CDC Updates Cruise Guidance
The CDC updated its cruise guidance on Thursday.
Now, for sailings to be considered a “highly vaccinated voyage,” at least 90 percent of all guests five and older need to be vaccinated. Previously, that percentage was 95.
Currently, all major cruise ships in U.S. waters are sailing under the CDC’s “highly vaccinated” status.
The agency has also acknowledged that since the federal mask mandate is no longer in effect, masks aren’t required in U.S. cruise terminals. However, it still recommends that guests wear them.
STORY: What The CDC’s Latest Changes Mean For Your Next Cruise
Two Cruise Ships Resume Service From Seattle
Two cruise ships returned to service in Seattle yesterday.
Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas is starting a summer of Alaska voyages, which will include visits to Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Juneau, and Victoria. The ship previous restarted Alaska cruises in 2021, but paused sailings again in October after having its entire Australia program canceled.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun also departed on Thursday from Seattle on a five-night voyage to Ketchikan and Victoria. This was the ship’s first time sailing in over two years.
Sun will spend the summer sailing five, seven, and nine-night Alaska and Canada cruises.
Royal Caribbean Group Reports Q1 Loss, Royal Caribbean International Returning to Full Capacity
Royal Caribbean Group has released its Q1 report, which shows an operating loss of $1.2 billion dollars. However, revenue per passenger cruise day is up, even beyond record 2019 levels.
By the end of the first quarter, 54 of the company’s 62 ships had returned to operations, representing 90 percent of its total fleet capacity.
And Royal Caribbean International announced that for the past several weeks, some of its Caribbean-based ships have been sailing completely full based on double occupancy.
As Memorial Day weekend approaches, the line plans to have a significantly greater number of voyages operating at 100 percent capacity as well.
