Cruise News Today — July 18, 2022 [VIDEO]

Princess Lifts Vaccine Status Justification For Exemptions

Good news if you’re unvaccinated and want to cruise.

Princess Cruises has opened a small allotment of inventory to unvaccinated guests who’d like to sail. The line updated its site on July 14 to read, “With the recent easing of CDC vaccination requirements, the options available to unvaccinated guests continue to expand.”

It went on to say, “We can now accommodate up to 10% of unvaccinated guests on most sailings without burdensome exemptions or vaccine status justification, available on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Princess Cruises is the first major North American cruise line to allow guests to sail without a vaccination. As always, check with your travel agent or Princess to make sure there is still space open on the voyage.

Royal Caribbean Cancels Serenade Baltic Season

Royal Caribbean is the next cruise line to cancel a Baltic season in 2023. The line reported that Serenade of the Seas will now sail from Florida in lieu of Northern Europe next May through September.

To make the things right with impacted guests, Royal Caribbean is offering a refund, rebooking on another sailing, onboard credits, and reimbursement of flight change fees.

Royal has not announced the Florida homeport for Serenade, but she will be sailing from Tampa after the Alaska season wraps this fall.

Earlier this year, Norwegian canceled its 2023 Baltic season as well.

Ponant Reaches North Pole With Passengers

This past Wednesday, passengers on a ship from luxury French cruise line Ponant reached the geographic North Pole for the very first time.

This is not the first time Ponant has been to the North Pole, but it is the first time one of its ships has reached the location with paying guests on board.

Last September, the same vessel was the first French ship to ever reach the spot, but no paying guests were on that sailing.

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