When Will Cruise Lines Sail Again?
(Latest Update: January 7, 2022) Cruise lines are operating under a voluntary COVID-19 program for cruise operators in U.S. waters. This guidance centers around a classification system defined by the CDC, which places cruise ships in specific categories based on the vaccination status of guests and crew. The following outlines when each cruise line resumed sailing following their pause in operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We will continue to update this article with each individual cruise lines' return to sail dates as we receive information.
AmaWaterways has announced its return to river cruises in Europe with as follows:
- July 3rd AmaDouro sailing from Portugal
- July 21st AmaMagna begins on the Danube River
- July 22nd AmaKristina on sailing in France on the Rhone River and AmaLyra in France on the Seine River
- July 27th AmaVida will restart in Portugal and Spain
- July 29th AmaDolce sails through Bordeaux, France, and AmaSiena will resume the Rhine River
American Cruise Lines resumed sailings in March 2021.
American Queen Steamboat Company
American Queen Steamboat Company resumed operations in March 2021.
Avalon Waterways resumed sailing in July 2021 offering cruises on the Seine River in France.
Azamara resumed/will resume operations with the following ships on these dates: Azamara Quest - August 28, 2021, in Greece, Azamara Journey - October 13, 2021, in the Mediterranean, Azamara Pursuit - January 3, 2022, in South Africa.
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line officially resumed passenger cruises on July 16, 2021, from West Palm Beach, Florida.
Carnival resumed guest operations on July 3 with Carnival Vista from the Port of Galveston, on July 5 the Carnival Horizon resumed from PortMiami, and the Carnival Breeze resumed sailing July 15 from the Port of Galveston. On July 27, the Carnival Miracle resumed operations sailing Alaskan itineraries from Seattle. On July 31, Carnival debuted its newest ship, Mardi Gras, sailing from Port Canaveral. Read more on our announcements of Carnival's plans to resume ships in late summer 2021, additional restarts in fall 2021, as well as more ship restarts through February 2022, and restarts for the remainder of the line's fleet in the U.S.
Celebrity Cruises' ship Celebrity Millennium resumed operations on June 5 for a series of week-long, Caribbean-only voyages from St. Maarten. In addition, Celebrity became the first cruise line to sail from a U.S. port following an over one-year suspension. Celebrity Edge began sailing on June 26, 2021, from Port Everglades on a 7-night Caribbean itinerary.
The line has made the decision to cancel the following sailings on these ships: Celebrity Solstice sailings departing January 2, 2022, through April 24, 2022; as well as two Transatlantic sailings, Celebrity Infinity through April 2, 2022, and Celebrity Silhouette through November 1, 2021.
Costa Cruises resumed sailings in Italy and Greece in May 2021, and in Spain and France in July 2021.
Between July and October 2021, Cunard resumed cruising offering three separate cruises on Queen Elizabeth for UK residents only. In November 2021, Queen Mary 2 returns to service with a combination of transatlantic crossings and Caribbean cruises.
Disney restarted its cruise operations offering 2-, 3-, and 4-night summer 2021 sailings on the Disney Magic round-trip from London Tilbury, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Southampton for UK residents only.
In North America, the Disney Dream resumed operations from the U.S. on August 9, sailing 3- and 4- night cruises from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. The Disney Fantasy resumed on September 11, 2021, sailing from Port Canaveral.
Emerald Waterways resumed in late July 2021 offering cruises on the Duoro River.
Holland America Line resumed cruises to Alaska on the Nieuw Amsterdam starting on July 24, 2021, and the Eurodam resumed sailing in Europe this August. The Koningsdam resumed cruising the Mexican Riviera from San Diego in October. Read more about Holland America's plans to resume operations throughout its entire fleet by Spring 2022.
Holland America has canceled several winter-season 2022 voyages in Asia, Australia, and South America. Affected cruises include: Noordam's March and April 2022 sailings, Oosterdam departures from January 5 to March 31, 2022, and Westerdam departures from January 5 to March 18, 2022. The Zaandam’s 2022 Grand World Voyage, as well as Volendam’s 2022 Grand South America and Antarctica voyages have also been canceled.
Hurtigruten resumed a limited number of sailings around Norway in July 2021. Hurtigruten canceled expedition cruises with MS Roald Amundsen, MS Fridtjof Nansen, and MS Spitsbergen for the remainder of August and September 2020. For info on individual cancelations visit: https://www.hurtigruten.com/practical-information/coronavirus-update/cancelled/departures/.
MSC Cruises resumed operations in the U.S. starting on August 2, with 3- and 4-night cruises from PortMiami to the Bahamas on MSC Meraviglia. The MSC Divina also resumed cruising from Port Canaveral on September 16, 2021, offering 3-, 4- and 7-night cruise options from to the Bahamas and Caribbean, also stopping at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.
MSC Seaside and MSC Splendida are currently sailing in the Mediterranean, and the MSC Virtuosa is sailing in the U.K. MSC Magnifica resumed sailings in June from Italy for East Mediterranean cruises, and MSC Grandiosa resumed sailing from Barcelona.
Norwegian Cruise Line resumed operations on July 25, 2021, sailing the Norwegian Jade on a 7-day Greek Isles cruise from Athens. In the United States, Alaska sailings resumed on August 7 on the Norwegian Encore. Norwegian Joy resumed cruising from Miami beginning Oct. 19, 2021, with five to 11-day Caribbean itineraries. On October 24, Norwegian Breakaway resumed cruising seven-day itineraries to Bermuda from New York. The line has since resumed a number of ships from. homeports all around the world.
