MSC Obtains Clearance To Build and Operate Terminal in Barcelona

MSC Cruises has announced that it obtained the final approval by the Port of Barcelona’s Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. This multi-year concession will see the construction of an innovative terminal of 11,670 square meters that MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a 31-year period.

The project is estimated to represent a 33-million-euro investment by MSC Cruises. With construction work set to start shortly, the new terminal is expected to enter service in 2024.

“We are particularly pleased with the award of this multi-year new terminal concession. Barcelona is not only an important homeport for the cruises division, but also for the entire group and its shipping business. As such, the new terminal is further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to the city of Barcelona and the entire Catalonia region,” said MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago.

For the project, MSC Cruises is partnering with the renowned Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill.

“I am also honoured that for this project we will able to partner with the impressive Ricardo Bofill and his firm. Together, we will build a state-of-the-art new terminal that is bound to become another landmark for the beautiful city of Barcelona,” Vago said.

According to him, the new terminal will allow MSC to operate “expanded homeport operations, resulting in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and the overall region.”

“This will come from higher spent locally by our international guests either flying into or out of Barcelona airport and likely to spend additional days in the city and its hotels together with their travelling parties. Homeport operations will also allow us to dedicate to Barcelona more of our new ships – including the LNG-powered MSC World Europa which is currently under construction and is shaping up to become one of the most environmentally friendly ships at sea when she comes into service,” noted Vago.

“Finally, the new terminal allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to environmental sustainability as it will feature both shore power facilities as well as LNG bunkering operations,” he concluded.

According to a press release, this project will allow MSC Cruises to “consolidate its presence in Barcelona,” which is one of the brand’s most important ports in the Western Med and to expand its homeporting operations out of the city.

This will result in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and region as more international guests will transit through Barcelona, likely spending additional days in the city either before or after their cruise, the cruise line wrote.

The new terminal will feature shore power facilities and be ready for LNG bunkering operations, allowing MSC Cruises to deploy more next-generation, environmentally-friendly ships in Barcelona, including the MSC World Europa. The World Europa is the brand’s first LNG-powered cruise ship, currently under construction and due to enter service in 2022.

Both cargo operator MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and ferry operator GNV have a solid presence in the Port of Barcelona, the cruise line said.

“As such, the new terminal is a further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to Barcelona, Catalonia and the whole of Spain,” MSC stated.

Hamburg Opens to Cruises with AIDA and TUI Set to Sail

The German port of Hamburg will again welcome cruise ships this summer as the German city is opening to tourism.

TUI Cruises announced it will sail from Hamburg on June 11 with the Mein Schiff 6, offering short cruises with no port calls.

To start, the German brand will offer three- and four-day scenic cruises and hopes to rotate in ports at a later date. Bookings are now open on the TUI website.

Carnival Corporation brand AIDA Cruises also confirmed that it will base a ship in Hamburg starting in July with more details to follow soon.

Carnival Cruise Line Gets CDC Approval for Operations From Miami, Galveston, Port Canaveral

Carnival Corporation today received U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s (CDC) acceptance of its Phase 2A Port Agreements for PortMiami, Port of Galveston and Port Canaveral – all key homeports for Carnival Cruise Line and the first three homeports that Carnival is focusing on for its return to guest operations this summer, according to a press release. 

“These agreements move us one step closer to sailing with our loyal guests,” said Lars Ljoen, executive vice president and chief maritime officer for Carnival Cruise Line. 

“We appreciate the support from not just these three homeport partners, but all of our homeports, that are eager to have us back as soon as possible," noted Ljoen.

Carnival has already announced that Carnival Horizon (sailing from Miami) and Carnival Vista and Breeze (sailing from Galveston) will be the first ships to carry guests as the line plans its July return to service. 

Port Canaveral has also been identified as a restart priority, and Carnival expects to announce plans for operations from there over the coming days, the company said, in a press release. 

Britain To Build A ‘National Flagship’ To Promote Maritime Trade

A mocked-up image of what the new flagship might look like. Photo via Downing Street

Britain is to build a new flagship to promote its business and trade interests around the world, the government said on Saturday, in a move it said would also boost the ailing shipbuilding industry.

