Norwegian Cruise Line has become the latest brand to announce plans to restart activities in Alaska this summer.
The line will resume itineraries with Norwegian Bliss offering week-long voyages from Seattle from 7 August to 16 October.
NCL joins a number of companies – Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line – in announcing their intentions to return to the region.
The developments follow the US House of Representatives approving a bill temporarily waiving Canada’s Passenger Vessel Services Act, which requires ships to either start itineraries in Canada or stop in a Canadian port during them.
Alaska is currently the first destination in the US to green-light cruising since the pandemic.
All lines are still subject to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) rules, which have not yet allowed sailings to return.
Lines are anticipating the CDC allowing sailings to restart from July.
As part of its programme, NCL will offer seven to 13 hours of port time in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point in Alaska – guests can also benefit from the opening of a second cruise pier in Icy Strait Point.
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean will also offer seven-night cruises, round-trip from Seattle, on Serenade of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, beginning 19 July and 13 August.
Celebrity will deploy Celebrity Summit in Seattle in July offering nine seven-day sailings through to mid-September.
Following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) updated Conditional Sail Order, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) has proposed its own plans to resume sailing from U.S. homeports on or about July 4, 2021, with full COVID-19 vaccinations required of all guests and crew. This applies to the corporation’s three brands — Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — and is consistent with the Biden administration’s targeted reopening of the country. Norwegian agrees with the CDC “that vaccinations are the primary vehicle for Americans to get back to their everyday lives,” said Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of NCLH, in a press release. However, the company requests that the government agency no longer limits cruise travel, as mandatory vaccine requirements exceed safety measures in the Conditional Sail Order, thus eliminating the need for it.
“Our robust and comprehensive SailSAFE health and safety program extends well beyond the proto-cols of the travel, leisure and hospitality sectors, all of which have already reopened, including hotels and resorts, casinos, restaurants, sporting venues, theme parks and airlines,” Del Rio said. “With vaccine mandates and strict health and safety protocols in place, we believe we can provide a uniquely safe and healthy vacation experience.” Del Rio has issued a letter to Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the CDC, requesting permission to sail accordingly, citing the Healthy Sail Panel, developed in conjunction with Royal Caribbean Group and led by Michael Leavitt, former Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The proposal includes required vaccinations, as well as SailSAFE health and safety protocols such as COVID-19 testing, physical distancing, reduced capacity (60% to start and increasing by 20% every 30 days) and face coverings, for the time being. Vaccines will be required until at least October 31, 2021, when the company will reevaluate its requirements based on the latest science.
“We can create a safe, ‘bubble-like’ environment for guests and crew.”
“These stringent requirements will remain in place until public health conditions allow for the im-plementation of more lenient protocols,” reads the letter to Walensky. Until then, passengers must show proof of full FDA-, EMA- or WHO-approved COVID-19 inoculations no less than two weeks prior to embarkation. Since vaccines are not currently approved for children, kids will not be permitted to sail during this initial period. “We can create a safe, ‘bubble-like’ environment for guests and crew,” said Del Rio. “We look forward to joining the rest of the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors in participating in this next phase of our recovery.”
While Norwegian’s plans include resumption from the U.S., it is preparing an upcoming restart outside the country, as well, scheduling NCL sailings in the Caribbean and Greek Isles. Norwegian Jade will embark in Athens (Piraeus), Greece, starting July 25; Norwegian Joy will sail from Montego Bay, Jamaica, beginning Aug. 7; and Norwegian Gem will depart from La Romana, Dominican Republic, starting Aug. 15. “Over a year after we initially suspended sailings, the time has finally come when we can provide our loyal guests with the news of our great cruise comeback,” said Harry Sommer, president and CEO of NCL, in a press release. “We have been working diligently towards our resumption of operations, focusing on the guest experience with health and safety at the forefront.”
This announcement comes just a couple of months after Norwegian boarded thousands of crew members to prepare the ships for a resumption of service after the CDC regulations allowed for conditional cruising, which has now been pushed to at least May.
“(T)he crew onboard received a letter with all the details regarding the latest repatriation process,” Crew Center reported.
According to the Crew Center website, the repatriation will take place on two appointed ships: The Norwegian Joy and the Norwegian Encore.
The Joy will be gathering non-essential crew from the ships stationed in the Caribbean and then proceed to the Philippines; while the Encore will be collecting crew on its journey from Southampton to Asia.
“The repatriation process will be similar to the one that took place last year with crew transfers to the appropriate vessel, before the crew finally sails to their homes in India, Indonesia and the Philippines, with anticipated arrival to the final destinations in late March or early April 2021,” Crew Center wrote.
“This will be a long and sad journey for all the crew onboard as their hopes and dreams to be the first to set sail with guests onboard will not materialize at this point. They have made countless sacrifices, PCR tests, and quarantines to join the ships again to serve guests and ultimately provide for their family,” it added.
According to Crew Center, this decision did not come easy to Norwegian and was not in the company plan. The cruise line promised the crew members who are to be repatriated that they’ll be prioritized for new assignments “as much as possible.”
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