All You Need to Know About Cruising in 2021

4/7/2021

The return of cruising is here! We have been so excited this past week hearing all of our favorite cruise lines announce their new sailing dates for 2021 with enhanced health & safety protocols. Today we have rounded up the latest updates from some of the top cruise lines to let you know who will be sailing and what cruising will look like in 2021*.

*All protocols and sail dates are subject to change. Information updated 4/7/21. Please contact your Brentwood Travel Consultant for the latest updates.

American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines resumed sailing in March 2021 at a reduced capacity. Masks are to be worn during the cruise in compliance with the Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel. Guests are required to show proof of a negative PCR or molecular COVID-19 test result taken within four days of sailing. Guests are also strongly encouraged to get a COVID-19 vaccine prior to travel. Guests with a vaccine must comply with all the requirements of the American Cruise Lines Operating Protocol, including testing and mask-wearing.

American Queen Steamboat Company

COVID-19 vaccination is required for all guests and crew for all sailings beginning July 1, 2021. All guests will complete a health questionnaire and participate in a COVID-19 test before boarding. Each vessel will have reduced guest capacity. Masks will be required in all venues and in situations where recommended social distancing is not possible, including entertainment venues, elevators, shoreside terminals and shore excursion motorcoaches. A licensed nurse will be on board and available throughout the voyage.

Celebrity Cruises

Passengers over the age of 18 will be required to be fully vaccinated before they can board. Passengers under the age of 18 will instead be required to present proof of a negative PCR test administered within 72 hours of embarkation. Beginning June 5, 2021, Celebrity Millennium will homeport in St. Maarten and offer two new seven-night Caribbean itineraries, with departures available through August.

Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises will require that guests must be fully inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine (with both doses if recommended by the manufacturer) at least 14 days prior to boarding any Crystal ship and will be asked to provide proof of vaccination before embarkation. Masks will be required in venues and instances where proper distancing is not possible, including show lounges, casino, fitness center, elevators, ship tenders, shoreside terminals and tour dispatch areas.

Holland America Line

When Holland America Line begins sailings again, mandatory enhanced pre-embarkation health screenings, including testing for COVID-19 prior to embarkation, touchless temperature checks and health questionnaires, in accordance with the latest guidelines. Contact tracing is planned for every cruise. When physical distancing can’t be maintained, or when mandated by public health authorities, masks will be required on board, at private islands, and during shore excursions. Masks must be worn in terminals, during embarkation and disembarkation.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line will be requiring their passengers and crew members to be vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to departure in order to board. NCL will start sailing the Caribbean and in Europe on July 4, 2021, with limited capacity starting at 60%.

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises will be requiring their crew members to be vaccinated. Currently they have not announced vaccine requirements for guests, subject to change. Oceania has extended their voluntary suspension of cruising through June 30, 2021.

Paul Gauguin

Paul Gauguin has suspended their cruise departures up to and including June 5th, 2021. They are eager to return to sailing when they believe that the environment will support it. Once they begin sailing again, all guests will be asked to present proof of a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test at embarkation. Public spaces on board will be capped at 50 percent occupancy. Crew members are required to wear a mask or protective visor when in contact with guests. Guests will be asked to wear a mask in hallway corridors and will be recommended in public spaces.

Regent Seven Seas

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will be requiring their passengers and crew members to be vaccinated. Regent has extended their voluntary suspension of cruising through July 2021.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean will be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccinations for adults (substituting testing requirements for minors) before boarding its new cruises from Nassau in The Bahamas and from Bermuda, scheduled to begin on June 12 and June 26, 2021.

Seabourn

Seabourn's upcoming cruises are open to any guests that are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination and the dates given will be required. Guests will be required to comply with all health protocols that may be in place at the time of their departure. Seabourn plans to restart their guest operations in Greece with a series of 16 sailings operating round-trip out of Athens, Greece, beginning July 3, 2021.

Silversea

All guests and crew are required to provide results of a PCR COVID-19 test, dated between 24 hours and 5 days prior to boarding. Only those who test negative will be permitted to board the ship. Guests will be required to wear a mask in all indoor public areas, terminals and during shore excursions. Crew will be wearing masks at all times.

Victory Cruise Line

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages announced this month that they will require all passengers and crew members to be fully immunized before they’re allowed to board. This adults-only cruise line hopes to begin their Caribbean sailings out of Miami later in 2021.

Windstar Cruises

Small-ship cruise company Windstar Cruises has just announced that it will require all guests to provide proof of current COVID-19 vaccination prior to boarding when it restarts operations in June 2021. The phased return to service will begin with two ships, Star Breeze and Wind Star, which will sail in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, starting June 19, 2021.

Are you ready to cruise this summer? Contact a Brentwood Travel Consultant today! Call 314-439-5700 or email us!

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