Britain said the ship, once built, would host high-level trade negotiations and trade shows, and the cost of the project would be confirmed once manufacturing contracts were tendered.

“This new national flagship will be the first vessel of its kind in the world, reflecting the UK’s burgeoning status as a great, independent maritime trading nation,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

The government said it would be the first national flagship since HMY (Her Majesty’s Yacht) Britannia was decommissioned in 1997.

A flagship to promote global trade has long been advocated by proponents of Brexit, who highlight the possibilities for new free trade agreements now Britain has left the European Union.

Critics, however, point to disruption to trade with the EU, Britain’s biggest export market, following the country’s departure from the EU’s orbit at the start of the year. There has also been an impact on intra-UK trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The government said the name of the ship would be announced in due course. The Sunday Telegraph reported this month it would be named after Queen Elizabeth’s late husband Prince Philip.

Norwegian Cruise Line to Redeploy Eight Additional Ships

Norwegian Cruise Line today announced that it will resume operations from additional U.S. and international ports this fall with eight more ships in service.

Guests will once again sail aboard Norwegian Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Pearl, Jewel, Sun, Spirit and Norwegian's Pride of America.

Voyages expected to operate in the U.S. are contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Today the company announced its redeployment plans for the following ships:

• Norwegian Joy will cruise from Miami beginning Oct. 19, 2021, with five to 11-day Caribbean voyages.
• Norwegian Breakaway will cruise seven-day itineraries to Bermuda from New York beginning Oct. 24, 2021.
• Pride of America will offer seven-day Hawaii interisland voyages from Honolulu beginning Nov. 6, 2021.
• Norwegian Bliss will cruise from Los Angeles for seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages beginning Nov. 7, 2021.
• Norwegian Encore will offer seven-night itineraries from Miami to the Caribbean beginning Nov. 14, 2021.
• Beginning Nov. 20, 2021, Norwegian Escape will cruise for the first time from Orlando (Port Canaveral), Fla., offering seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean.
• Norwegian Pearl will sail from Miami offering Panama Canal, Bahamas and Caribbean cruises beginning Dec. 23, 2021.
• Beginning Jan. 20, 2022, Norwegian Jewel will be the first ship in the fleet to offer roundtrip Panama Canal cruises from Panama City (Colón and Fuerte Amador).
• Norwegian Sun will sail for the first time in Asia beginning Jan. 28, 2022, offering a five-day Japan itinerary from Hong Kong, before sailing a variety of 11-day cruises from Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.
• Norwegian Spirit will cruise 12-day Australia and New Zealand voyages from Sydney, and Auckland, New Zealand beginning Feb. 9, 2022.

Further redeployments will be announced in the near future.

"When we first welcome our guests aboard Norwegian Jade this July, it will be exactly 500 days since our ships last sailed," said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. "I am so happy that we're finally getting back to what we love the most, and I'm very proud that we continue to redeploy our fleet methodically. We always said we wouldn't rush to sail again, but that we'd get back to it when we felt we could do so safely while maintaining our incomparable guest experience. Our efforts to resume cruising safely will continue to be slow and steady, guided by the science-backed protocols of our SailSAFE™ health and safety program and in collaboration with our destination partners as well as with a variety of governing bodies. We cannot wait to see our guests rediscover the world and make memories with their loved ones again."

In conjunction with today's redeployment announcement, the cruise line has cancelled all voyages on Pride of America through Oct. 30, 2021; Norwegian Escape through Nov. 2, 2021; Norwegian Jewel through Jan. 9, 2022; Norwegian Pearl through Dec. 7, 2021; Norwegian Spirit through Jan. 28, 2022; Norwegian Sun through Jan. 18, 2022; and the Oct. 24, 2021 itinerary aboard Norwegian Bliss.

CDC Significantly Relaxes Cruise Rules for Fully Vaccinated Passengers

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has significantly relaxed its cruise ship regulations for passengers and crew that have been vaccinated against COVID-19, paving the way for a quick U.S. restart.

No Masks and Buffet Can Return

The new update issued on Wednesday said that cruise lines may designate areas as only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew where masks and physical distancing are not required.

