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PEOPLE 16 AND OLDER ARE NOW ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN SAN FRANCISCO

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 

Contact: San Francisco Joint Information Center, dempress@sfgov.org

*** PRESS RELEASE ***

PEOPLE 16 AND OLDER ARE NOW ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE COVID-19 VACCINE IN SAN FRANCISCO 

San Francisco to continue equity strategy to ensure residents of hardest-hit neighborhoods receive equitable access to vaccine

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed, Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax, and Director of the Department of Emergency Management Mary Ellen Carroll today announced that in accordance with state and federal guidance, all people age 16 and over in San Francisco are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Those newly eligible people age 16 and over should visit SF.gov/getvaccinated to learn about options for receiving the vaccine and to find links to schedule appointments at different vaccination sites.

Last week, San Francisco expanded eligibility to 16 and older in priority zip codes 94124, 94134, 94112, 94110, 94107, 94102, 94103, and 94130, which are communities that have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the City will continue its efforts to ensure vaccines are administered equitably. This new expansion for all people 16 and over had originally been scheduled for April 15. In recent days, other counties in the Bay Area have begun to vaccinate people 16 and older, including Alameda County and Santa Clara County, so the City is moving sooner to open up eligibility in order to ensure access for San Francisco residents. Nearly 60% of people 16 and older in San Francisco have received at least one dose of the vaccine and the City is currently vaccinating roughly 12,000 residents per day.

“As we work to get people vaccinated as quickly as possible, this expanded eligibility is important progress in our fight against COVID-19. We’ve created a network of vaccination sites in our city, and San Franciscans are stepping up and getting vaccinated because we know that it’s our best shot to end this pandemic once and for all,” said Mayor Breed. “Even with limited supply, San Francisco continues to be well ahead of the national average for how many of our residents have been vaccinated. There’s an end to this pandemic in sight, and we’re doing everything we can to make that happen as soon as possible.”

The goal of San Francisco’s vaccination strategy is to make receiving the vaccine as convenient, comfortable and low-barrier for as many people as possible, particularly in those neighborhoods disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City has developed a robust distribution infrastructure that includes high-volume vaccination sites, neighborhood sites, community clinics, pharmacy partnerships, and mobile vaccination teams.

Across these efforts, San Francisco is averaging almost 12,000 doses a day, and nearly 60% percent of San Franciscans 16 and older have received at least one dose. More than 30% percent of San Franciscans have been fully vaccinated. Eighty-four percent of San Franciscans 65 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 68% percent have been fully vaccinated.

“As eligibility expands citywide, we remain focused on ensuring equitable access to vaccine for those neighborhoods that have been most impacted by this pandemic,” said Dr. Grant Colfax. “We will continue to work with our community partners to ensure that vulnerable communities have ready access to the vaccine. With limited supply, we know that booking an appointment right away might be challenging, but we are expecting more vaccine towards the end of the month. I want to reassure everyone who is eligible that your opportunity is coming soon. In the meantime, please be patient, wear your masks, practice physical distancing and good hygiene, and choose outdoor over indoor activities. Together, we can keep our curve flat and our city reopening.”

Despite this significant progress, insufficient vaccine supply remains the single biggest factor limiting the City’s vaccination effort. Because supply remains extremely limited while eligibility is expanding, it may take a number of weeks to find an available appointment. Eligible individuals should continue to be patient, should keep checking the website, and should accept the first vaccine that is offered, with the exception of people 16 and 17 years old, for whom Pfizer is currently the only approved vaccine. If San Francisco receives sufficient supply to meet the City’s distribution capacity, over 80% of adults could be vaccinated with first doses by mid-May.

San Francisco’s commitment to an equitable vaccination strategy has focused on reaching communities that have been hard-hit by the pandemic, including the Latino community and neighborhoods in the southeast of the city. A higher proportion of the Department of Public Health (DPH)-administered vaccinations have gone to people of color than the total citywide vaccinations. For example, the Latino population represents 14% percent of the City’s vaccine eligible population and has received more than 26% of DPH’s vaccinations. The vaccine dashboard also shows that the top three neighborhoods receiving the largest amount of DPH-controlled vaccines are the Bayview, Mission, and Excelsior.

