BBC News
By Caroline Davies
image copyrightGetty Images
In a drizzle covered dock just outside Edinburgh, three Fred Olsen cruise ships are being readied for service.
After 14 months of standstill, the paint is being retouched, the chairs re-upholstered and the carpets relayed, ready to set sail this summer.
From 17 May cruises will be allowed to resume from England and demand is high.
Fred Olsen launched its summer British isles cruises a few weeks ago and says it has already sold two thirds of the tickets for the early trips.
Its hotel operations director, Thomas Rennesland, tells the BBC he has never been busier, but also that the last year has been stressful.
Why Cuba could be the next big cruise holiday destination
The dawning of a fresh presidential era has fuelled optimism that Cuba s cruising star could rise again
Could more cruises soon be stopping in Havana?
Credit: Getty
For decades, this Cuba has been the ultimate forbidden fruit for American cruise lines.
And as cruise holidays are looking to return from their pandemic-enforced hiatus, some insiders are casting a hopeful gaze towards this Caribbean Communist isle.
It s tantalisingly close to Florida s shores, making it easy to slot into cruise itineraries, yet it has been impossibly out of reach due to punitive sanctions imposed by President Kennedy nearly six decades ago that restricted travel between the two nations.
Why Cuba could be the next big cruise holiday destination Sara Macefield
For decades, Cuba has been the ultimate forbidden fruit for American cruise lines.
And as cruise holidays are looking to return from their pandemic-enforced hiatus, some insiders are casting a hopeful gaze towards this Caribbean Communist isle.
It s tantalisingly close to Florida s shores, making it easy to slot into cruise itineraries, yet it has been impossibly out of reach due to punitive sanctions imposed by President Kennedy nearly six decades ago that restricted travel between the two nations.
A breakthrough came just five years ago when President Obama eased the embargo to allow voluntourism-style “people-to-people” educational trips, sparking an influx of voyages led by industry giants including Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line.
Alaska is out, but the Caribbean is full speed ahead: What we know about cruising in 2021 msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.