The CDC also updated wording, noting that for fully vaccinated passengers, a number of items are now just recommendations, including social distancing in the restaurants and bars, limited seating capacity and even self-service food and drinks, leading the way for the return of traditionally cruise ship buffets. 

In addition, for ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in any areas.

Latest Key Updates from CDC:

• 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.
• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise crew who are fully vaccinated that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in areas of the ship that are inaccessible to passengers.
• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may designate areas as only accessible to fully vaccinated passengers and crew ware masks and physical distancing are not required (e.g., casinos; bars; spas; entertainment venues; and dining areas, including self-serve buffets).
• For ships with at least 95% of crew and 95% of passengers fully vaccinated, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that they do not have to wear a mask or maintain physical distance in any areas.

Now Just Recommendations:

• Change restaurant and bar layouts to ensure that all customer parties remain at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart (such as removing tables, stools, and chairs or marking any that are not for use).
• Limit seating capacity to allow for the physical distancing of at least 6 feet (2 meters).
• Discourage crowded waiting areas by using the phone app, text technology, or signs to alert patrons when their table is ready. Avoid using “buzzers” or other shared objects.
• Eliminate self-service food and drink options, such as self-service buffets, salad bars, and beverage stations.
• Provide eating utensils in a way that prevents handling by more than one person.
• Install physical barriers, such as sneeze guards and partitions in areas where it is difficult for individuals to maintain a proper physical distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters), such as serving stations and food pick up areas.
• Provide physical guides, such as tape on decks and signage, to remind individuals to maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters) where food and beverages are served.
• Provide and encourage outdoor dining and bar/beverage service options.
• Provide and encourage in-room passenger dining service.
• Limit any sharing of food, tools, equipment, or supplies by food workers, to the extent practicable.
• Ensure adequate supplies to minimize sharing of high-touch materials (e.g., serving spoons) to the extent practicable; otherwise, limit the use of supplies and equipment by one group of food workers at a time and clean and disinfect between use.
• Avoid using or sharing items that are reusable, such as menus, condiments, and any other food containers. Instead, use disposable menus, digital menus that can be disinfected between each use, online menus that can be retrieved on diners’ personal cell phones, single-serving condiments, and no-touch trash cans and doors.

Return to Cruising: CDC Approves Royal Caribbean Sailing in June

MS Celebrity Edge. Photo: Jjerome78/CC BY-SA 4.0

The Centers for Disease Control said it had approved one cruise ship from Royal Caribbean to resume sailing in June, more than a year after U.S. cruising was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge will depart from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on June 26, the cruise company said. It will be the first U.S. departing cruise in more than a year with paying passengers.

“Cruising from the U.S. is back!” Richard D. Fain, Royal Caribbean Group chairman and the chief executive officer said in a statement.

The CDC said it is committed to working with the cruise industry and ports to resume cruising in a phased approach.

“CDC and the cruise industry agree that the industry has what it needs to move forward and no additional roadblocks exist for resuming sailing by mid-summer,” the agency said on Wednesday.

The ship will skip a simulated voyage because it requiring crew and passengers to be vaccinated, the CDC said.

Royal Caribbean said all sailings will depart with a vaccinated crew and everyone over 16 must present proof of vaccination against COVID-19. From August 1, all guests ages 12 and older must present proof of vaccination.

The inaugural sailing sets the stage for Royal Caribbean Group to announce additional itineraries, the company added.

The state of Florida, which was later joined by Alaska, sued President Joe Biden’s administration in federal court in April, seeking to overturn the CDC’s decision to prevent the U.S. cruise industry from immediately resuming operations. A federal judge sent that lawsuit to mediation last week.

NCL LATEST LINE TO ANNOUNCE ALASKA RESTART PLANS

Norwegian Cruise Line has become the latest brand to announce plans to restart activities in Alaska this summer.

The line will resume itineraries with Norwegian Bliss offering week-long voyages from Seattle from 7 August to 16 October.

 

NCL joins a number of companies - Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line - in announcing their intentions to return to the region.

 

The developments follow the US House of Representatives approving a bill temporarily waiving Canada’s Passenger Vessel Services Act, which requires ships to either start itineraries in Canada or stop in a Canadian port during them.

 

Alaska is currently the first destination in the US to green-light cruising since the pandemic.

