Category: The Cruise Examiner

by Kevin Griffin

This week we look at one positive development and two delays. From China, the country that gave us the present Coved Pandemic comes a new join venture from China Merchants and Viking Cruises. Elsewhere, strict requirements from the US Centres for Disease Controls see further return to service delays by US-based cruise lines and the closure of many European ports because of European Coved lock-downs is causing the cancellation of remaining 2020 cruises, with returns planned in 2021. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week we look at when the cruise lines are preparing to return to service. As well we report on a possible two-ship revival for Pullmantur Cruises and revenue losses to date in 2020 that have been brought about by Covid-19. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

More news this week stemming from cruise lines trying to restart while a vaccines are developed for Covid-19. Royal Caribbean have recruited 100,000 free passengers while Carnival’s top three US lines Carnival, Princess and Holland America, have again been delayed in starting up. Elsewhere, Key West has voted to limit the numbers of cruise ship passengers arriving at that port. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Whilst the Covid-19 has seen the disappearance of CMV Cruises in the UK, whose ships have just been auctioned off to new owners, and Spain’s Pullmantur Cruises, whose ships have been sold for for scrap, even industry leader Carnival Corp has seen fit to dispose of 18 of its ships, equal to about 12% of its berth capacity. Ill as it’s effects have been, however, the Covid Pandemic also seems to be creating some potentially new cruise activities. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

SeaDream has now announced plans for forty cruises in 2020-21, the majority from Barbados to some of the smaller ports in the Caribbean. Other new services are being effected by Bahamas Paradise Cruses Lines, Royal Caribbean International, Dream Cruises and AIDA Cruises. While new Med start-up services have been generally successful so far, there have been a couple of hiccups, with small numbers testing positive on some ships. Generally, these have been controlled, but there are spikes occurring throughout Europe at the moment, including in France. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, Cunard Line announced that the Queen Elizabeth would sail from the Med to Australia at the end her 2021 Mediterranean season. Elsewhere, the US Vice President lead a joint conference call with the US Cruise Industry. Finally, the Costa Diadema was cleared of having had any cases of Covid-19 on board when it was determined that among her tests were a number of false positive results. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week, the US Federal Marine Commission made its voice known in the world of cruising by backing a return to the seas by the mammoth worldwide fleet of cruise ships that has been laid up, but particularly those that traded from the previously busy ports of Florida. Elsewhere, we looks at Alaska Dream Cruises’ Inside Passage cruise between Sitka and Ketchikan in 2021, and Noble Caledonia’s 2022 plans for the Hebridean Sky. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

We have an assortment of cruise news this week. Will Carnival be back in the ex-US cruise market soon? Two more ships to leave Princess Cruises. And cruise pioneer Knut Kloster passes. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

We have an assortment of cruise news this week. Marella Cruises, the UK affiliate of TUI Cruises, adds new itineraries in Canada, Cuba and Asia. Holland America Line will have five ships in Europe next summer, and Crystal announces special booking incentives. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week saw the introduction, by SeaDream, of its planned new 2020-21 Caribbean season from Barbados. Also, the Croatian-built former Flying Clipper has found a new home in Tradewind Voyages. And CMV’s former ceo is involved in an effort to revive the now-defunct cruise line. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week saw the initial large ship cruise departure from Genoa, by MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa, and recently announced plans could see ten large cruise ships operating in Europe by the end of September. Only one hiccup so far, when a family strayed (intentionally it seems) from their tour group and had to be prevented from boarding when they returned to the ship in Naples. Meanwhile, Genting Cruise, parent company of Crystal Cruises, has ben reported short of cash because of the effects of Covid-19. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week saw NCL sending most of its cruise fleet from North America to Europe, possibly with the idea that cruising may get an earlierstart in Europe than in North America, where the Centres for Disease Control have put a stop on all cruise activity. Elsewhere, after a number of trials by smaller ships, about ten larger ships are now being brought back into service on trial cruises in the Covid-19 era. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

Last week saw the mainly unsuccessful culmination of a number of tries to re-start cruising in the midst of the Covid pandemic. The main big ship success so far has been four 3-night mini-cruises from Hamburg by TUI Cruises’ 1,200-berth (pre-Covid 2,900) Mein Schiff 2. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

This week sees the culmination of a number of efforts to re-start cruising despite the continued presence of the Covid pandemic. The success of the week was a 3-night mini-cruise from Hamburg to the North Sea by TUI Cruises’ 1,200-berth (pre-Covid 2,900) Mein Schiff 2. In North America, hopes are on UnCruise Adventures’ 38-berth (pre-Covid 60) Wilderness Adventurer on an Alaska cruise from Juneau to Glacier Bay. But the loser this week is Hurtigruten’s 350-berth (pre-Covid 530) Roald Amundsen, which had to give up her present summer itineraries because of the appearance of cases of Covid-19 in 36 of her crew, plus five passengers. Several other expedition cruises have also been cancelled on the Fridtjof Nansen and Spitsbergen. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

After last week’s demise of Cruise & Maritime Voyages in the mid-size sector, this week’s news is exclusively from the small ship sector. The biggest news is the return of Swan Hellenic Cruises using two ships presently under construction in Helsinki for delivery to Vodohod in 2021 and 2022. Elsewhere, Norway’s Hurtigruten have announced four ex-UK cruises they intend to operate this September as the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic hopefully recede. And France’s Ponant, at the beginning of its own post-Covid 19 recovery is now up to operating eight ships. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

While several older, less efficient cruise ships have gone for disposal recently and it is to be surmised that newer more cost-efficient ships wiill be replacing them. Last year, 30 million cruisers took to the seas. With the latest Covid pandemic having wrecked this year’s cruise market, how many intending travellers will actually end up saililng in 2020? With full seasons cancelled in many cases – Alaska, the Great Lakes, Canada and New England and elsewhere – will cruise travel fall by more than half? And how quickly will it pick up again? And we take a quick China check with Royal Caribbean. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

The UK affirms a “vague” piece of advice advising all its citizens against taking cruises. Meanwhile, Pullmantur Cruises may on the ropes and ugly words and attitudes circulate in the once calm, waters of the cruise world. Is cruising becoming a victim of politics? (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

While Hurtigruten was the first operator to begin regular cruises again following the latest Covid-19 pandemic, more news from the same operators says that they will begin cruising from the UK in March 2021, with a series of new itineraries from Dover. Elsewhere in Europe, Celestyal Cruises is cancelling all Greek Island cruises until 2021. And the European Union has released a 49-page guide to suggestions for healthy cruising in Europe. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

While Hurtigruten and SeaDream cast off for the Norwegian Fjords and the North Cape, to restart cruising after the world economy was hit so hard by the Coronavirus Pandemic, the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency a week ago announced that it was detaining five of six ships operated by Cruise & Maritime Voyages. And this week guest reviewer Jennifer Holland PhD, reviews Christopher Wright’s new book Of Penguins and Polar Bars. (more…)

by Kevin Griffin

The MSC Seaside, which had been dedicated to the Miami cruise trade, is about to be sent back to Europe, where she will cruise from Genoa. The smaller MSC Armonia will now replace the Seaside in Miami. And MSC will enter the port Canaveral trade. Meanwhile, new expedition and Mississippi ships are planned to join Viking’s fleet of ocean and river cruise ship over the next few years. (more…)