The new year brings new optimism for many in the travel industry. Avid cruisers are anxiously waiting for the day they can safely step back onboard a cruise ship. Want to know when we will actually cruise again? We have the latest updates from the cruise lines in 2021.
Ever since the CDC provided its roadmap for the resumption of cruising, cruise lines have been working diligently in prep for restart. However, with the back and forth between the cruise lines and the CDC, we still do not have a clear date on when cruising will resume from the United States.
So, some cruise lines have begun announcing cruise restarts from outside the United States, as well as further cancellations through the summer.
Recently though, there has been some optimism for U.S. cruises. The CDC has issued Technical Instructions for Simulated Voyages. Then, the agency also released its operations manual for passenger voyages. This provides us a concrete look at what it will really be like to cruise now.
Most recently, the CDC even relaxed some of those guidelines for fully vaccinated guests. Specifically, they do not need to wear masks outdoors on cruise ships. The agency also is allowing vaccinated guests to independently explore ports of call.
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Latest Updates from the Cruise Lines in 2021
Royal Caribbean
Just Announced: Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas will sail from the Bahamas this summer beginning June 12th. Vision of the Seas will cruise from Bermuda this summer beginning June 26th. Jewel of the Seas will cruise from Cyprus this summer beginning July 10th. Anthem of the Seas will cruise from the UK this summer for residents only.
UPDATED 5/14/21: Many of the major cruise lines have issued statements regarding further suspensions to cruise operations recently. However, Royal Caribbean has remained quiet. Royal Caribbean’s suspension of cruising (excluding excluding select ships) is still through June 30th. Additional ship specific cancellations beyond this date include:
- Quantum of the Seas Alaska sailings departing April 5 to October 14, 2021: In order to allow additional time for our preparation, Quantum of the Seas will remain in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Odyssey of the Seas May 9 to October 28, 2021 sailings departing from Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy. Instead, Odyssey will begin her inaugural season out of a new homeport, Haifa, Israel from June to October 2021. These new sailings are available for residents of Israel only.
- Adventure of the Seas June 5 to October 14, 2021: Instead of offering sailings from Barcelona, Spain, Adventure of the Seas will now offer sailings from Nassau, Bahamas beginning June 2021.
- Vision of the Seas June 6 to August 29, 2021: Instead of offering sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Vision of the Seas will now offer sailings from Bermuda beginning June 2021.
- Jewel of the Seas June 7 to October 31, 2021: Instead of offering sailings from Northern Europe; Barcelona, Spain; and Boston, Massachusetts, Jewel of the Seas will now offer sailings from Limassol, Cyprus beginning June 2021.
- Anthem of the Seas June 4 to August 29, 2021: Instead of offering European sailings, Anthem of the Seas will now offer Ocean Getaways and British Isles itineraries from Southampton exclusively for UK residents.
Stay up to date with the latest Royal Caribbean cruise cancellations here.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Just Announced: Norwegian Cruise Line will sail 3 ships outside the United States this summer. Norwegian Jade will sail from Athens beginning July 25th. Joy will cruise from Montego Bay, Jamaica beginning August 7th. Gem will cruise from Punta Cana, DR beginning August 15th. Norwegian Epic and Getaway will also sail from Europe late this summer.
UPDATED 5/14/21: Along with its cruise restart plans for the abovementioned ships, Norwegian Cruise Line announced a series of further cancellations through at least July 31st. Ship specific dates are listed below.
- Pride of America – July 31, 2021
- Bliss – July 31, 2021
- Sky – August 30, 2021
- Star – September 23, 2021
- Spirit – September 24, 2021
- Dawn – September 26, 2021
- Sun – October 7, 2021
- Escape – October 10, 2021
- Breakaway – October 17, 2021
- Encore – October 28, 2021
- Pearl – November 7, 2021
- Jewel – November 13, 2021
In a positive cruise update, the cruise line announced its Sail SAFE protocols and is awaiting CDC approval to begin sailing in the United States.
Sister brand Oceania Cruises extended its suspension of voyages to include all scheduled departures aboard Marina through and including August 19, 2021. Marina returns to her previously published schedule of departures beginning with the August 29, 2021 sailing from Copenhagen. All departures through September 30, 2021 aboard Riviera, Regatta, Insignia, Nautica and Sirena are cancelled.
Sister brand Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced a return to sailing beginning with Seven Seas Splendor on September 11, 2021. The brand has extended its suspension through September 30, 2021 for the following ships; Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Navigator.