“Equity is a critical element of San Francisco’s vaccination program. This is why San Francisco’s vaccine network emphasizes distribution and outreach in communities disproportionately impacted by the global pandemic,” said Mary Ellen Carroll, Executive Director, San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. “Partnering with community organizations allows us to work with trusted partners that help ensure that our vaccine operations and our outreach and engagement are conducted in a culturally appropriate and effective manner.”

Following today’s announcement from the CDC and FDA, San Francisco has paused the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine out of an abundance of caution until more is learned about the potential side effects. To date San Francisco has administered more than 33,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to residents with no known cases of blood clotting. As this adverse event is reported to be extremely rare with just over six reported cases nationwide, the City does not believe there is cause for immediate alarm. However, people who have received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should contact their primary healthcare provider if they have concerns or if they develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination. COVID-19 vaccine safety is a top priority for the City. DPH will continue to monitor the situation and will look forward to hearing the outcome from the CDC’s meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices tomorrow to better understand the significance of these cases.

The state informed the City last week to expect a 33-35% percent decrease in the vaccine supply for the month of April caused by near-term supply challenges at the national level, as well as increasing proportions of California vaccines being delivered through the federal direct allocation programs to Federally Qualified Health Centers and pharmacies. Additionally, the City’s supply of Johnson & Johnson would decrease by upwards of 90% percent due to federal manufacturing issues. As the City only received 500 doses of Johnson & Johnson (out of 10,000 doses total) this week, this pause will not have a significant impact on this week’s vaccination efforts.

Vaccine Appointment Information 

In order to assist individuals with accessing appointments, the City has set up a call center to help people, especially those who are 65 and older, those with disabilities and those who are unable to easily access the internet or schedule an appointment through their provider. Individuals may call to learn about vaccine options and receive assistance in booking an appointment to some locations. The number is (628) 652-2700.  

Muni and Paratransit are free for anyone traveling to and from COVID-19 vaccine appointments. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is also providing additional access to taxi service for those using the Essential Trip Card. Information can be found at sfmta.com/COVID and sfmta.com/paratransit. 

Anyone who works or lives in San Francisco and is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine can go to SF.gov/getvaccinated to find vaccination locations and make an appointment. The City will continue to provide regular updates to the public about the vaccine in San Francisco at SF.gov/covidvaccine.

Manny’s Restarts Live Programing Thursday, April 15

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Media Contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Manny’s Restarts Live Programing Thursday, April 15
“The Future of San Francisco” Outdoor Dinner Series
at Curio SF (775 Valencia)
www.welcometomannys.com

13 April 2021 – San Francisco, CA:  For the first time since the start of the COVID pandemic, Manny’s (www.welcometomannys.com), the popular community gathering spot, restaurant and bookstore, will re-start live/in person programming. Starting Thursday, April 15 at 6pm (doors, 5:30pm), “The Future of San Francisco” Outdoor Dinner Series will kick off at-and-in-partnership with Curio SF (775 Valencia). The first of the four-event series is entitled “Is San Francisco Becoming a Caricature of Itself?” —  a conversation between San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight and Joe Eskenazi of Mission Local on the state of San Francisco politics.   The event will also be available virtually via Zoom.  The price is$10 for Zoom and $65 per person for a three course meal and the in person event. Tickets are available online at: https://welcometomannys.com/events/

“I can’t wait to get back on a stage and dive into important topics with this incredible crew of journalists, artists, public servants and change makers,” said Manny Yekutiel, 31 who founded and runs the eponymous community engagement space and café dubbed “the New Hampshire of California” (KCBS Radio) for its hosting of myriad political events including hosting 17 Democratic presidential candidates. “We’ll be discussing the future of our City as we emerge from this unforgettable year. We’re going to learn and grow together and I’m just glad that we’re back!”

