You can see what post-Covid cruising is like by viewing this collection of videos from on board the Celebrity Edge and Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas.
The Celebrity Edge completed the first U.S.-based cruise of the year on Saturday, July 3, 2021. The Celebrity left Fort Lauderdale for the Caribbean on Saturday, June 26, 2021 and returned a week later after a successful cruise. The ship had about 1,100 passengers and 800 crew members. Celebrity said the cruise was at reduced capacity and 99% of those on board had been vaccinated.
The Freedom of the Seas from Royal Caribbean also recently completed a Caribbean cruise.
If you’re interested in following cruises in real time you can go online and follow the progress at: Cruise Mapper.
For interviews with passengers and more information see the on-location videos below from Royal Caribbean Blog, ECC Travels, The Miami Herald, and Yahoo Finance.
Video from On Board the Royal Caribbean Cruise
Royal Caribbean Blog was on board the Freedom on the Seas (Royal Caribbean) and posted the video below.
Videos from On Board the Celebrity Cruise
ECC Travels was on board the Edge and posted the video below.
The Miami Herald covered the sailing and interviewed passengers in the video below.
The captain of the Edge spoke with Yahoo Finance on board the Celebrity Edge in the Youtube video below.
Upcoming U.S. Cruises
Here are the current cruise plans for major cruise lines:
Carnival has resumed U.S. cruises with their first cruise leaving Galveston, TX on Saturday, July 3. (See Facebook video below.) Carnival has more cruises in July and August from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston: Carnival July Sailings
Celebrity has multiple sailings soon to follow the June 26 sailing, with cruises to the Caribbean and Mexico leaving from Miami and Port Canaveral in July: Celebrity July Sailings
Disney plans to resume U.S. cruises in August, with cruises from Port Canaveral: Disney August Sailings
MSC has resumed U.S. cruises with their first cruise leaving Miami, FL on July 2. MSC has more cruises in July from Miami: MSC July Sailings
Norwegian Cruse Lines plans to resume U.S. cruises in August, with Bahamas cruises scheduled to leave then from Miami: NCL August Sailings
Royal Caribbean plans to resume U.S. cruises in August, with Caribbean cruises scheduled to leave then from Port Canaveral and Miami: Royal Caribbean August Sailings.
Carnival Completes First 2021 Cruise
The Carnival Vista returned to port in Galveston, TX July 10 after a 7-day cruise to Roatan, Belize and Cozumel. This was Carnival’s first U.S. based cruise of 2021. The same day, the Carnival Horizon returned to port in Miami after a six-day cruise in the Caribbean.
All passengers were required to show proof of vaccination or get pre-approved for an exemption. You can find more details at Cruise Industry News.
Below is a video of the Horizon cruise from ParoDeeJay Youtube channel.
CDC Cruise Line Requirements
The CDC is requiring every cruise ship to get approval before sailing.
“Each cruise ship that intends to sail must be approved,” Caitlin Shockey, CDC spokesperson, told USA TODAY, noting that at least one test cruise must be conducted for each ship before that ship can be approved to resume sailing with paying passengers.
As for advice to travelers, the CDC has lowered its risk level to 3 (from level 4) but still recommends that people who are not vaccinated avoid traveling on cruise ships. The CDC said that masks are required on planes, cruise ships and other forms of public transportation, regardless of vaccine status. Read more at: CDC Guidance to Travelers
Most Travelers Ready to Cruise
Two-thirds of experienced cruise passengers are ready to return to cruising in 2021, according to a survey by Cruise Lines International.
“Despite a challenging year in 2020, there is reason for hope and optimism heading into 2021,” says the December 2020 survey, commissioned by CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association).
Based on a survey of 4,000 vacationers, the study found that:
- 2 out of 3 cruisers are willing to cruise within a year
- 74% of cruisers are likely to cruise in the next few years
- 58% of international vacationers who have never cruised are likely to cruise in the next few years.*
CLIA said 19 new ocean ships are expected to debut in 2021, resulting in a total of 270 CLIA Cruise Line ocean ships projected to be in operation by the end of 2021. Looking ahead, this “Fleet of the Future” will feature enhanced health and safety cruise protocols for the resumption of passenger operations designed to help protect passengers, crew and destinations, CLIA said.
*Source: CLIA-Qualtrics Survey December 2020- 4,000 International vacationers each, eight countries, U.S, Canada, Australia, UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Find the complete study at: State Of The Cruise Industry Outlook 2021
