cruising from Piraeus (Athens) in August with four departures aboard Eurodam.  

Sat May 8^th  Norwegian Cruise Lines is threatening to keep its ships out of Florida due to a new state law that bans businesses from requiring that customers show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.   The company says the law is at odds with federal guidelines.

Viking Ocean announced yesterday that it will restart operations in the Mediterranean with new ocean voyages for vaccinated guests beginning this summer.   The Viking Venus and Viking Sea will homeport in Valletta and sail two different 11-day roundtrip itineraries in the Mediterranean.

AIDA Cruises is set to cruise from Germany later this month, according to a company statement, announcing short voyages from Kiel starting on May 22nd.  The AIDAsol is currently positioned in Northern Germany and ready for the restart.   TUI Cruises, also German, are gearing up for a restart.

Sun May 9^th  Norwegian Cruise Lines in reporting a first quarter loss and undershooting Wall Street’s revenue forecast, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said advance bookings are strong, with first half 2022 ‘meaningfully ahead’ of 2019 record levels.

Restart:   Rumors are building that trial cruises may begin in Jul & Aug – and general cruising might resume in fall, possibly Oct or Nov.  But all just rumors at this point as it is a constantly “moving target” with Covid.  

Mon May 10^th Buffets & Beyond:   For cruise lines wanting to operate from a U.S. port, they will need to adhere to a number of new regulations released on Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for ships to sail under the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO).

While many cruise lines have already confirmed their buffets are on hold for the time being, the CDC has made it official by now requiring them to eliminate any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations.

The CDC will also require social distancing in all venues onboard and is recommending cruise lines provide alternative meal services options, such as prepackaged grab-and-go meals, for consumption on open decks or in individual cabins to minimize risks associated with congregate indoor dining.

Outdoor lounge seating around the pool will also have a different look, as loungers and chairs will need to be six feet apart, severely limiting outdoor seating space. These items can be grouped together for families and traveling companions, according to the CDC.

The CDC has also said cruise lines must “prohibit self-guided or independent exploration by passengers during port stops. Ensure all shore excursion tour companies facilitate social distancing to allow for at least 6 feet (2 meters) between individuals who are not traveling companions or part of the same family, mask wearing, cleaning and disinfection, and other COVID-19 public health measures throughout the tour.”

This would require passengers to buy organized tours through the cruise line ahead of time.

Of note, the CDC also said cruise lines should limit shore excursions in foreign ports of call to countries listed as Level 1: COVID-19 Low in CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination, which would take a number of Caribbean destinations out of itineraries.

Mon May 10^th Royal Caribbean:  Having put a pause on hiring Indian crew due to COVID-19, Royal Caribbean International will start recruiting Indian crew again later this month.  

Cordelia Cruises has announced that it will not be able to sail its first voyage in May, as previously planned. According to the Indian-based company, the decision is related to the country’s current coronavirus situation.  This new, niche cruise line owns the Empress, the former Empress of the Seas of Royal Caribbean.

Tue May 11^th Burning Cash!  The three major cruise companies continue to burn through cash with most ships still out of service. Following their first quarter earnings reports, the combined cash burn rate for Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line holdings is approximately $990 million per month.  

Carnival Corporation originally predicted its cash burn rate for the first quarter of 2021 to be $600 million, but reported it was $500 million, beating estimates.

Royal Caribbean Group on the other hand, had predicted a range of $250 million to $290 million per month, but ultimately came in above that, at $300 million, citing fleetwide restart expenses and timing.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings held steady at its estimated $190 million burn rate per month, 

Out of the old shoebox:   Above:   Departure for the Leviathan 

    Below:   The classic Oceanic

Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places! 

LIVES OF THE LINERS:  CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – APRIL 28, 2021

From Bill Miller

April 2021

Mon Apr 19^th  UK-based Saga Holidays has experienced a 127-percent increase in the number of booking inquiries to its contact centers in the week after the UK government released a report suggesting that international travel can be resumed from May 17th.

Wed Apr 21^st  Royal Caribbean Group CEO Richard Fain expressed optimism Monday that cruise lines will be able to resume operations this summer, more than one year after the industry effectively shut down in the coronavirus pandemic.

AIDA Cruises will begin offering seven night cruises out of Corfu on May 23rd. The cruises will travel through the Greek islands to Crete and Rhodes, as well as to Katakolon (Olympia) and Piraeus (Athens).

Thu Apr 22 Small-ship operator American Cruise Lines is now operating six of its 13 vessels in eight states around the country. The U.S.-flagged company, based in Connecticut, was the first line to resume operations in the U.S. on Mar 13^th  when the 100-guest Independence began coastal cruises from Florida.

Royal Caribbean:  The first voyages of the biggest cruise ship ever built are now available for booking. Royal Caribbean on Tuesday began taking reservations for the initial sailings of its much-awaited, soon-to-debut Wonder of the Seas (below), the fifth vessel in its groundbreaking Oasis Class series. At 236,857 tons, the Wonder of the Seas will be nearly 4% bigger than the current size leader in the cruise world, Royal Caribbean’s three-year-old Symphony of the Seas. It’ll be able to hold up to 6,988 passengers — a new record for a passenger ship.

