Eight cruise line brands from Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company, have announced plans to resume guest cruise operations, with AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Seabourn sailing in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe.
The brands are resuming operations using a gradual, phased-in approach, with sailings announced on 42 ships to date through the end of fiscal year 2021 (Nov. 30), representing 52% of the company’s total capacity across its global fleet of 91 cruise ships. The initial cruises will take place with enhanced health protocols developed in conjunction with government and health authorities, and informed by guidance from the company’s public health, epidemiological and policy experts.
Carnival Corporation’s most recent brand restart announcements are summarized directly below, with a full list of initial restart plans by brand, ship and expected start date available further below. Additional brand updates on the resumption of guest cruise operations for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 will be announced as further restart plans are finalized.
Additionally, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are offering land-based vacation options this summer for travelers to experience Alaska through a combination of escorted, explorer and rail tours, as well as lodging and sightseeing.
The newly announced voyages build on recent restarts from the company’s AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises brands, which have been sailing in Europe since March and May, respectively. In addition to dozens of successful sailings between both brands in 2020, the most recent 2021 sailings from AIDA Cruises and Costa Cruises have demonstrated the effectiveness of enhanced health protocols developed in conjunction with local, national and global experts, and have generated high guest satisfaction scores, as measured by net promotor surveys.
“For all of our brands, our highest responsibility and top priorities are always compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, our shipboard and shoreside employees, and the communities we visit,” said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. “We are excited to see eight of our world-leading cruise line brands sailing this summer, and to date, we’ve announced over half of our capacity returning by the end of the fiscal year, as we work to meet significant pent-up demand for cruising and get back to what we do best – serving our guests with one of the world’s most popular vacations.”
Added Frizzell: “The broader restart of cruising marks a critical step in the recovery of our brands and the industry as a whole, which provides a major economic impact and supports jobs across multiple sectors around the world. As our cruise line brands collaborate closely with our port, destination, supply chain and travel agent partners on a responsible resumption of cruise operations, we will ensure we continue working together across the industry in the best interest of public health.”
In working with global and national health authorities and medical experts, as well as authorities in destination countries, the company’s brands have developed a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols for protection and mitigation across the entire cruise experience for its initial cruises. This includes cross-industry learnings and best practices based on the proven health and safety record of industrywide sailings and input from top science and health experts and health authorities.
Press Release
Source: Maritime Shipping News