As October draws to a close and November rears its head, the future of the cruise industry still seems as uncertain as ever. There were indications that normalcy might be reached in this winter season, but that is now seeming less and less likely. While some cruise lines have been able to resume operations, others have been forced to cancel more itineraries. The winter is predicted to be a dark time for coronavirus across the globe, so we wouldn’t expect things to jump back to how they were pre-pandemic just yet. Regardless, the cruise industry marches on. Plenty happened in October, so here are a few stories that you may have missed.
CDC advises travelers to not travel
We have been waiting for the CDC to make their final decision on whether cruising from the United States will be allowed in November. The current No Sail Order is set to expire in November, so all eyes are on their potential announcement. While they haven’t said anything yet, they have issued an interesting new piece of advice to travelers. In a statement, they said that “the U.S. government is advising U.S. travelers to defer all cruise travel.” They didn’t offer any details about whether this will be followed up with an extension to their No Sail Order. Stay tuned for that.
Regent reaches new booking records
Here’s a news story you probably didn’t expect to hear about right now. On October 21st, Regent reportedly had its most successful day of bookings… ever. Not just for 2020, but for the entire time Regent has been active. (That’s 28 years, by the way.) This came after their 2022-2023 Voyage Collection opened up for bookings. This might just be indicating that travelers feel far more confident about cruising in 2022 and 2023 rather than 2021. We’ll be curious to see if this trend is true for other cruise lines as well.
Swan Hellenic appoints new Vice President of Hotel Operations
Swan Hellenic, a cruise line that is currently being brought back into operations after a long pause, has announced that they have chosen Hans Heger as their Vice President of Hotel Operations. Hans has worked in the past with companies like Silversea, Scenic, and various others. He also has past experience working with Swan Hellenic, so the company is confident that he will serve them well.
AIDA switches up plans for AIDAblu
AIDA was recently able to start cruise operations again with their ship AIDAblu. Despite a relatively successful first few voyages, the company is shifting some of its plans for AIDAblu. Due to German travel warnings, the ship will start visiting Syracuse and Messina instead of Naples and La Spezia.
American Cruise Lines announces 2021 season
American Cruise Lines (yes, that’s one cruise line) is one of the premier river cruise lines in the United States right now. They have drummed up a lot of excitement with their announcement of their 2021 Mississippi season. A lot of new programs and shore excursions will take place in the new year, and they will also be unveiling two new ships. There are many itineraries to take a look at, so head over to their website to see all the details.
Plenty happened in the cruise industry in October, and we expect that November will be filled with more stories. Keep your eyes peeled!
