Norwegian Cruise Line announces US cruise restart plans for additional ships

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced additional itineraries as part of its US cruise resumption plans, with ships due to sail from Port Canaveral, Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.

The addition of more US homeports for Norwegian Cruise Line’s cruise restart plans comes as the CDC continues to issue Conditional Sailing Certificates to cruise lines on a ship-by-ship basis.

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All initial voyages will operate with fully vaccinated guests and crew in addition to the Company’s robust, multi-layered SailSAFE health and safety program.

As part of the US cruise restart plans, Norwegian Cruise Line has also shifted around some itineraries, with Norwegian Encore now expected to take over the previously scheduled Alaskan cruise season aboard Norwegian Bliss.

Norwegian Encore is a sister ship to Norwegian Bliss, offering a comparative cruise experience.

The Alaska itinerary will include visits to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, while also offering guests majestic views of Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier or Glacier Bay. Guests and travel partners with impacted reservations will be contacted directly.

Instead of cruising in Alaska, Norwegian Bliss will sail on October 24th, 2021 from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera.

Norwegian Gem will cruise seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean from Miami beginning August 15th, 2021, as well as a four-day voyage to the Bahamas in November.

Norwegian Breakaway will homeport in New York from September 26th, 2021, sailing roundtrip to Bermuda.

Norwegian Escape will sail on November 13th, 2021 to the Caribbean from Port Canaveral.

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“I am pleased to continue our Great Cruise Comeback with plans already announced for 23 of our 28 ships across our three brands beginning in July 2021 and phasing in through early 2022,” said Frank Del Rio, President & CEOof Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line.

“We want to thank Governor DeSantis and the State of Florida for fighting in support of our industry,” Del Rio added. “His leadership helped bring the CDC to the table. We are currently in communication with his staff and legal counsel to ensure that we can offer the safest cruise experience for our passengers departing from the cruise capital of the world.”

While Governor DeSantis has been a vocal advocate for the cruise industry, calling on the CDC to streamline its unwieldy and sometimes contradictory Conditional Sailing Order, he has also hit out at cruise lines for implementing a vaccine mandate, even attempting to pass legislation barring them from doing so, although he is now reportedly open to giving cruise lines an exemption.

Norwegian Cruise Line said it remains on track to resume cruising with additional vessels in a phased-in approach while taking into account the public health environment, global travel restrictions, regulatory restrictions and port availability, among other considerations.

All voyages will operate with the Company’s comprehensive SailSAFE health and safety protocols which were developed with leading public health and scientific experts, including the Healthy Sail Panel and the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council.