Several cruise lines will begin operations outside the U.S. Photo Credit: mariakray/Shutterstock.com
Several cruise lines have plans to launch their ships from foreign ports on cruises that will be open to North American passengers.
Large-ship cruising is still mostly banned in U.S. waters, due to the CDC s conditional sailing order. But one ship, the Celebrity Edge, has been approved to sail from Florida on June 26, and others are planning cruises to Alaska in July.
The following lines are currently scheduled to launch cruises open to either vaccinated adults or to vaccinated passengers entirely.
This list excludes sailings that are only open to residents of the country where the ship is homeported, such as in England, where many cruise lines are offering sailings for U.K. residents; Royal Caribbean ship in Singapore; and cruises for Europeans by MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, Tui Cruises, Aida Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd.
Cruise Ships Sailing May 2021 Update May 01, 2021
The cruise industry is restarting in a big way in Europe with more ships entering service in May, while in North America, service resumptions involve sailing in the Caribbean and with U.S.-flagged ships in Alaska.
Here are the cruise ships currently back in service or planning restarts in May and into June:
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Quantum of the Seas
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 4,100
Built: 2014
Status: Sailing
Ship: Odyssey of the Seas
Capacity (at 100% Occupancy): 4,100
Built: 2021
Status: Planned – first sailing scheduled on June 2, 2021
Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean International
Ship: Adventure of the Seas
April 25, 2021
Here’s a look at when some of the leading expedition cruise brands plan to restart operations.
Lindblad
Ships: National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Venture and National Geographic Quest
Regions: Galapagos and Alaska
Lindblad Expeditions is planning to relaunch operations in the Galapagos with the National Geographic Endeavour II. Starting on June 4, the 96-guest vessel will explore the remoteness of the Ecuadorian archipelago on a ten-day itinerary.
Starting on June 5, the company also plans to restart service in the Alaska, using its fleet of U.S.-flagged small ships.
Australis
Ships: Ventus Australis and Stella Australis
Region: South America – Patagonia
May 03, 2021
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Travel Weekly’s April 19 feature story pondered the idea that the tourism industry would sharpen its post-Covid focus on sustainability. The story states: “Indeed, more than a year into the pandemic, it appears the Covid-19 shutdown of most international travel has advanced a number of sustainability initiatives.
“The formation last July of the Future of Tourism Coalition underscores the eagerness among players across the industry to work more closely together on rebuilding tourism better. What started with just 22 signatories is now an amalgam of more than 500 companies, destinations, academics and policymakers from around the globe,” the story continues.
The ideas of conservation and sustainability in the tourism industry have been around a long time of course. But the pause of the pandemic has allowed the industry to take a collective step back and assess the world around it. For one thing, we’ve learned that nothing can be taken for granted, and that