A cruise ship set to dock in New Orleans with over 3,000 passengers has detected 10 cases of COVID-19 among its crew and guests, the Louisiana Department of Health said late on Saturday.
The cruise ship Norwegian Breakaway, owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, departed New Orleans on a weeklong cruise on Nov. 28 and had stops in Belize, Honduras and Mexico, the health agency said.
“NCL has been adhering to appropriate quarantine and isolation protocols,” the department said in a tweet.
The ship is set to reach New Orleans on Sunday morning, according to its itinerary.
Everyone on board will be tested for COVID-19 before leaving and will be provided with post-exposure and quarantine public health guidance by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
People who test positive for COVID-19 will either travel to their homes or self-isolate according to CDC guidelines, the health agency said.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.
(Reporting by Ann Maria Shibu in Bengaluru; Editing by Frances Kerry)
The Disney Fantasy is now back in action, having sailed on Saturday from Port Canaveral, and becoming the second Disney Cruise Line ship to resume service in North America.
Following the Disney Dream, which returned to guest operations on August 9, the 2,500-guest vessel is offering a series of short cruises to the Bahamas. The four-night voyages include one day at sea and two stops at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island destination.
According to Disney Cruise Line, Castaway Cay is consistently rated by its guests as their favourite port of call.
Located on a 1,000-acre island, the destination features one-of-a-kind areas and activities for every member of the family, according to Disney, while celebrating its natural beauties – which include crystal-clear turquoise waters, powdery white-sand beaches, palm trees and lush landscapes.
After the initial Bahamas sailings, the Disney Fantasy is resuming seven-night and longer voyages on October 9. Sailing from Port Canaveral, the itineraries feature stops in Mexico, The Bahamas and more.
Currently the newest ship in Disney’s fleet, the Disney Fantasy entered in service in 2012. Christened by the singer Mariah Carey, the vessel was built in Germany by the Meyer Werft shipyard.
Among Fantasy’s highlights is the AquaDuck, a 765-foot long, twisting-and-turning suspended water coaster; and the Animator’s Palate, a dining room that comes alive with scenes from Disney movies with characters such as Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket, Cinderella and Snow White.
For the adults, the vessel features Europa – and entertainment district of high-energy, sophisticated clubs and lounges.
With the Disney Fantasy, three of the four Disney Cruise Line vessels are now back in action.
On July 15, Disney Magic was the first ship to resume revenue operations for the brand, with a series of domestic “staycations” in the United Kingdom. The vessel is now wrapping up the local season before returning to the United States.
While the Disney Dream continues offering short cruises from Port Canaveral through December, the Disney Wonder is set to welcome guests back on October 1. The vessel is resuming operations on the West Coast, sailing three- and four-night cruises from San Diego.
Holland America Line announced it is set to restart cruising out of Port of San Diego in California beginning with a season of cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and along the California coast aboard Koningsdam and Zuiderdam.
The cruise line has expanded the season with the addition of six new cruise departures for Zuiderdam and two new cruises on Koningsdam, offering a total of 40 cruises from San Diego from September 2021 through April 2022.
Holland America Line also is looking toward cruising in the Caribbean with four ships, according to a press release.
All sailing roundtrip from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the season will begin Oct. 23, 2021, with Nieuw Amsterdam. The ship will be joined by the new Rotterdam Nov. 3, Eurodam Nov. 14 and Nieuw Statendam Nov. 21.
Caribbean cruises range in length from four to 14 days, span the entire region and include a call at Half Moon Cay.
“San Diego has always been an incredible homeport for our ships, and we are eager to restart on the West Coast with two ships operating an expanded season, including the debut of Koningsdam on these itineraries and close-to-home California cruises that our guests are going to love,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We’ve also been anticipating announcing our plans for the Caribbean and we’re thrilled to have four ships in the region, including our new Rotterdam. Cruising is back and having vaccinated ships for these cruises in 2021 ensures that we can deliver the experience just how our guests remember and expect. We’re ready to cruise!”
Highlights of the 2021-2022 San Diego Cruise Season:
Zuiderdam: Sept. 18, 2021, to April 22, 2022: 17 cruises from San Diego — eight Mexico, four California coast, three Hawaii and two Panama Canal.
Koningsdam: Oct. 10, 2021, to April 3, 2022: 23 cruises from San Diego — 15 Mexico, six California coast and two Hawaii cruises.
Seven-day cruises along the California coast include a new itinerary that calls at Catalina, Santa Barbara and San Francisco for a late evening stay, along with Ensenada, Mexico. Additional “Classic California Coast” cruises include California calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Avalon, and at Ensenada.
A new 21-day Panama Canal cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam from Seattle, Washington, to Fort Lauderdale departs Oct. 2 and includes calls at San Diego; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Fuerte Amador (Panama City), Panama;; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Half Moon Cay.
All seven-day “Mexican Riviera” cruises feature three Mexican ports of call: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.
“Mexico and Sea of Cortez” itineraries are between nine and 12 days and call at a combination of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, Guaymas, Topolobampo, Pichilingue (La Paz) and Loreto, Mexico.
“Circle Hawaii” cruises are 17 or 18 days and call at the Hawaiian ports of Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu, Nawiliwili and Kona, and Ensenada.
Two 14-day cruises through the Panama Canal from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale on Zuiderdam depart Jan. 2 and Jan. 30, 2022.
Highlights of the 2021-2022 Caribbean Cruise Season:
Nieuw Amsterdam: Oct. 23, 2021, to April 7, 2022: 24 cruises to the eastern, western and southern Caribbean. All itineraries are seven days except a nine-day holiday cruise departing on Dec. 30.
Rotterdam: Nov. 3, 2021, to April 10, 2022: The ship kicks off its maiden season in the Caribbean with a series of 22 cruises, ranging from three to 11 days covering a wide offering of Caribbean ports.
Eurodam: Nov. 14, 2021, to April 10, 2022: 15 departures, including 12 10- and 11-day Panama Canal Sunfarer cruises featuring a partial Panama Canal exploration of Gatun Lake and three seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries.
Nieuw Statendam: Nov. 21, 2021, to March 27, 2022: 15 cruises to the eastern, western, southern and tropical Caribbean ranging from seven to 11 days.
All itineraries include a call at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island.
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