Carnival Corp Brands Resume Cruising in US, Caribbean and Europe

It’s finally happening! Eight cruise line brands from Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest cruise company, have plan 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.

Carnival Corp & plc is one of the world's largest leisure travel companies
The Meridian Restaurant aboard Carnival Horizon. Carnival Horizon will begin sailing from Port Miami in July 2021. Credit: Carnival Corporation

North America Brands

· Carnival Cruise Line has announced it will resume guest cruise operations with eight ships by the end of August, including sailings out of Galveston, Miami, Port Canaveral, Long Beach and Seattle (to Alaska). Included in that roster is Mardi Gras, the line’s newest and most innovative ship, and first cruise ship in North America powered by eco-friendly liquefied natural gas (LNG), with sailings from Port Canaveral starting on July 31.

· Princess Cruises expects to resume guest cruise operations in July with Alaska sailings and a series of cruises around UK coastal waters, as well as cruises out of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mexico, Hawaii and California coast starting in September.

· Holland America Line expects to resume guest cruise operations in July with Alaska sailings, followed by sailings from Greece in August, and from Italy and Spain in September, as well as sailings to Mexico, Hawaii, the California coast and the Caribbean this fall.

· Seabourn expects to resume guest cruise operations in July sailing from Greece and Barbados, along with the beginning of the Antarctica season in November.

Europe & Asia Brands: 

·;

· AIDA cruises resumed guest cruise operations in March sailing in the Canary Islands, in May with sailings in Greece and Germany, and is now offering additional sailings out of Germany as well as sailings in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Malta from July, and the Persian Gulf from November.

· P&O Cruises (UK) will offer a series of cruises this summer sailing around UK coastal waters beginning in June, expanding to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast starting in September.

· Cunard will offer a series of cruises this summer sailing around UK coastal waters in July, followed by voyages to the Iberian coast and Canary Islands. In November, Queen Mary 2 returns to service with a combination of transatlantic crossings and Caribbean cruises.

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.

Ships in Service and Announced Restarts by Ship for Fiscal Year End 2021

in Order of Actual or Announced Restart Date

 Ship Name Passenger Capacity (Lower Berths)
March   
 AIDAperla 3,280
    
May   
 Costa Smeralda 5,220
 Costa Luminosa 2,260
 AIDAsol 2,190
 AIDAblu 2,200
    
June   
 Costa Deliziosa 2,260
 Britannia 3,640
    
July   
 Seabourn Ovation 600
 Carnival Vista 3,930
 Costa Firenze 4,240
 Carnival Horizon 3,960
 AIDAprima 3,280
 Carnival Breeze 3,690
 Seabourn Odyssey 460
 Queen Elizabeth 2,080
 Nieuw Amsterdam 2,100
 Majestic Princess 3,560
 Carnival Miracle 2,120
 AIDAstella 2,200
 Regal Princess 3,560
 Mardi Gras 5,250
    
August   
 Iona 5,200
 Carnival Magic 3,690
 Carnival Sunrise 2,980
 Eurodam 2,100
 Carnival Panorama 4,010
 Sky Princess 3,660
    
September   
 Zuiderdam 1,960
 Costa Fascinosa 2,980
 Grand Princess 2,600
 Costa Diadema 3,690
    
October   
 Ventura 3,080
 Koningsdam 2,650
 Rotterdam 2,670
 Ruby Princess 3,080
    
November   
 AIDAnova 5,230
 Crown Princess 3,090
 Seabourn Quest 460
 Enchanted Princess 3,660
 Queen Mary 2 2,680
 Nieuw Statendam 2,660
 Caribbean Princess 3,140

For more information visit www.carnivalcorp.comwww.carnival.comwww.princess.comwww.hollandamerica.comwww.seabourn.comwww.pocruises.com.auwww.costacruise.comwww.aida.dewww.pocruises.com and www.cunard.com.

John Shallo
John Shallohttp://www.cruiseaddicts.com
John Shallo is the founder and editor of Cruise Addicts. Since 1999 it has been a leading destination for cruise travelers and self professed Cruise Addicts looking for the latest news, ship reviews and travel tips.

Related Articles

Get the Cruise Addicts newsletter FREE!

Stay in the loop with the latest cruise news, tips, and reviews directly to your inbox.

Latest Articles