Although the larger, mainstream cruise lines will not return until at least September 2020, the “small-ship” lines plan to resume cruising as early as July. In Europe, some cruise lines have already launched regional sailings from their home bases.
Ships with fewer than 250 passengers are excluded from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s No Sail Order and can legally operate in U.S. waters. As many parts of the country begin to reopen, the small-ship lines are setting dates of resumption.
American Cruise Lines plans to relaunch river cruises on July 12 with a sailing from Memphis to New Orleans on the American Harmony, followed by its coastal cruise product with the 175-passenger ships the American Constellation in Alaska and American Constitution ship in New England, both the week of July 22.
UnCruise Adventures plans to resume Alaska sailings on August 1 with a Glacier Bay National Park Adventure tour on the 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer from Juneau. Alaskan Dream, which operates ships of between 12 and 76 passengers, plans to launch Alaska cruises in August.
For Europeans, some cruise lines based on the Continent have already launched regional sailings for hometown passengers.
Norway-based small-ship operator Sea Dream Yacht Club cruises, which usually sails Mediterranean and Caribbean cruises, redeployed both of its 100-passenger ships to Oslo this summer. With Norway opening more quickly than many European countries, the line initially put one ship there, offering seven and 12-day cruises along the Norwegian coast. It sold out so quickly, SeaDream decided to do the same with its other vessel.
Hurtigruten cruises, also based in Norway, launched its 919 passenger Finnmarken on an 11-day cruise along the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes and back on June 16.
Both Hurtigruten and SeaDream can take advantage of Norway’s June 15 decision to drop travel restrictions for its Nordic neighbors. Travelers from other countries have to undergo a 10-day quarantine before being allowed to travel to Norway.
Ponant luxury yacht cruises are waiting for an update from the French government to be able to launch a series of cruises along the French coast.
Beyond Europe and the U.S., Tahiti cruises are also slated to resume this summer; the islands are scheduled to reopen to international tourism on July 15. Paul Gauguin Cruises, Ponant’s sister company, plans to relaunch sailings July 11 in Tahiti and French Polynesia with seven day sailings.
Star Clipper cruises has announced that due to some countries still having travel restrictions in place, the Royal Clipper will resume cruises on September 6th and the Star Flyer will resume on September 10, 2020.
Windstar cruises has announced that even though the Wind Star and Wind Spirit ships have a capacity of only 148 guests, they have decided not to resume until September due to the ports of call they normally visit having restrictions in place. Windstar has released their 2021 cruise schedule. With Windstar’s new Travel Assurance Booking Policy travelers can cancel their cruise up to 15 days prior to departure and receive a 100 percent future cruise credit based on money paid on the booking to be used on all sailings through December 31, 2021.
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