Below is the list of the entire series:

Thursday, April 15: Is San Francisco Becoming a Caricature of Itself? Discussion between journalists Heather Knight and Joe Eskenazi.

Thursday, April 22: Painting the Pandemic & Future of Public Art with Fnnch and Serge Gay Jr. 

Wednesday, May 5: What is the Future of the Office in San Francisco? with SPUR CEO Alicia John-Baptiste

Thursday, May 13: A New Era of Transit? How Will We Get Around Post Pandemic with SFMTA Board Chair Gwyneth Borden and SFMTA Director Jeffrey Tumlin.

Since opening its doors on Election Night 2018, Manny’s has become an epicenter of community involvement, dialogue and civic engagement having served over 50,000 people, staged over 500 events, donated space to more than 150 area nonprofits and charities, and hosted 17 presidential candidates in his first year alone. Also, in addition to receiving much media and public attention, Manny’s was recognized for his above-and-beyond achievements by the California State Senate as “Small Business of the Year.” 

Manny’s is a people powered, community focused meeting and learning place in the heart of San Francisco that combines a restaurant, political bookshop, and civic events space. Manny’s goal: to create a central and affordable place to become a better informed and more involved citizen. Manny’s offers its events space to nonprofits, activists and civic organizations to spread their message and do their work as well as hosting its own civic and arts related programming. Manny’s kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry.

LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – APRIL 10, 2021

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LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – APRIL 10, 2021

From Bill Miller

April 2021

Sun Apr 4th  Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava posted on social media that she had a conversation with the CDC Director, who informed her the agency will be providing cruise lines “shortly” with new guidance.

Wed Apr 7th Miami  The president of Carnival Cruise Line, the world’s largest cruise company, is turning up the volume on warnings that the company will move its ships out of the U.S.  With no end in sight to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cruise industry shutdown, cruise companies say it’s a matter of survival to get business somewhere else. Carnival Cruise Line has more ships based at Port Canaveral than any other cruise company, making its cancellation of all cruises at least through June 30 a big deal.
An even bigger deal is its threat to take its ships out of U.S. ports because of the CDC’s cruise industry shutdown.

Thu Apr 8th Cancellations!  Cruise fans on Tuesday faced another barrage of cruise cancellations from some of the world’s biggest cruise lines. Industry giant Carnival Cruise Line said it had pushed back its return to service by another month with the cancellation of all June sailings. Also canceling all June sailings was Disney Cruise Line, and Disney also canceled all of its Europe sailings through Sep 18.

More cancellations also came on Tuesday from fast-growing Viking, which canceled all June and July sailings that had been on its schedule. In their place, the line announced plans to operate a very small number of voyages out of Bermuda and Reykjavik, Iceland, in addition to a handful of U.K. sailings.

In addition, as part of a return-to-service plan announced early Tuesday, Norwegian Cruise Line canceled all July and August sailings aboard eight of its 17 ships: Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Sky, Norwegian Spirit, Norwegian Star and Norwegian Sun. Norwegian also canceled voyages on two more ships — Norwegian Epic and Norwegian Pearl — through Sep 1st and Nov 7th, respectively. For now, Norwegian only plans to restart operations over the summer with three vessels.

Norwegian’s two sister brands, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, also canceled more voyages on Tuesday, removing all July sailings from their schedules. Both lines now plan to restart operations in August.

The flurry of cancellations came even as more cruise lines announce plans to restart cruise departures in very limited ways over the summer. Norwegian’s announcement on Tuesday included plans for new sailings out of Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Greece starting in July and August.

Also on Tuesday, Seabourn revealed plans to restart cruising in July with sailings of a single ship operating out of Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens).

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises & Crystal Cruises in recent days also have announced new or expanded restart plans that involve a small number of ships.

Fri Apr 9th Virgin Voyages is the latest cruise line moving sailings abroad as the timeline to resume cruising in U.S. waters remains unclear.  “Virgin Voyages has been looking forward to sailing, and we’re so excited to announce our plans to sail from the UK,” said Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, in a statement. 

