It seems the cruise industry may finally be picking up again as Carnival Cruise Lines will have 15 out of its 24 ships back in operation since the initial shutdown due to COVID-19 in March. Those antsy to hit the waves won’t have to wait too long either as the cruise line aims to set sail starting in September.
While Royal Caribbean runs test cruises this summer, Carnival will officially be hitting the high seas beginning September 5. Travel lovers dreaming up their next vacation will be able to leave on Carnival Glory from New Orleans (just in time for Mardi Gras). More locations will open up as the month goes on including in Baltimore (starting Sept. 12) and Galveston, Texas (beginning Sept. 19).
“We are very excited about our restart and greatly appreciate the support of our guests, travel agents, and port and destination partners,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement. “By the end of July, we will have five ships in our restart plan, including the introduction of service on Mardi Gras, and we are seeing a great combination of strong demand and strong guest satisfaction scores tied to the positive guest experience on board.”
Carnival wants to provide passengers with the full experience (with some added safety precautions though). While vaccinated vacationers are welcome aboard, the cruise line will be limiting the number of unvaccinated passengers. Those unvaccinated will also be subject to pre-cruise and pre-embarkation testing (on cruises longer than four days. They’ll also have a $150 per person charge to cover the costs of testing, reporting, and health and safety screenings.
For those looking to trade their staycation for a fall vacation, more destinations will become available including two vessels in Miami, Port Canaveral, Florida, and Mobile, Alabama.
“The decision to sail with unvaccinated voyagers was a difficult one to make, and we recognize this is disappointing to some of our guests especially the many families with children under the age of 12 who we love to sail, and who love to sail with us,” said Duffy. “It’s important to remember that this is a temporary measure given the current circumstances. In consultation with our medical experts and advisors, we’ve determined this plan is in the best interests of the health and safety of our guests, and the destinations that we bring our ships to. It’s very important that we continue to maintain the confidence of our destination partners, so that we can provide our guests with the optimal cruise experience and sail our itineraries.”
As you prepare to make your vacation plans don’t forget to check your passport’s expiration date before you set sail on a relaxing getaway.
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