 

All lines are still subject to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) rules, which have not yet allowed sailings to return.

 

Lines are anticipating the CDC allowing sailings to restart from July.

 

As part of its programme, NCL will offer seven to 13 hours of port time in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point in Alaska – guests can also benefit from the opening of a second cruise pier in Icy Strait Point.

 

Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean will also offer seven-night cruises, round-trip from Seattle, on Serenade of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, beginning 19 July and 13 August.

 

Celebrity will deploy Celebrity Summit in Seattle in July offering nine seven-day sailings through to mid-September.

Crew from Holland America Koningsdam Get COVID-19 Vaccines at San Diego

The crew from Holland America Koningsdam Get COVID-19 Vaccines at San Diego

Holland America Line crew members from Koningsdam received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination today at the Port of San Diego in California, according to a statement.

Arranged in partnership with Sharp HealthCare, a not-for-profit regional health care group, 118 crew came ashore to be vaccinated.

During a brief ceremony, Captain Henk Draper, master of Koningsdam, remarked how the crew vaccinations were a welcome step as the ship waits to resume cruising.

Also on hand were Rafael Castellanos, commissioner of the Port of San Diego, and Brett McClain, executive vice president and COO of Sharp HealthCare.

“Today is an incredible day, not only for our team members on Koningsdam but for our entire organization as we continue to take the necessary steps to get back to cruising,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Sharp HealthCare for vaccinating our crew, and to everyone at Port of San Diego for offering the terminal and allowing us to make this process safe and smooth.”

On Thursday, May 20, Sharp HealthCare also will vaccinate 179 crew aboard Noordam, which will be at a nearby anchorage just off Coronado for the day. Likewise, 231 crew from Nieuw Amsterdam will receive Pfizer vaccines from healthcare provider Ambulnz on Friday, May 21, while the ship is alongside San Pedro, California. 

Starting in October 2021 through April 2022, Koningsdam and Zuiderdam will homeport out of San Diego for a season of cruises to Hawaii, Mexico, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South Pacific. In total, fours ships will make 35 calls: Koningsdam in its inaugural season in San Diego (21 calls), Zuiderdam (12 calls), Eurodam (one call) and Nieuw Amsterdam (one call). 

AIDAperla Set to Open Western Med Season in July

On July 10, AIDA Cruises will open its cruise season with the AIDAperla in the Western Mediterranean.

Two different seven-day round trips from/to Palma de Mallorca (Spain) will be offered, which can also be combined into a 14-day cruise. Deployment runs through October 30, according to a press release. Bookings are set to open on June 4.

Port calls include Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena and Barcelona on one itinerary, while the second voyage heads to Alicante, Ibiza, Valencia and Barcelona.

“We are very happy to offer our guests cruises from Palma de Mallorca again. We have been closely connected with the island for 25 years. AIDA is one of the most important cruise companies when it comes to sustainable local added value, even beyond the high tourist season. I would like to thank all our partners. Without their support this development would not have been possible,” said Felix Eichhorn, President AIDA Cruises.

“The Government of the Balearic Islands welcomes the restart of safe cruises in its ports. We are very satisfied with the results of the talks between the Balearic Islands and the Costa Group over the past few weeks so that we can start safely. We warmly welcome AIDA and its guests,” added Rosana Morillo, Directora General de Turismo Illes Balears Conselleria de Model Econòmic, Turisme I Treball.

UK CRUISE RETURN: HOW HAS COVID CHANGED THE EXPERIENCE?

TTG goes onboard MSC Virtuosa – the first ship to restart sailings from the UK – to find out how the pandemic has changed the cruise experience and how the line has adapted. Watch what’s needed for embarkation, see what health and hygiene protocols have been put in place and hear from some of the first guests to return to cruising since the pandemic began.

Sorry for the Audio at the Start.

https://youtu.be/eL4Km6uVpRo

NCL'S NEW SHIP PRIMA BREAKS COMPANY SALES RECORDS

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has claimed to have broken company booking records after its newly announced ship Norwegian Prima went on sale last week.

Prima, the first in a new series of six vessels, brought NCL it's best-performing opening sales day and week in the line’s 54-year history.

