Cruise News: Top Stories From March
Cruise News: Top Stories From March
As coronavirus cases continue to decline and travel restrictions are lifted, the cruise industry is bouncing back thanks to a steady increase in bookings for 2022 and beyond.
Cruise lines have been working to improve the passenger experience, including updating COVID-related requirements, announcing new ships, revealing new terminals and so much more.
From onboard food and entertainment offerings to celebrity-driven partnerships, the cruise industry is doing its part to get travel and tourism back on its feet following the devastation associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
The cruise industry made major waves over the last month, and here are the top cruise stories from March.
CDC Drops Health Warning for Cruise Ships
CDC officials said the agency removed cruise ships from its list of Travel Health Notices after more than two years based on a declining number of COVID-19 infections onboard vessels.
“CDC is removing the COVID-19 Cruise Ship Travel Health Notice,” CDC spokesperson Dave Daigle told USA Today. “Travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings.”
The Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) director of strategic communications and public affairs Laziza Lambert celebrated the CDC’s removal of the health notice.
Canada Announces Protocols for Cruise Industry’s 2022 Return
Canada announced cruise ships would once again be welcomed to its ports in 2022, but strict coronavirus-related restrictions will be in place to ensure the safety of travelers and the locals. The move ensured the Alaska cruise season would include stops in Canada.
As part of the new guidelines, all cruise ship passengers and crew members must show proof of a complete vaccination before being permitted to enter Canada and a negative coronavirus test taken within one day of boarding.
Australia Lifts Ban on International Cruise Ships
Australia announced it had lifted its ban on international cruise ships arriving and departing from ports, a policy which has been in place for the past two years.
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia, which worked alongside the government to negotiate the cruise industry’s reopening, was gratified by the decision and plans to continue helping individual states establish their respective requirements for reopening ports.
Disney and Other Cruise Lines Update Mask Requirements
Several major cruise lines have announced the relaxation of mask mandates on their ships based on the latest CDC guidance. Disney Cruise Line said mask usage would be optional for guests entering most indoor locations throughout their cruise ship.
Carnival Provides Shore Excursions Update for Unvaccinated Travelers
Officials from Carnival Cruise Line said dropping COVID-19 infection numbers had allowed the company to relax some of the shore excursion restrictions for unvaccinated guests through December 31. Effective immediately, unvaccinated passengers are no longer restricted to “bubble” tours and may purchase from many of Carnival’s shore excursion offerings.
MSC Breaks Ground on North America’s Largest Cruise Terminal
The Cruise Division of MSC Group broke ground on a new mega cruise terminal at PortMiami that will become North America’s largest once completed. The terminal is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and reflects an investment of approximately $350 million.
Viking Adds Eight New River Cruise Ships
Viking welcomed eight new river ships to its fleet and announced the ceremonial godmothers of the new vessels. Four of the Viking Longships were designed for the Seine River—Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid and Viking Skaga—and are scheduled to visit an exclusive dock location at Port de Grenelle in Paris as part of their itineraries.
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Orders Two New Superyachts
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has announced the addition of two ships, revealing plans for a pair of new superyachts named Ilma and Luminara. Scheduled to set sail in 2024 and 2025, respectively, the vessels will be constructed in collaboration with Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Sant-Nazaire, France. The deal also includes an option for additional ultra-luxury vessels.
Royal Caribbean Launches New Hotel Booking Engine
Royal Caribbean International announced the launch of a hotel booking engine, Royal Caribbean Hotels powered by Priceline. The engine will offer exclusive rates with thousands of hotels in every departure and arrival port served by the cruise line, including those in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific and North, South and Central America.
Cruises Lines Set New Booking Records
Oceania Cruises’ 2024 Around the World in 180 Days world cruise opened for sale on March 2 and was completely sold out within 30 minutes, breaking a new booking record for the cruise line. American Queen Voyages said it reached a 2022 single-day booking record, surpassing the previous high mark by 10 percent.
Norwegian Announces Venues for Prima and Viva Ships
Norwegian Cruise Line announced new details of the culinary and beverage offerings aboard the upcoming Prima and Viva ships. The vessels will feature new dining and beverage venues including Metropolitan Bar—Norwegian’s first sustainably-focused bar—and seven dining options.
Katy Perry Named Godmother of Norwegian Prima
Norwegian Cruise Line named pop superstar Katy Perry as godmother of the Norwegian Prima. Not only will Perry christen the ship on August 27 in Iceland, with the traditional maritime blessing and the breaking of a champagne bottle on the hull, she’ll also perform before the ship departs on its inaugural voyages from Reykjavík.
Virgin Voyages and Jennifer Lopez Announce Partnership
Virgin Voyages announced a fleet-wide partnership with international film and music star, entrepreneur and style icon, Jennifer Lopez. The cruise line founded by entrepreneur Richard Branson is redefining the nautical tradition of a ship’s godmother, elevating the role from a ceremonial position to a modern, change-making partnership.
Princess Adds NBA, WNBA Logos to Wireless Device Options
Princess Cruises signed a licensing agreement with the NBA and WNBA Properties so passengers can pay to put professional basketball team logos on their quarter-size, wearable MedallionClass devices.