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Major Cruise Line Restart Dates and Plans

Major Cruise Line Restart Dates and Plans

Major cruise lines are planning restarts in various phases in 2021. Here's the latest: 

Carnival Cruise Line

First Sailings Listed: July 1, 2021

Ships: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Elation and Carnival Sensation

Regions: Caribbean and Bahamas

In April, Carnival Cruise Line extended its pause in operations through June 30, citing continued work with the Administration and with the CDC.  

Now, the first sailings on the company’s website schedule depart on July 1, with the Carnival Breeze, the Carnival Elation and the Carnival Sensation.

With other U.S. brands relaunching service elsewhere in North America, Carnival is also evaluating the option.

“While we have not made plans to move Carnival Cruise Line ships outside of our U.S. homeports, we may have no choice but to do so in order to resume our operations which have been on ‘pause’ for over a year," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a previous statement.

 carnival-breeze

Royal Caribbean International

First Sailing: One ship in service; five more to follow

Ships: Quantum of the Seas in service; Odyssey of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas, Vision of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas and Jewel of the Seas set to follow

Regions: Presently sailing in Asia and soon on Bahamas, Bermuda and Europe

Royal Caribbean has been sailing in Asia since December, offering short cruises from Singapore.

Now, the company plans to operate cruises on five more vessels.

In June, while the new Odyssey of the Seas will be based in Israel, the Adventure of the Seas and the Vision of the Seas will offer new itineraries in North America. Another two ships, the Anthem of the Seas and the Jewel of the Seas will sail in Europe from July.

anthem-of-the-seas

Crystal Cruises

First Sailing: July 3, 2021

Ships: Crystal Serenity, Crystal Endeavor and Crystal Symphony   

Regions: Bahamas, Iceland and the Caribbean

Crystal Cruises will be one of the first major cruise lines to restart service in North America, with the Crystal Serenity offering an all-Bahamian itinerary from July. In the same month, the luxury brand intends to relaunch service in Iceland, with the new Crystal Endeavor.  

In August, the Crystal Symphony should also welcome passengers back, offering a series of 10-night cruises to the Caribbean.

crystal-serenity

MSC Cruises

First Sailing: One ship in service; nine more to follow. 

Ships: MSC Grandiosa in service; MSC Seaside, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Seashore, MSC Splendida, MSC Magnifica, MSC Orchestra, MSC Preziosa, MSC Musica and MSC Seaview set to follow

Regions: Presently sailing in the Western Mediterranean and soon in the Eastern Mediterranean and Northern Europe

One of the first major cruise lines to welcome guests back, MSC Cruises is currently operating a single ship in the Mediterranean, the MSC Grandiosa.

Starting in May, the Italian company intends to gradually add more nine vessels to its restart plan, including the new MSC Virtuosa in the United Kingdom and the MSC Splendida in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, the temporary pause of U.S.-based sailings was further extended, cancelling all cruises until June 30, 2021. 

msc-grandiosa

Norwegian Cruise Line

First Sailing: July 25, 2021

Ships: Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Joy and Norwegian Gem  

Regions: Eastern Mediterranean and Caribbean

After extending its operational pause once more, Norwegian Cruise Line announced its a restart plan, with three ships reentering service this summer.

The company will offer cruises from Greece with the Norwegian Jade, from Jamaica with the Norwegian Joy and from Dominican Republic with the Norwegian Gem. Recently, Norwegian also submitted a plan to CDC, asking permission to cruise from U.S. ports starting on July 4, 2021.

norwegian-gem

Costa Cruises

First Sailing: May 1, 2021

Ships: Costa Smeralda, Costa Firenze, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa

Regions: Western Mediterranean and Eastern Mediterranean

Costa Cruises recently expanded its restart plan to include four ships sailing in the Mediterranean during the summer.

The company is now planning to relaunch operations next month, starting un the Western Mediterranean. The region will see the Costa Smeralda offering three- to seven-night cruises to Italy from May 1, 2021.

In July, calls in France and Spain are expected to be add to the ship’s itinerary. Also in July, the new Costa Firenze will start all-Italian itinerary that includes visits Savona, Civitavecchia, Palermo, Naples, Messina and Cagliari.

In the Eastern Mediterranean, Costa plans sailings from Trieste on the Costa Luminosa starting on May 16, and from Venice on the Costa Deliziosa starting on June 26. Both ships will sail to the Greek Isles.

All other cruises previously scheduled through mid-September 2021 have been cancelled.

 Costa-Deliziosa

Disney Cruise Line

First Sailing: July 15, 2021

Ship: Disney Magic

Region: United Kingdom

Disney Cruise Line is planning a service resumption in Europe, with the Disney Magic offering "staycations" in the UK market. The first sailing is scheduled to depart Liverpool on July 15, 2021. 

Meanwhile, Disney cancelled all of its U.S. based operation until June 30, 2021.

The-Disney-Magic-embodies-the-Disney-Cruise-Line-tradition-of-blending-the-elegant-grace-of-early-20

Princess Cruises

First Sailing: July 31, 2021

Ships: Sky Princess and Regal Princess

Region: United Kingdom

In March, Princess Cruises extended its global operational pause to include all sailings through June 30, 2021.