 

Launching in August 2022, Prima will feature a number of brand firsts for NCL across its design, venues and guest experience – including Ocean Boulevard, Indulge Food Hall, Infinity Beach and Oceanwalk.

 

Prima will also see the line’s suite “ship-within-a-ship" concept, The Haven, expanded and moved to the aft.

 

NCL president and chief executive Harry Sommer said Prima’s sales during its open booking day has doubled the record set by Norwegian Bliss in 2018.

 

Nearly 20% of bookings made for Prima were for Haven suites, which Sommer said showed NCL guests’ “desire for top-of-the-line experiences”.

 

“Norwegian Prima is already proving to be a game-changer for NCL,” he said.

 

“Every aspect of Prima, from bow to stern, was conceptualised with the guest in mind. With this world-class ship, we are providing our guests with more wide-open spaces, elevated service, thoughtful design and a variety of experiences that go beyond expectation.

 

“Our record-breaking sales are a clear indicator of our guests’ excitement to return to the ocean and of the significant demand for a premium vacation experience.”

Another Costa Cruise Ship Back in Servia, Luminosa Sails from Trieste

Another Costa Cruise Ship Back in Service, Luminosa Sails from Trieste

The Costa Luminosa is back in service for Carnival Corporation's Italian brand as the ship today sailed from Trieste, becoming the company's second ship to resume operations in 2021 after the Costa Smeralda reentered service earlier this month from Savona.

The 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. 

In addition to Trieste, Costa Luminosa's one-week itinerary includes visits to Bari and Corfu, Athens, Mykonos and Katakolon/Olympia. The deployment is scheduled through mid-November, totalling 27 departures.

Costa Luminosa’s restart was celebrated in Trieste by Costa Cruises President Mario Zanetti, together with several key figures, including the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza; the Councilor of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Pierpaolo Roberti; the Captain of the Trieste Coast Guard, Vincenzo Vitale; and the CEO of Trieste Terminal Passeggeri, Francesco Mariani.

"With the restart of the Costa Luminosa, we are finally bringing cruises back to the Adriatic Sea and Greece, one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations, and reviving a sector of great importance to the economy of many European countries, including Italy, as well as the eastern part of the Mediterranean,” said Zanetti.

“Just to illustrate the importance of this restart, before the pause caused by the pandemic, our company generated an annual economic impact of almost €13 billion in Europe, creating over 63,000 jobs. We are particularly pleased to be resuming from Trieste, a city that has always welcomed us warmly, and which will be the home port of Costa Luminosa not only this year but also in 2022. We look to the future with optimism, and we are working to make Trieste even more strategic for cruises, promoting sustainable development and a quality guest experience," he added. 

Next for Costa, on June 26, the Costa Deliziosa will restart with week-long cruises in Greece. July 4 will see the departure of the Costa Firenze with one-week cruises in Italy.

In addition, starting on July 3 Costa Smeralda will begin sailing in international itineraries, with one-week cruises in Italy, France and Spain.

“Trieste welcomes the return of the Costa Cruises ships. In recent years we have developed a very important collaboration with the company that guaranteed a regular presence of Costa ships in our beautiful city. Trieste is a city with a tourist vocation and the return of Costa rewards us for the work we are doing, but above all, it means that tourists are back,” said the Mayor of Trieste, Roberto Dipiazza.

First Look as New P&O Iona Sails into Southampton

The new 5,200 guests P&O Iona sailed into Southampton on Sunday ahead of her naming ceremony.

Dame Irene Hays, chair of Hays Travel, Britain’s largest independent travel agency, will name the LNG-fueled ship and a specially produced Nebuchadnezzar (equivalent to 20x 750ml bottles) of Alex James’s Britpop cider will smash against the hull of the ship to bring it a good fortune in the future.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said “It is a landmark day for both P&O Cruises and for the travel industry as a whole.

“We are on the cusp of a bright new beginning and Iona’s arrival into Southampton this morning is very visible evidence of this much-anticipated future.

“Our guests are longing to get back to sea and Iona’s summer season of UK coastal cruises, including her maiden voyage on August 7 up to her namesake island of Iona, has seen overwhelming demand.”

2021 Alaska Cruise Season May Be Saved as U.S. Senate Passes Key Bill

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. 