The cruise line had a slow start because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which squashed Virgin’s plans to launch in April 2020. But after multiple delays, its first ship, Scarlet Lady, will make its debut in August in the United Kingdom with a series of voyages open to residents of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The Scarlet Lady will be departing from Portsmouth, England, with all passengers and crew required to be fully vaccinated.

Viking Ocean Cruises will require all passengers to be vaccinated for its summer cruises, making it the latest cruise line to make the jab mandatory on board. The cruise line will open up summer sailings to Bermuda and Iceland in June, requiring guests to be both inoculated as well as undergo saliva PCR tests at embarkation and “frequent” testing throughout the journey. Additionally, Viking will add more sailings to its “England’s Scenic Shores” cruises in the United Kingdom, which it started offering in May for British citizens.

Carnival Corporation will have nine ships operating soon between its AIDA, Costa, Cunard, Princess, P&O UK and Seabourn brands, and hopes to continue with a staggered restart.  How many ships will it take before the financials start looking better? Using 2019 as a baseline, a fleet of 25 ships operating may be the magic number, according to David Bernstein, chief financial officer, speaking on the company’s first quarter business update call on Wednesday.

Bernstein said that using 2019 numbers, if the company had its top 25 ships operating, at full occupancy, they would generate enough cash flow to cover the pause costs of 60 to 65 other ships  Full occupancy will take time however, as Arnold Donald, CEO, said that initial sailings from the UK would start at modest occupancy levels.

Sat Apr 10th The Long Beach City Council moved forward this week on a plan to possibly transfer control of the land that encompasses the iconic but financially beleaguered Queen Mary to the Long Beach Harbor Commission, which governs the Port of Long Beach.

Cruising remains the only sector of the economy that is prohibited by the U.S. Government from operating at this time. This is due to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Conditional Sailing Order, which bans cruise ships from sailing from ports in this country.

This has been a great source of frustration not only to cruise lines and cruise fans but also to the State of Florida, where many homeports, such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral, are located. On Thursday, TPG reported that the state of Florida had filed suit against the federal government to force it to allow cruise lines to resume sailing out of U.S. ports.

Celebrity and the Sunshine State aren’t alone in this fight, though. Major players in the industry, from Norwegian Cruise Line to Royal Caribbean to the industry’s CLIA association, are all asking Congress to take action. They believe it’s necessary to restart cruising from U.S. ports and their customers agree. According to Celebrity’s email, more than 300,000 jobs have been lost in the U.S. because of the suspension of cruise travel.

Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Cruise Lines are sending empty ocean liners to the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent to assist with the evacuation of thousands of people as an eruption from La Soufriere volcano appears likely.

“An explosive phase of the eruption may begin with very little warning,” the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center said in a statement to the Associated Press.   The Carnival Legend and Carnival Paradise vessels along with Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas and Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Reflection (RC and Celebrity have the same parent company) are expected to dock at the island Friday to help transport some of the 16,000 people who live within the volcano’s red zone and have been forced to evacuate.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday the state will file a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding cruise ships be allowed to resume sailing immediately.

Princess Cruises has announced that it will be leveraging new satellites for what it’s calling “super-charged internet connectivity,” and is now promoting its ships as the perfect “remote workstation” for virtual workers who need fast internet for their jobs.

Upon its return to sailing, every ship in the Princess Cruises fleet will feature land-like connectivity as part of its MedallionNet wifi service. MedallionNet’s seamless integration will ensure that passengers can work from their deck chairs as efficiently as in their office back home, with access to their cloud-based applications such as storage, videoconferencing, and email.

There will be an access point in every stateroom and every public area across the ships, meaning passengers wishing to go online won’t have to be sitting in that one corner of the lounge to get high-speed wifi.

