Cruise News Today — January 31, 2022 [VIDEO]

Five NCL Cruise Ships Return to Service

Five Norwegian ships returned to service over the weekend after being paused earlier this month because of the Omicron variant. 

On Friday, Norwegian Getaway resumed voyages from Port Miami. Saturday brought Norwegian Dawn from Tampa, Escape from Port Canaveral, and Joy from Miami back online, and yesterday Breakaway restarted from New Orleans. 

This brings a total of nine Norwegian ships now sailing with the next one being Norwegian Pearl returning a week from today. 

Norwegian Cruise Line paused almost its entire fleet in early January citing COVID-related circumstances.

Royal Caribbean Returns to Labadee, Haiti

Late last week, Royal Caribbean welcomed the first ship back to its private destination, Labadee, Haiti. Harmony of the Seas was the first ship to return since the cruise industry shutdown. 

Ships were originally scheduled to call there when the cruises started sailing again, but unrest in the region wound up canceling the port calls.

Located on the Northern Coast of Haiti, Labadee is a 260-acre resort-like destination with beaches, the world’s longest zip line over water, and an alpine roller coaster. 

STORY: Royal Caribbean Returns to Private Destination Labadee [PHOTOS]

Former Royal Caribbean Ship Scrapped

After decades of service, a former Royal Caribbean ship was beached in Pakistan, ending its 50-year run.

Sun Viking — which was in service from 1972 to 1998 for Royal —  was one of the three original Royal Caribbean ships. The vessel spent a good portion of its time sailing the Mexican Riviera from Los Angeles. 

The 882-guest vessel was most recently used as a gambling ship in Hong Kong before being laid up in 2019 and then being sold for scrap metal. 

For comparison’s sake, Sun Viking was 18,455 gross registered tons. Royal’s latest ship Wonder if the Seas is 236,857. What a difference. 

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