Stay up to date with Norwegian Cruise Line’s cancellations here.
Carnival Cruise Line
UPDATED 5/14/21: Carnival Cruise Line’s most recently issued statement extended its pause in operations in the U.S. through through July 30th, with hopes to begin operating three ships from Florida and Texas.
Carnival hopes to begin operating sailings on 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, Carnival Miracle will assume some of Carnival Freedom’s departures from Seattle.
Separately, Carnival notified its guests that Carnival Splendor’s pause out of Sydney was extended another month to September 17, 2021.
Related to already-announced dry dock plans, Carnival Magic, Paradise, and Valor’s return to operations will now be delayed until November 2021. Further, Carnival Radiance’s dry dock will now take place in September. Now, the ship will arrive in Long Beach in November 2021.
Additionally, Carnival Miracle’s planned seasonal service from San Diego has been suspended until further notice. Sailings out of San Diego that were available for sale through April 2023 have been cancelled, with the exception of seven voyages to Hawaii which will move to Long Beach.
With Carnival Miracle repositioning to Long Beach, the ship will assume the Carnival Radiance’s itineraries through November 1, 2021 as well as the seven Hawaii Carnival Journeys. Carnival Miracle will also launch a new program of four- and five-day cruises to Mexico during the winter season. These cruises will begin November 2021 and continue through April 2023.
In a previous announcement, the inaugural sailing for the brand’s newest ship, Mardi Gras, was further delayed as well. In addition, Carnival has cancelled the European itineraries for Carnival Legend which were to begin this May through October 31, 2021.
Additional cancellations to accommodate dry dock work include Carnival Liberty from Port Canaveral from September 17-October 18, 2021 and Carnival Sunshine from Charleston from October 11-November 13, 2021.
Visit Carnival’s website for a complete list of cancellations.
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Celebrity Cruises
Just Announced: Celebrity Cruises has announced restart plans for ships outside the United States. Celebrity Millennium will sail from St. Maarten this summer beginning June 5th. The brand new Celebrity Apex will debut this summer sailing from a homeport of Athens, Greece. Celebrity Silhouette will cruise from the UK beginning July 3rd.
UPDATED 5/14/21: In alignment with the last announcement from Royal Caribbean Group, Celebrity Cruises’ suspension of sailings includes those departing on or before June 30, 2021, excluding ships which have recently announced new homeports.
Additionally, Celebrity Cruises has cancelled May through October 2021 Europe and transatlantic cruises on Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Constellation. Further, Celebrity Cruises had already suspended their full 2020/21 Winter program in Australia and Asia.
For further details on Celebrity Cruises cancellations, visit the cruise line’s website.
Princess Cruises
UPDATED 5/14/21: Princess Cruises most recent announcement was a further extension to its pause of cruise vacations sailing the Caribbean, California Coast, and Mexico through August 21, 2021. The brand also cancelled remaining 2021 Mediterranean cruises on Enchanted Princess.
In response to Canada’s ban on cruise ships, Princess Cruises has previously cancelled Canadian departures. These include:
- Alaska seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruises, sailing between Vancouver, B.C. and Anchorage (Whittier)
- Pacific Coastals that start or end in Vancouver, B.C.
- Canadian Adventure sailing roundtrip from Southampton, UK
The cruise line does indicate that they are trying to preserve a portion of the Alaska and Canada & New England 2021 cruise seasons. In the meantime, Princess has committed to operating the Kenai Princess Wilderness lodge along with McKinley Chalet Resort in Denali and Westmark Fairbanks Hotel this summer. Details on land vacations can be found here.
Princess has also extended the pause of its UK-based cruise vacations, sailing roundtrip from Southampton, through September 25, 2021 on Sky Princess, Regal Princess and Island Princess. For UK guests, Princess Cruises will launch a series of new short cruises departing in late summer on Regal Princess and Sky Princess from Southampton.
Given the CDC’s cap on max length of voyages, Princess has also previously cancelled all cruises longer than seven days sailing in and out of United States ports through November 1, 2021.
For further details on cruise cancellations, visit Princess Cruises’ website.
Holland America Line
UPDATED 5/14/21: As Holland America Line continues to prepare and develop its plans to meet the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, the company recently extended its pause on European cruises departing from July 1st through July 25th on Volendam and July 1st through August 31st on Westerdam.