The legislation was the work of Alaskan Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.

Next, the bill goes to the U.S. House for approval.

The House will need to vote it through and then President Joe Biden will need to sign it.

"Huge victory today in my effort to provide an opportunity for economic recovery for Alaskan communities who rely on cruise ship passengers -- the Senate just passed my bill," said Senator Murkowski in a social media post.

If the bill moves through other branches of the U.S. government efficiently, the next step would be for the industry to gain CDC approval to operate. 

Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Differ on July U.S. Cruising Plans

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

Carnival Cruise Line

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.  

The Miami-based company also said that if it can find a solution to allow cruise ships to visit Alaska, the Carnival Miracle will assume some of the Carnival Freedom's departures from Seattle. 

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 the reason for optimism,” he added.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line had intended to restart in the United States on July 4, 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.

"It was possible back in early April when we proposed to the CDC 100 per cent vaccination. We've always said it takes about 90 days to stand up a vessel.

"So from April 5, when we submitted our proposal, 90 days would have been early July and that was possible, but today we're in early May, so now we're looking past that. But look there is more to it than just what the CDC says, there is only so much capacity to be able to stand up vessels."

Del Rio said getting a cruise ship ready to sail after a 15 to 18-month layup was not an overnight process.

 

Cruise Industry Capacity Growth Concerns Have Been Debunked

With the cruise industry set to grow at between 4 and 6 per cent per year according to the 2021 Cruise Industry News Annual Report, are there concerns about too many ships and weakened pricing? 

No, according to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings President and CEO Frank Del Rio.

"I think that the narrative of too much capacity coming online pre-pandemic had pretty much been debunked," he said, on the company's first-quarter earnings call. "All the cruise line were taking on the new (ships), digesting that new capacity very nicely and increasing pricing. And so we always – our comeback always was, we only have 28 ships. There are many underserved markets that we simply don't have ships to operate in.

"And so we're eager to get our hands on our new vessels, all nine of them across the three brands. And what we're seeing now within the pandemic is pricing is strong, demand is stronger than ever. I mean, to give you a nugget of data. The Oceania and Regent brands reached their 50 per cent load factor for 2022 over 100 days earlier than they did for the record year of 2019 ... pricing power is there."

 

New Norwegian Cruise Line Ship to Be Named Prima, Deployment Announced

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced its 2022 new build will carry the name, Norwegian Prima.

The ship is due to enter service after being delivered from Fincantieri next summer and is one of six in a new class of ships.

The ship is also expected to sail in Europe next summer before crossing to the Caribbean. 

Norwegian said it would announce more news regarding the new ship on Wednesday, but has already confirmed the ship will sail in the Caribbean for winter 2022-2023, on five-, seven- and nine-day cruises.

A separate Orlando Sentinel article said the ship would homeport in Port Canaveral. 

In 2023 the ship will sail from New York City to Bermuda on five- and seven-day cruises from March through May, before heading to Iceland and Northern Europe for the summer season, offering a 10- and 11-day program from Reykjavik or Southampton.

Viking Expands Restart of Cruising with Two More Ships from Valletta

Viking announced today that it will restart operations in the Mediterranean with new ocean voyages for vaccinated guests beginning this summer, according to a press release 

The Viking Venus and Viking Sea will homeport in Valletta and sail two different 11-day roundtrip itineraries in the Mediterranean

Guests on the new Malta & Adriatic Jewels itinerary will overnight in Valletta and then sail to Montenegro and Croatia, calling in Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Šibenik, before returning to the Maltese archipelago, with a stop in Gozo and finally back to Valletta. Guests on the new Malta & Greek Isles Discovery itinerary will also overnight in Valletta and then sail to Greece, calling in Kalamata, Athens, Santorini, Rhodes and Souda Bay, before returning to Valletta.

The Viking Venus and Viking Sea will sail the itineraries between July and early October 2021. 

“We thank the government of Malta for its support and enthusiasm as we continue restarting operations,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “Malta is a fantastic destination, with ancient history, rich culture and a central location in the Mediterranean. We began calling in Malta in 2016 and look forward to welcoming guests back to some of the most historically significant and naturally beautiful areas of the Med—in both the Maltese archipelago, as well as along the Croatian coast, and around Greek islands this summer.”