While cruises were cancelled further out in some destinations, Princess recently announced new Summer Seacations in the UK.

Exclusive to fully vaccinated local residents, the sailings are set to start on July 31, 2021 on the Sky Princess and the Regal Princess.

 Sky-Princess

Genting Cruise Lines - Dream and Star Brands

First Sailing: Two ships in service; another one starting on May 13, 2021

Ships: World Dream and Explorer Dream in service; Star Pisces set to follow

Regions: Presently sailing from Singapore and Taiwan and soon from Malaysia

In February, Dream Cruises extended its program of short cruises in Singapore until June 27, 2021. Onboard the World Dream, the sailings are geared to the local public and have been operating since November 2020.

The Explorer Dream, meanwhile, is sailing island-hopping itineraries in Taiwan since July 2020. A third vessel will be reactivated in May, as the Star Pisces enters service in Malaysia for Star Cruises.

World-Dream

AIDA Cruises

First Sailing: One ship in service; another starting on May 23, 2021

Ships: AIDAperla in service; AIDAblu set to follow

Regions: Presently sailing in the Canaries and soon in Greece

Since March 20, AIDA Cruises is sailing in the Canaries with the AIDAperla. The operation features seven-night cruises from Gran Canaria and was recently extended until June. 

Next month, the AIDAblu is set to offer two new week-long cruises in Greece, sailing from Corfu.

AIDAperla

Celebrity Cruises

First Sailing: June 5, 2021

Ships: Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Apex and Celebrity Silhouette

Regions: Caribbean, Mediterranean and United Kingdom

Cruises Cruises has announced a phased restart service plan. Starting in June, the premium brand will offer cruises with three ships, with the new Celebrity Apex sailing in the Mediterranean and Celebrity Millennium in the Caribbean.

The Celebrity Silhouette, meanwhile, will sail a program of domestic sailings in the UK from July. 

Celebrity-Apex

Holland America Line

First Sailing:July 1, 2021

Ship: Volendam  

Region: Mediterranean

After trimming Mediterranean sailings until June, Holland America Line could return to service on July 1 with the Volendam. Unlike other Carnival brands, however, the company is still to announce a firm restart plan.

Other summer itineraries to Alaska and Canada/New England are also in doubt, after Canada’s extended ban on cruise ships.

Volendam

TUI Cruises

First Sailing: Two ships in service; another one starting on May 13, 2021

Ships: Mein Schiff 1 and Mein Schiff 2 in service; Mein Schiff 5 set to follow

Regions: Presently sailing in the Canaries and soon in Greece

With a program in Northern Europe, TUI Cruises was one of the first cruise lines to start sailing back in July 2020. Currently, the German brand is operating in the Canaries, with the Mein Schiff 2 as well as the Mein Schiff 1.

On May 13, a third ship is scheduled to enter service in Greece, as the Mein Schiff 5 offers week-long itineraries from Corfu.

Mein-Schiff-1

Celestyal Cruises

First Sailing: May 29, 2021

Ships: Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia

Regions: Mediterranean 

Celestyal Cruises announced that it will resume operations on May 29 from Piraeus, Athens with its seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary aboard the Celestyal Crystal. 

A second ship, the Celestyal Olympia, will resume service on June 28.

Celestyal-Crystal

Windstar Cruises

First Sailing: June 19, 2021

Ships: Star Breeze and Wind Star

Regions: Caribbean and Mediterranean

In March, Windstar Cruises outlined a new return-to-service plan to its fleet.

Now, the company plans to welcome guests back on June 19, with the Star Breeze in the Caribbean and the Wind Star in the Mediterranean.

Star-Breeze

Azamara

First Sailing: July 10, 2021

Ship: Azamara Pursuit

Region: Eastern Mediterranean

Now an independent brand, Azamara has recently extended its pause in operations to include all sailings until June 30. With the change, the company might restart operations on July 10, with the Azamara Pursuit in Eastern Mediterranean, according to cruises listed on its website.

The company’s new ship, now named Azamara Onward, should only be in service in 2022.

Azamara-Pursuit

Silversea Cruises

First Sailing: May 28, 2021

Ships: Silver Explorer and Silver Moon

Region: Australia and Mediterranean

Silversea Cruises cancelled all its cruises through May 27. Royal Caribbean’s luxury brand now intends to return to service on May 28 with the Silver Explorer when the expedition ship is set to sail on a nine-night cruise in Australia’s Kimberly region.  

Starting June 28, Silversea will also offer cruises in the Mediterranean with the new Silver Moon.

 Silver-Moon

Virgin Voyages

First Sailing:  August 6, 2021

Ship: Scarlet Lady

Region: United Kingdom

After cancelling its entire summer season in the Caribbean, Virgin is now planning to start service in the UK. Starting in August, the Scarlet Lady is set to sail from Portsmouth, offering short cruises to nowhere.

 Scarlet-Lady 

 

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