Crystal Cruises:  Less than a month after announcing its roundtrip Bahamas sailings for this summer, Crystal is back with another 2021 cruise option: Iceland.  The Crystal Endeavor is Crystal Expedition Cruises’ very first ship, and she will be spending her inaugural season circumnavigating the beautiful landscapes of Iceland. The vessel will operate five 10-night immersive voyages in the region beginning July 17th.

More from Crystal:  Crystal continues to be at the forefront of the cruise industry’s return as the company announced that the Crystal Symphony will sail a series of 15 10-night Luxury Caribbean Escapes round-trip from St. John’s, becoming the first ship ever to homeport in Antigua. Beginning August 5 through December, including a holiday sailing on December 23, the Crystal Symphony will visit the island locales of Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago*, St. Maarten and British Virgin Islands, offering travelers tropical luxuries and ample wide-open spaces to discover the local cultures with plentiful air options from most major U.S. cities. Crystal Symphony’s return to sailing marks the resumption of service for 97 percent of Crystal’s oceangoing fleet in the summer of 2021.

Out of the old shoebox:   Above:   Independence at Pier 84, New York, 1966;   below:   Angelina Lauro at Capetown.

D:\Bill\Pictures\To Be Sorted\Angelina Lauro.jpg

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

Hotel Council of San Francisco Takes “25 x 25 Pledge”

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Media Contact: DP&A, Inc. / David Perry (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Hotel Council of San Francisco Takes “25 x 25 Pledge”

Initiative Guarantees at Least One Quarter of Council Leadership
Comprised of Underrepresented Communities by 2025

5 April 2021— San Francisco, CA: In an ongoing effort to better serve its membership and visitors  the Hotel Council of San Francisco (www.hotelcouncilsf.org) has announced that it is signing on to the 25 x 25 Pledge (www.pledge25x25.org) initiated by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group guaranteeing that by 2025 the number of underrepresented individuals in its leadership will increase by at least 25%.

“San Francisco is rightly proud of its deserved reputation as a City that celebrates diversity and understands that such diversity is the foundation of our brand and our economy,” said Kevin Carroll, Hotel Council President and CEO. “Having said that, one of the things that 2020 has shown us is that all of us can do better, and that includes the Hotel Council.  We hope that more and more companies, and organizations, will step up and take this pledge. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do.”

Companies that take the pledge commit that by 2025 at least 25% of their leadership will be individuals from underrepresented groups — people of color, members of the LGBTQ communities and women, or that they will see at least a 25% boost in underrepresented executives in leadership roles. In addition, participating groups commit to increase resources by 25% by 2025 for funding and/or community engagement for underrepresented groups to expand minority talent.  Those taking part in the “25 x 25” pledge also commit to educating their workforces about inclusion and unconscious bias and report progress to their stakeholders, members, clients and vendors.

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is imperative to a company’s overall success,” said Kelly Powers, Hotel Council Director,who initiated and directed the Council’s education and outreach efforts including participation in “25 x 25” and the landmark series of DEI webinars. “A diverse team leads to innovation, creativity and new perspectives that help companies succeed. A focus on diversity also recognizes unconscious bias is a part of corporate environments. Through education and meaningful conversations, companies can make meaningful change by proactively hiring people of color, women and members of the LGBTQ communities.”

The third of the Hotel Council’s DEI webinars takes place tomorrow, April 6 at 11am PST. Facilitated by Cassandra Pye, partner at Lucas Public Affairs and featuring Renel Brooks-Moon longtime announcer for The San Francisco Giants and Veronica Velazquez, Senior Manager for Global Inclusion & Diversity at The Expedia Group, the webinar will focus on Unconscious Bias in the workplace and how if affects our decisions, behaviors and interactions.  Additional DEI webinars are scheduled for June 10 and September 9.

“Understanding such implicit bias is key,” says Powers. “It is how we begin to dismantle structural inequality and achieve our social justice goals.”

According to a recent study by McKinsey and Company, a lack of diversity in business narrows perspective and promotes exclusion of other people’s experiences and opportunities. In addition, the economic benefits are evident when teams are more diverse.

