LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING & CRUISE SHIPS – JULY 16, 2021
LIVES OF THE LINERS: CRUISING & CRUISE SHIPS – JULY 16, 2021
From Bill Miller
July 17th 2021
Mon Jul 12th Norwegian Cruise Lines plans to resume cruises from New York in October.
Tue Jul 13th Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) filed a lawsuit today against the surgeon general for the State of Florida. The lawsuit challenges the state’s action of fining businesses that require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of Norwegian’s previously announced August 15th restart from Florida, where the line has promised 100 percent vaccinated sailings.
Royal Caribbean plans “test cruises” from Cape Liberty at Bayonne in August.
Wed Jul 14th Crystal has scrubbed its program of summer & fall 10-night cruises from Antigua and instead reassigned the Crystal Symphony to 7-day Bermuda cruising from Boston and then from New York.
Cunard has axed its long winter world cruises and the Queen Mary 2 will now make winter voyages from New York – crossings as well as cruises – before resuming her original schedule in April.
Fri Jul 16th Fred Olsen: Teething problems! A technical issue has rendered Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Borealis unable to operate its five-night ‘Scenic Orkney & Faroes’ cruise set to depart from Liverpool on July 17th. The 68,000-ton Borealis is the HAL Rotterdam of 1998.
Canada is lifting its cruise ship ban effective Nov 1st.
Viking Ocean: Our good friend and world class cruise expert Anne Kalosh tells us: “Fincantieri’s Ancona yard today floated out Viking Mars, the eighth ship in a series for Viking Cruises and due for early 2022 delivery. The Viking Mars will be named by godmother Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the eighth countess of Carnarvon, and spend its maiden season sailing in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe before embarking on voyages in Asia and Australia. Since 2013, Viking has offered travelers a variety of ways to experience life at Highclere Castle, home of the earl and countess of Carnarvon, and the filming location for Downton Abbey. For more than a year, Lady Carnarvon has welcomed viewers to Highclere Castle on Viking TV.”
Regent: The hugely knowledgeable Anne also reports: “Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ 2024 world cruise sold out in 2 1/2 hours on July 14th, at fares ranging from $73,499 to $199,999 per person. This was the third year in a row for record-breaking world cruise sales at Regent. The line’s previous world cruise opening day record was set when the 2023 world cruise went on sale in September 2020.”
Carnival has resumed cruising from Galveston.
Out of the old shoebox:
Above: New York on a sunny August day in 1990 – the Eugenio Costa & QE2 are berthed while the Crystal Harmony approaches on her maiden call; Below: A Tue morning arrival at Pier 90, New York for the Queen Elizabeth. She had just arrived from a 5-day crossing from Southampton and Cherbourg. The stern of the United States can be seen on the right.
Thank you to all our readers, correspondents, those “agents” in faraway places!