In early January 2022, Norwegian announced it would be revising the restart dates for the following ships: Norwegian Getaway will resume on January 14, 2022, from Miami; Norwegian Pearl will resume January 17, 2022, from Miami; Norwegian Sky will resume March 2, 2022, from Miami; Pride of America will resume March 5, 2022, from Honolulu, Norwegian Jewel will resume March 20, 2022, from Panama City; Norwegian Jade will resume March 30, 2022 from Rome; Norwegian Star will resume April 3, 2022, from Barcelona, Norwegian Sun will resume May 5, 2022, from Seattle; Norwegian Spirit will resume May 7, 2022, from Papeete, Tahiti.
Oceania Cruises resumed operations on August 29, 2021, sailing the Marina from Copenhagen. The line will resume sailing Riviera in October, Insignia in December, and Sirena in January 2022.
P&O resumed cruising by offering a series of sailings on Iona and Britannia for UK residents (ages 18+) starting June 27, 2021. These sailings will expand to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast in September.
Paul Gauguin resume cruise operations in August 2021. For more information on specific Paul Gauguin voyages visit: https://www.pgcruises.com/travel-advisory.
In July 2021, Ponant restarted cruises in France for French citizens only.
Princess resumed sailing in the U.S. on July 15, 2021, offering seven-night Alaska cruises on the Majestic Princess. Princess also resumed operations in Europe this past summer with a series of cruises for UK residents only on the Sky Princess and Regal Princess from July 31 - September 23, 2021.
On October 28, Princess announced that it would be canceling all cruises in Australia/New Zealand through March 14, 2022.
Regent Seven Seas' Seven Seas Splendor resumed cruising from Southampton on September 11, 2021. The cruise line will resume operations on the following dates for these ships: Seven Seas Explorer - October 16, 2021: Venice, Italy, Seven Seas Mariner - December 18, 2021: Miami, Florida, Seven Seas Navigator - January 6, 2022: Miami, Florida, Seven Seas Voyager - February 15, 2022: Barcelona, Spain.
Evrima, the first ship from the Royal Carlton Yacht Collection, will sail its inaugural voyage on November 10, 2021, in the Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean Cruises International
Royal Caribbean's first ship to resume cruising was Quantum of the Seas sailing in Singapore in December 2020. The line resumed cruising in North America with Adventure of the Seas cruising in the Caribbean on June 12, 2021, from Nassau. In the United States, Freedom of the Seas was the first Royal Caribbean ship to resume, offering 3- and 4-night Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay sailings from Miami on July 2, 2021.
Seabourn Ovation was the first ship from the line to resume operations in July offering Mediterranean cruises. The Seabourn Odyssey is also currently sailing offering Caribbean cruises from Barbados.
SeaDream II resumed cruising on June 20, 2021 from Oslo, Norway.
On July 28, 2021, Silversea resumed operations with the inaugural voyage of the Silver Moon.
Uniworld resumed operations on June 20 on La Venizia in Italy.
The Viking Orion, Viking Sky, Viking Sea, and Viking Venus resumed cruising in 2021.
In July 2021, Viking River Cruises resumed offering river sailings in France. The following vessels are currently sailing the Seine: Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, Viking Skaga, and Viking Fjorgy.
Virgin Voyages' first passenger cruise on the Scarlet Lady went out on August 6, for a series of U.K. resident-only cruises. The ship has since repositioned to its homeport in Miami, where it began its inaugural Caribbean season on October 6, 2021.
Explore Return to Cruising Ship Guides
11 Comments
Posted by ConfusedbyCDC
How can so many cruise lines resume sailing on July 1st with a CDC no sail order until July 24th?
Posted by 2na
Hey! I booked a cruise on costa on 25 of july2020 on baltic sea, stockholm, helsunky, st. Petersburg, tallin. Do you think i could have my hollyday ok?
Posted by CruiseVIP
ConfusedbyCDC... because not all cruise lines are in the USA and do not answer to the CDC or the United States.
Posted by lilknuj
Any news from French Polynesia and Paul Gauguin Cruises?
Posted by CruiseMaster11
Please fact check the dates a little more thoroughly before releasing an article like that. For example it mentions that Windstar will sail again July 1st but they have announced weeks ago already that they plan to start with only one ship in September. Do not confuse the public with wrong timelines that could have easily been checked by the author. Thank you.
Posted by KarlBaran
I noticed the Carnival Valor is heading for Cadiz Spain where The Carnival Fascination and The Carnival Radiance are moored for the winter. The Valor should arrive there today. I suspect there will be more cancellations. We are booked on Valor for Nov 7 out of NOLA. https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Carnival-Valor-604
Posted by KarlBaran
I noticed the Carnival Valor is heading for Cadiz Spain where The Carnival Fascination and The Carnival Radiance are moored for the winter. The Valor should arrive there today. I suspect there will be more cancellations. We are booked on Valor for Nov 7 out of NOLA. https://www.cruisemapper.com/ships/Carnival-Valor-604
Posted by Royalcarrinan
I have a January 3 cruise on Royal Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale. Is it going to sail
Posted by MizCricket
The first quarter of 2021 is very tenuous and most of the second quarter is, too, given that there are a multitude of hoops to jump through to "prove" sailing is/will be safe. According to the CDC memo's to healthcare personnel who are charged with management of their institutions the week of Christmas 2020, they're predicting no "relief" from this virus until June 2021. I'm presuming this hypothesis is due to the unavailability of the vaccine to the general public at this time.
Posted by RetiredFloridaC
I retired this year and had a great plan of cruises. There were two cruises canceled last year... OK, then one canceled March this year... OK, then three canceled, not OK!!! finally four canceled in May... NO WAY OK!!!!!!!, now we have 15 cruises between June 2021 and June 2022... someday we better be cruising! Come on CDC get off your but and open cruising. I can fly anywhere, drive anywhere, what is the issue with cruising?
Posted by hadacareer
What about NCL Getaway? Transatlantic 5 dec 2021?