Cruise Saudi, a  public investment fund-owned business that seeks to develop Saudi Arabia’s cruise industry, and MSC Cruises have announced the launch of Red Sea cruises in the coming winter 2021-2022 season. Under the terms of the agreement, the MSC Magnifica will homeport in Jeddah, the commercial hub and one of the largest cities of Saudi Arabia, as well as the second-largest port in the Middle East with a historical centre that has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Operating seven-day Red Sea cruises from Nov 2021 to Mar 2022, the vessel will visit a selection of ports and destinations in the region and three Saudi ports including weekly calls to the port of AlWajh, the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of AlUla.  As the Kingdom prepares to host the inaugural Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2021 on Dec 5^th  in Jeddah, MSC guests will have the chance to follow this global sports event during their trip aboard the Magnifica.

Cheap Fares!  A recent survey of more than 3,000 past cruisers found that health and safety tops the list of factors shaping that decision. It’s not surprising, considering a global pandemic has shut the industry down for over 13 months and travel restrictions are still in place in many parts of the world.  But it is interesting that when asked about the most important factors in deciding whether to book a cruise, the top six on the list are all COVID-related. The ability to get a discount ranked number eight! And who doesn’t want a discount?

Seabourn will homeport in Barbados this summer, starting Jul 18^th.  Carnival Corporation’s ultra-luxury brand will sail two different Southern Caribbean seven-day itineraries with the Seabourn Odyssey. The Odyssey marks the second Seabourn ship back in service as the Seabourn Ovation will start cruising in Greece in early July.

Mon Apr 26^th MSC Cruises may be the biggest cruise brand based on confirmed resumption plans (as of late Apr 2021) with ships and berths back in service by Aug 31^st.   On a corporate level, Carnival Corporation will have the most ships and berths back in service, with six brands set to operate 13 ships by late Aug at press time, and indications are that more announcements are forth coming. 

Returning MSC Ships:  MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Preziosa, MSC Splendida, MSC Magnifica, MSC Orchestra and MSC Musica.     Total Berths: 37,066.  Regions: Europe – Western Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean and Northern Europe.  After announcing a massive restart plan, MSC intends to have ten ships in service in Europe by August.

UK-Based Cruise ships sailing in UK waters will be limited to 1,000 passengers when operations begin on or after May 17th. All travelers must also be residents of the British Isles, according to new regulations issued by the department of transport.  The rules also state Covid-19-secure guidance will continue to apply. 

Carnival Corporation:   The road to a resumption of cruising worldwide is not as easy as it may sound. To that effect, Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise operator, has now contracted Bureau Veritas to support the ships that will be sailing in the upcoming months and those that are sailing already with various health and safety measures. The company will be supporting Carnival Corporation with health and safety services to facilitate the return to cruising, protecting passengers and crew.

Travel restrictions are evolving for those who have gotten a COVID-19 vaccine. Fully vaccinated Americans looking to travel this summer will now be able to add the European Union to their list of potential destinations.

Tue May 27^th Viking Cruises has added two more departures to its program of short UK coastal cruises for June. The additional cruises were added after the first three cruises sold out, and will be operated using the same ship, the 930-berth Viking Venus. The new cruises will start at £3,690 per person. Sailing from Portsmouth, calls are being scheduled for Liverpool, Tresco in the Isles of Scilly and in the bay of Falmouth.

Cunard:   This month Cunard Line announced three centenary voyages that will celebrate Cunard’s first World Cruise by the Laconia in 1922-23.   And sales are already strong!

Cunard has noted:  “2023 marks 100 years since the RMS Laconia completed Cunard’s first World Voyage and to celebrate we’re sailing on a season of global adventures inspired by this pioneering feat in ocean travel.”

“On the morning of Nov 21st 1922, if you were a bit posh and more than a little adventurous, you might have boarded the luxury liner Laconia for her inaugural around-the-world cruise. For 130 glorious days, you’d visit some of the world’s most exotic destinations — Yokohama and Shanghai, Rangoon and Bombay, Egypt, and Naples. You’d steam through the Suez Canal, visit the Taj Mahal, and pass through the Valley of the Kings.“

“Although the ship could carry up to 2200 passengers, this excursion was limited to just 450 travelers who were assigned to only the largest and most well-appointed cabins on board.”

World cruises boomed in 1922-23, with the Laconia being only the first of four ships to leave New York on world cruises that winter. The others, booked either by travel agent Frank C Clark or by American Express, were United American Line’s 19,653-ton Resolute, Canadian Pacific’s 18,481-ton Empress of France and Cunard Line’s 19,602-ton Samaria, which sailed in the opposite direction from the other three, proceeding from west to east. The rest, as they say, is history.

Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places!