The Port of Los Angeles is expecting cruise ships but without passengers, in the coming weeks, according to a port press release.
The visits for fuel, supplies, and services are part of the cruise lines’ operations to reestablish the ships in U.S. waters as a prerequisite to meet federal regulations in order to resume cruising in the future.
The port said it continues to closely monitor the situation and is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), California Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and other emergency and public health agencies.
Princess Cruises, Holland America, and Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ships are scheduled to send ships arriving in Los Angeles this week and through the new year, periodically docking at the Los Angeles Cruise Terminal for fuel, food, supplies, and/or services. No vessels will be carrying passengers.
The Port of Los Angeles is expecting more than two dozen cruise ship calls through early February.
In addition to increased precautions to minimize community spread of and exposure to COVID-19, cruise ship safety implementations while at berth include Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (PSSC) training and Marine Evacuation System (MES) replacement.
Significant demand was born as a result of Royal Caribbean International’s announcement for the search of volunteers to go on its first test sailings prior to returning to sea in the U.S.
So much that a form has been created to sign up, which saw more than 150,000 hopeful cruise lovers leave their details.“It’s a good feeling knowing that so many people want to get back on ships,” said Vicki Freed, senior vice president for sales, trade support, and service at Royal Caribbean International, on Dec. 8 in response to the demand.
The company has also launched a website for potential volunteers to sign up.
Cruise Industry News breaks down what is known about the sailings.
What are they?
The test sailings are part of the new Conditional Framework by the CDC, which came in place of the “No Sail” order. They will include the company having a number of trial cruises using employees and volunteers as stand-in passengers to test safety and health protocols.
Trial sailings are said to be monitored by company officials, a third-party class society, as well as the CDC.
When will they take place?
Likely the first quarter of 2021, possibly even January. Here’s a quote from Freed at Virtually Yours forum organized by Cruise Planners:
“We don’t know exactly when the test sailings are going to happen – we think in Q1, and we’re hoping for January.”
Which vessels will be taking part?
Industry sources previously stated that they expect the Mariner and Navigator of the Seas, the company’s recently-refurbished “short Caribbean” ships, to be the vessels pressed into service.
On what itineraries?
Freed said in November that the first cruises will be short sailings to CocoCay, which would allow the company to operate in a bubble on its own private island.
Who gets to go?
More than 150,000 people signed up, according to Royal Caribbean International, so it will be tough to choose from them. Apart from cruise line workers and CDC staff, the cruise line is likely to choose volunteers among its most loyal customers.
“We haven’t figured out our protocols yet for the volunteers but certainly loyalty status will be a key selector,” said Michael Bayley, Royal Caribbean Cruises’ president, and CEO during the International Cruise Summit that took place on Dec. 1-2. “Our top tier has the name of Pinnacle and they’ve cruised with us a gazillion times … they’ll be amongst the first to receive the invitation.”
Freed said on Dec. 8 that the company’s travel partners will be invited, too.
What about safety?
Royal Caribbean is working on ensuring they are conducted safely and in compliance with the regulations.
“While we review the requirements proposed by the CDC and consider when we can host our simulated trial sailings, we are gathering information from those who have shown interest on our Volunteers of the Seas Facebook page. Our priority is to ensure that we can exercise our comprehensive set of measures in a safe and healthy manner while making sure we provide a memorable vacation experience,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement.
Yet a lot of information is still to be released about the sailings.
“We will be announcing more as we get more information,” Freed said. “So, we look forward to it; we’re looking forward to it.”
Carnival Cruise Line announced today that it is informing guests and travel agents that it has cancelled select itineraries for specific operations in 2021, as it implements its plans for the resumption of cruising in 2021, including cruise operations in February from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston and moving the inaugural sailing of Mardi Gras until April 24, 2021.
“We apologize to our guests but we must continue to take a thoughtful, deliberate and measured approach as we map out our return to operations in 2021,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Our commitment to the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is at the forefront of our decisions and operations.”
The Mardi Gras will operate from Port Canaveral and start cruising in April; Carnival will take delivery of the ship from the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland later this month and eventually sail to the U.S. and meet the requirements of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
Carnival is also cancelling the remaining itineraries scheduled to operate from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston through Feb. 28.
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