Cruise News Briefs for Friday, January 8, 2021.
Bill Introduced to Reverse Key West Capacity Ban
Florida state senator Jim Boyd has introduced a bill that could reverse Key West’s ban on large cruise ships. The city recently approved amendments that cap ship capacity at 1,300 people, including crew members.
The new bill argues that the state should overrule local authorities saying the economic impact of a seaport extends far beyond the boundaries of the local jurisdiction.
In 2019, Key West saw 965,000 cruise passengers during 417 port calls.
MSC Cruises Cancels Grandiosa Voyages
MSC Cruises has canceled more voyages for Grandiosa this month, citing the extension of travel restrictions by the Italian government.
The restrictions limit access to ports of embarkation in Italy through January 15, which have forced MSC to cancel the ship’s January 10 sailing from Genoa. The line has also chosen to cancel its January 17 voyage.
Now, MSC Grandiosa plans to come back with its regularly scheduled itinerary from Genoa on January 24.
STORY: MSC Cruises Cancels More Grandiosa Voyages
Over 30 Expedition Ships to Launch in Next Few Years
And lastly, to shed some light on a smaller sector of the industry — between now and 2023, 36 new expedition cruise ships are set to debut. They include some ships that were delivered in 2020, but haven’t yet been able to set sail.
The expedition sector represents $5.6 billion in new build value, with each ship’s cost averaging $156 million.
Some of the vessels on order are the first expedition ships for their cruise lines, such as Viking’s Viking Octantis and Seabourn’s Seabourn Venture, displaying high consumer demand for expedition cruising.
Closing Bell for Thursday, January 7, 2021
- CCL (Carnival Corporation): $20.74 up 1.3%
- RCL (Royal Caribbean Group): $73.98 up 2.5%
- NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings): $24.66 up .7%
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