To accommodate the newly announced Greece sailings, guests sailing on Eurodam’s published Seattle roundtrip Alaska cruises will be moved to similar accommodations on sister ship Nieuw Amsterdam.
Previously, HAL updated its cancellations to reflect changes related to Canada’s ban on cruise ships. The cruise line cancelled all sailings that depart from or conclude in a Canadian port in 2021. This included several Alaska, three Canada/New England, and two Pacific Coastal cruises in summer and fall of this year. It also included all Land+Sea Journeys.
At this time, discussions are underway with Canadian and United States government authorities to try to find a path forward to preserve sailings roundtrip from Seattle, Washington this summer.
Like Princess Cruises, HAL also previously cancelled cruises of eight days or longer that call in the United States through Nov. 1, 2021.
For complete details, visit Holland America Line’s website.
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Disney Cruise Line
UPDATED 5/15/21: As Disney Cruise Line continues to carefully review the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and work towards resuming operations, the brand has extended its pause in operations to include all sailings departing through July 2021. Disney Wonder sailings are cancelled through July 12, 2021. Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy sailings are cancelled through July 31, 2021.
DCL had previously cancelled European sailings on the Disney Magic through September 18, 2021 and have now canceled an additional three Disney Magic sailings departing from New York through October 9, 2021.
The Disney Magic will set sail in the United Kingdom for a limited time this summer on short voyages limited to UK residents.
Stay up to date with Disney Cruise Line’s latest cancellations here.
MSC Cruises
UPDATED 5/14/21: While MSC has been cruising in other parts of the world with its new Health and Safety Protocol, the brand has also cancelled all U.S. sailings through June 2021. The decision will affect the schedules of three ships based in Florida: MSC Divina in Port Canaveral as well as MSC Meraviglia and MSC Armonia in PortMiami.
MSC Cruises currently has plans to have 10 ships sailing in Europe this summer!
Stay up to date on MSC Cruises cancellations here.
Viking Cruises
Just Announced: Viking has announced a collection of Welcome Back voyages including itineraries around Bermuda and Iceland beginning in June 2021. Most recently, the luxury cruise line announced that Viking Venus and Viking Sea will homeport in the Malta this summer, following a series of domestic cruises in the UK on Viking Venus.
UPDATED 5/14/21: On March 11, 2020, Viking was the first cruise line to temporarily suspend operations on all river and ocean cruises. Then on December 8th, Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen provided a video update introducing the new Viking Health & Safety Program.
This program will feature the latest technologies including automated cameras that take guests’ temperatures, UV-C robots to sanitize public spaces, and upgrades to air ventilation systems. Viking ocean ships will also have onboard PCR labs able to conduct daily saliva tests on all guests and crew.
Citing the ongoing restrictions on international travel and cruise ship travel in particular, the remainder of the Viking fleet remains on suspension.
Virgin Voyages
UPDATED 4/7/21: It has been a rough road for the brand new cruise line Virgin Voyages. In light of COVID-19, Scarlet Lady’s inaugural season was postponed. It was originally to begin April 1st, 2020.
On December 9th, the brand provided a further update with plans for Scarlet Lady to sail from PortMiami on May 9, 2021 and Valiant Lady on November 14, 2021. However, Virgin Voyages has had to even further postponed these dates.
Now, Virgin Voyages has cancelled sailings from July 4th through September 17th, 2021 on Scarlet Lady in the United States. However, the ship will sail a series of Summer Soirees in the UK.
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Comments
So, the million dollar question- When Will We Actually Cruise Again from the United States? What are your summer travel plans? Drop us an anchor below to share your predictions on the resumption of cruising in the U.S. this year.
7 comments
JK
I’m cruising Greek Isles around Labor Day and am “hopefully optimistic”
Paul
FYI…We just called NCL for a status update on our June 2021 Baltic cruise. They read a statement to us stating that the June cruises are “frozen”. When asked if meant canceled, they said not yet. They could not tell us when they would make the determination on canceling the cruise. They said we would be notified by email, but couldn’t say when.
Carol Neumann
We have a transatlantic cruise booked with Princess for Nov. 14. Cancellations are up to Nov. 1, so we are beginning to wonder about this cruise.
Eloise Brown
I when is viking going to be starting to port in cleveland ohio
Miriam
When will we know about September cruiseson Victory 2?
Rahothaman
What about river cruises
Alan Hayes
When are royal carribean sailing from Southampton 2021b