“By taking part in the ’25 x 25 pledge, we demonstrate our commitment to progress on this issue as a visible leader to our employees and partners,” said Powers. 

“As leaders in the hotel and hospitality industry we must be where our clients are,” Carroll summed up. “Businesses who come to San Francisco for conventions and conferences see us as allies on this issue.”

The Hotel Council of San Francisco is a non-profit membership-based organization advocating for the economic and social vitality of the hospitality industry in San Francisco. With a membership roster of over 200 hotels, allied members, and partner organizations, the Council is dedicated to protecting the San Francisco hospitality industry and connecting its members to support its growth and success.

Companies signed on to the “25 x 25” Pledge to date: 

  • 49ers
  • Alaska Airlines
  • Bay Area Council
  • Children’s Hospital
  • Facebook
  • Hotel Council of San Francisco
  • NAACP
  • San Francisco Chronicle
  • Santa Clara University
  • Stanford Hospital
  • Twitter
  • United Airlines
  • Western Digital
  • Zoom

LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – April 4, 2021

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LIVES OF THE LINERS:   CRUISING, CRUISE SHIPS & THE COVID PANDEMIC – April 4, 2021

From Bill Miller

March 2021

Sun Mar 28th  Hiatus!   During this long gap, many cruise lines are taking the opportunity for overhauls and refits.   The Oosterdam & Eurodam are seen below at the Damen shipyard in Brest.

Beating the Scrappers:   Change in plans:  The 70,000-ton Satoshi has been saved from Indian scrap merchants and now seems to have been  sold to a new startup cruise company.  Having been arrested in Panama late last year, the 1991-built ship was recently released and arrived in Bar City in Montenegro last week, a port that has been commonly used for crew transfers and warm layups during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The ship originally entered service as the Regal Princess in 1991, transferring to P&O Australia in 2007 for year-round service in the Australian market. She was built at Fincantieri and was originally ordered by Sitmar Cruises.

Norwegian Cruise Lines has a very diverse schedule of itineraries.  But here’s one departing on Jan 2nd 2022 onboard  the Norwegian Jade (below).  The 12-night voyage begins at Cape Town and then touches several African ports:  Mossel Bay (South Africa), Port Elizabeth (South Africa), Richard’s Bay (South Africa), Durban (South Africa), Luderitz (Namibia) and Walvis Bay (Namibia)

Mon Mar 29th:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shot down calls from the cruise industry to allow business to restart in July,

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is threatening to sue the federal government if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn’t allow cruises to restart by the summer.

The Italian Government has announced that it will be temporarily diverting the flow of large cruise ships from Venice to Marghera, a mainland industrial port across Venice.

Tue Mar 30th  Around Britain cruises for the upcoming summer season are now also being offered by MSC Cruises, Celebrity and Saga (below).   These voyages are for vaccinated UK citizens only.

Wed Mar 31st Oceania’s seventh ship will named Vista. And as with last week, the return of cruising is gaining momentum with Royal Caribbean Group adding two more ships in the Mediterranean, while further operators examine joining the UK coastal trades to English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Manx waters.   The 30,000-ton ship is one of the R-Class from Renaissance Cruises and later sailed as the Pacific Princess.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has a beef with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He says if the CDC doesn’t lift its “conditional sailing order” on cruise ships soon, allowing them to resume sailing out of U.S. ports this summer, his state will sue the government entity.

French News!   Our good friend Philippe Brebant reported yesterday: MSC Virtuosa forced to leave St Nazaire to give room for the next to be launched Celebrity Beyond yesterday is now en route to Le Havre where she is due to arrive on April 2nd for more than one month lay up. She will sail then to Southampton where she is due to be based for summer time cruising around Britain instead of North Sea as previously planned from Kiel. She will become then the largest vessel operating out from Southampton at 181,548 tons and with total accommodation for 6,344 passengers. She will be also the largest ever to enter Le Havre. Another meeting has been cancelled today:   We were waiting for Jewel of the Seas to switch a portion of crew to the newly delivered Odyssey of the Seas. But due to pandemic alerts onboard, this meeting has been cancelled. This Papenburg-built ship meeting will take place somewhere else instead. 

