New Zealand on Friday welcomed the first cruise ship to return since the coronavirus pandemic began, signaling a long-sought return to normalcy for the nation’s tourism industry. New Zealand closed its borders in early 2020 as it sought at first to eliminate COVID-19 entirely and then later to control its spread. Although the country reopened its borders to most tourists arriving by plane in May, it wasn’t until two weeks ago that it lifted all remaining restrictions, including those on maritime arrivals. Many in the cruise industry question why it took so long. The Pacific Explorer sails into the Waitemata Harbour, in Auckland, New Zealand, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022. (Brett Phibbs/New Zealand Herald) The end of restrictions allowed Carnival Australia’s Pacific Explorer cruise shi...
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Cruise operator Royal Caribbean Group on Thursday reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss as bookings rebounded and travelers splurged on cabanas, spa treatments and watches while onboard. The world's second-largest cruise line operator is the latest company to report good results as travelers, free of restrictions related to COVID-19, spend heavily on rental cars, airline tickets and hotels. "Despite concerns about the U.S. and global economy, high inflation and amid geopolitical uncertainty, consumers are choosing to spend their discretionary income on experiences, after more than two years stuck inside the house," Similarweb travel and leisure analyst Jim Corridore said. Onboard spending rose 30% across categories in the second quarter compared to pre-pandemic leve...
Read MoreNorwegian Cruise Line is dropping a requirement that passengers test negative for COVID-19 before sailing unless it is required by local rules. The company said Wednesday that it will drop the testing requirement Aug. 1 except on ships sailing from places with local testing rules, including in the United States, Canada, Bermuda and Greece. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires pre-trip testing for passengers on 94 ships taking part in CDC’s voluntary COVID-19 program, including Norwegian ships that sail in the U.S. Norwegian requires vaccinated passengers in the U.S. to show a negative antigen test for COVID-19 within two days of their trip or a negative PCR test within three days of sailing. Unvaccinated children under 12 are subject to more testing when th...
Read MoreWith health & safety protocols unmatched by virtually any setting and designed to protect passengers, crew and the communities we visit The first cruise ship to call on a Canadian port since 2019 arrived in Victoria on Saturday, April 9th. Holland America’s Koningsdam then sailed to Vancouver, arriving on April 10th. “We’ve worked a long time to make this day happen, and we are delighted to be back,” said Kelly Craighead, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association. “I want to acknowledge the support of British Columbia’s Premier John Horgan and provincial Transportation, Tourism and Health officials, as well as the Minister of Transport, Hon. Omar Alghabra and his officials, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Border Services Agency. They’ve all ...
Read MoreAustralia on Tuesday said it would lift its entry ban for international cruise ships next month, effectively ending all major COVID-related travel bans after two years and boosting a tourism industry hit hard by the pandemic restrictions. Australia banned the entry of cruise ships in March 2020, when they were the source of about 20% of Australia's early coronavirus infections. The vessels became a flashpoint in its pandemic response after symptomatic passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney, many of whom later tested positive. FILE PHOTO: A Royal Caribbean International cruise ship is seen at Circular Quay in Sydney Harbour, days after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that international cruise ships would no longer be allowed to dock at Australian ports due ...
Read MoreCruise season 2021/2022 in Brazil has restarted from March 5. CLIA in Brazil (Brazilian Association of Maritime Cruises) and its members have confirmed this. In the national cruise season sailings are scheduled until April 18, 2022. The 2022/2023 season is scheduled to begin in October 2022. There will be 19 itineraries that will pass through eight destinations in the States of Santa Catarina, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, including Balneário Camboriú, Itajaí, Porto Belo, Santos, Ilhabela, Rio de Janeiro, Angra dos Reis/Ilha Grande and Búzios, which are fully aligned to implement strict safety protocols that value people's health and guarantee the high quality of experiences offered to cruise passengers. Cruise is the only travel and tourism segment that requires a robust multi-...
Read MoreCarnival Cruise Line plans to make masks optional for its guests from March 1 after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eased its warnings for cruise ships, the company said in a statement late on Friday. The company said masks would be recommended but not required. “There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required,” Carnival said in the statement. FILE PHOTO: View of "Carnival Panorama" cruise ship as it is docked at Melano beach after passengers have tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico December 29, 2021. REUTERS/Monserrat Zavala Carnival also said it plans to be offer more flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements. The cruise line, operated by Carnival Corp, said children unde...
Read MorePassengers finally leave COVID-hit cruise ship after 5 days The German operator of a cruise ship that has been stuck in Lisbon's port due to an outbreak of the coronavirus among its crew pulled the plug on the voyage on Sunday after some passengers tested positive, port authorities said. Disconsolate passengers stuck on a cruise ship moored in Lisbon's port for five days due to a COVID-19 outbreak began disembarking early on Monday, focused on clearing the final hurdle of a negative test before boarding homebound flights. The AIDAnova, with 2,844 passengers and 1,353 crew onboard docked in Lisbon on Dec. 29 while en route to the island of Madeira for New Year's Eve celebrations, but was unable to continue the journey after 52 cases of COVID-19 were detected among the fully-va...
Read MoreCruise industry finds the new decision perplexing The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said people should avoid traveling on cruise ships regardless of their vaccination status, as daily COVID-19 cases in the country climb to record highs due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant. The move delivers another blow to the cruise industry that had just started returning to the seas in June after a months-long suspension of voyages caused by the pandemic. FILE PHOTO: Cruise ships are seen docked at Miami port as the tourism industry is affected by the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Miami, Florida, U.S. REUTERS/Carlos Barria The CDC on Thursday raised its COVID-19 travel health notice level for cruise ships to its highest warning level, citing r...
Read MoreMexico on Tuesday allowed a cruise ship to dock and disembark tourists in spite of an outbreak of COVID-19 on board, as the government vowed to keep the country open to cruise vessels provided sanitary precautions are met. The ship, Ms Zuiderdam, with some 2,000 passengers and crew, docked in the port of Guaymas in the northern state of state of Sonora, state and federal authorities said. In a statement, the Mexican government said it would accept cruise ships that sought permission to dock as long as World Health Organization international regulations are followed. Holland America Line, which operates the Zuiderdam, said in a statement that a small number of fully vaccinated crew and passengers on Zuiderdam had tested positive for COVID-19. All showed mild or no symptoms ...
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