Today’s news follows Viking’s recent announcements of Welcome Back ocean voyages in England, Iceland and Bermuda, beginning in May 2021. The company is actively working on developing additional Welcome Back itineraries in a variety of other destinations, with the goal of announcing further 2021 sailings as soon as government approvals are given.

Also, citing the result of strong demand, Viking also announced today it is adding more sailing dates this summer for its Welcome Back voyages around Iceland and Bermuda.

Seven Year Industry Projection: Carnival Largest Fleet, Royal Caribbean Largest Brand

With the cruise industry poised to resume its growth course post-COVID-19, Carnival Corporation is projected to increase its passenger capacity by approximately 25 per cent from 2019 (normal year comparison) to 2027, based on existing newbuild orders and expected deployment, according to the 2021 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

The Royal Caribbean Group is projected to grow 33 per cent; Norwegian Holdings, 43 per cent, while MSC Cruises will double its passenger capacity over the same time period.

On a fleetwide basis, Carnival Corporation is projected to be able to carry more than 14 million guests by 2027, Royal Caribbean, more than eight million, MSC 4.8 million and Norwegian and Norwegian 3.5 million.

Royal Caribbean International will be the single largest brand with an estimated passenger capacity of about six million, while MSC moves up as the second-largest single brand on a global basis with a passenger capacity of 4.8 million.

Norwegian CEO Frank Del Rio: ‘Let Us Cruise’

"Just let us cruise, CDC,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), on the company's Thursday earnings call, expressing his frustration with what he called ridiculous regulations and overreach by the agency.

“But is it not just the CDC (holding the industry back),” Del Rio added. “To be fair, the rest of the world has to open up as well – Europe, Asia and South America.

“How quickly we can return to normal will depend on travel restrictions being lifted and borders being opened.

“There are 50 million people who have not been able to cruise for the last year and a half and now want to cruise. There is pent up demand setting us up for a beautiful scenario to improve pricing.”

Forward bookings and pricing are up compared to 2019 which was a record year, Del Rio said. 

Part of Del Rio’s frustration comes from Norwegian submitting an “ironclad proposal” to the CDC on April 5 and has not yet received an answer, which also puts the mid-July return to service in jeopardy.

Among the impractical and onerous requirements, the CDC has released is that passengers must wear face masks onboard all the time, only lifting the mask to take a bite of food or a sip of a drink, according to Del Rio. He said he was hoping these requirements would not be applicable to fully vaccinated ships.

NCLH will require 100 per cent vaccinations of passengers and crew wherever the ships are sailing and do not plan to participate in the simulated sailing program of the CDC, Del Rio noted.

He said he was outraged that the cruise industry is being treated differently than airlines, casinos, etc. and said that cruise ships will be the safest place on earth.

“We will have 100 per cent vaccinated passengers and crew in addition to our SailSAFE program,” he said.

CDC Releases Instructions for Trial Voyages in Path to Service Resumption

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the next two phases of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) for cruise ships operating or seeking to operate in U.S. waters.

The CDC has published technical instructions for cruise ship operators preparing to conduct simulated voyages in advance of restricted passenger voyages under a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate.

"CDC expects to quickly approve applications that are both complete and accurate," the agency said. 

The guidelines are complex, and there is one key workaround: if 98 per cent of crew are fully vaccinated and 95 per cent of passengers are vaccinated, a cruise operator does not need to conduct simulated sailings. 

The CDC said a cruise line operator should notify them and request approval to conduct a simulated voyage at least 30 calendar days prior to the date on which the cruise ship operator proposes to conduct the simulation but also noted it will respond to submissions within five business days.

With the issuance of these next two phases, cruise ship operators now have all the necessary requirements and recommendations they need to start simulated voyages before resuming restricted passenger voyages and apply for a COVID-19 conditional sailing certificate to begin sailing with restricted passenger voyages, according to a statement from the CDC.

Cruise lines will need to submit information to the CDC such as the dates and location of the voyage, as well as documentation that the cruise line has a written agreement (or a multi-port agreement) with all U.S. port and local health authorities where the cruise ship intends to dock or make port during a simulated voyage.