Thu Apr 1st  Royal Caribbean International has confirmed a summer 2021 cruising season in the UK on the Anthem of the Seas. Select key workers will have an opportunity to sail for free.

Lindblad Expeditions announced plans today to resume operations in June for the 2021 season in Alaska and Galápagos.

Japan:  NYK Group has ordered a new 744-guest cruise ship from Meyer Werft for its Asuka Cruises brand, which currently operates the luxury Asuka II  (ex-Crystal Harmony).  The 51,950-ton ship will be delivered in 2025.   NYK is the former owner of Crystal Cruises.   

Fri Apr 2nd  Carnival Corp:  Like many others, Arnold Donald is missing cruises.  “I’ll be on the first cruise ship I can get on as soon as restrictions lift!” says the Carnival Corporation president and CEO. “I can’t wait to feel the sea breeze and catch up with our amazing crew members to let them know how grateful we are for everything they have done, and continue to do, for our business and for our guests. I’m also excited to meet our guests and see the happy expressions on their faces as they enjoy our innovative ships and delight in the life-changing experiences we offer.”

It’s been a year since Donald was forced to halt all cruise operations across Carnival Corporation’s AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, P&O Australia, Princess Cruises and Seabourn brands due to the global Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. Neither Donald nor anyone else in the cruise industry expected the virus to still be ravaging countries around the world after 12 months.

Cunard:  From over in England, our “agent” Alan Parkhurst reports:  The launch of Cunard’s Summer at Sea luxury UK voyages has driven the busiest booking day in the UK for a decade.   Cunard’s Summer at Sea voyages onboard the Queen Elizabeth (below), sailing between July and October 2021, comprise scenic cruises along the UK coastline, voyages that include ports of call around Britain or those that simply sail to wherever the sun shines brightest. All are round-trip from Southampton.

“This record-breaking day follows a phenomenal response to our Centenary World Voyages, onboard the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria in 2023, which went on sale a few weeks ago. In perhaps an indication that guests are upgrading having not traveled for a while, suites onboard these voyages pretty well sold-out at the end of the first day of sales, with only one top suite remaining,” said Cunard President Simon Palethorpe. “We are delighted by this response from guests and particular thanks to all of our agent partners for their continued work supporting guest bookings. We’re really looking forward to welcoming guests back on board this summer.”  

Below:   The three Queens departing from Lisbon in spring 2015 as part of Cunard’s 175th celebrations.

Sat Apr 3rd Storylines has announced that it will build its new residence cruise ship concept, the MV Narrative (below), at the Brodosplit shipyard  in Croatia.  The ship features fully furnished residences ranging from 237 sq. ft. to 2411 sq. ft., priced from $300,000 to more than $8 million for a premium two-level penthouse suite. Owners and invited guests will have the opportunity to live a sustainable life of luxury and freedom while at sea. Owners have the option to make their unit available through the Storylines rental program.

Positioned as the greenest ship in the market, according to a press release, Storylines’ MV Narrative utilizes LNG fuel along with innovative reusable energy technologies and energy storage and recovery systems. The ship also includes a waterfront marina, microbrewery, art studio, hydroponic gardens, and more.

MSC Cruises has opened bookings for its new UK cruise holidays this summer with sailings from $550 pp including premium drinks, luxurious cabins, and heaps more.  In fact all of the sailings will be offered on brand new flagship MSC Virtuosa, which boasts some swanky staterooms, a large top deck pool, and even a sci-fi themed bar complete with a robotic bartender. 

Above:  The mammoth MSC Virtuosa & the Ship’s Gallery

   Out of that old shoebox:  Very top:   Sat afternoon departures – Home Lines’ Atlantic (left) and Oceanic (1982);   Below:   The brand new Queen Mary arriving in New York’s Lower Bay, June 1936

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