Top Cruise Industry News From September

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on travel, but major cruise lines have safely returned to the seas and are providing dream vacations for tourists once again. Between new and overhauled ships, bolstered itineraries to fresh destinations and improvements to long-term sustainability, the cruise industry made major waves over the last month. Here are the top cruise stories from September.

With the destruction brought to New Orleans and other regions during Hurricane Ida, cruise lines serving the area stepped up and lent a helping hand to local communities. Carnival Cruise Line reached an agreement with the city of New Orleans and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allow one of its ships to stay in port and serve as emergency housing for frontline workers involved in the city's infrastructure recovery and healthcare needs. It was the second ocean liner to house frontline workers in New Orleans. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line also announced it deployed its flagship Grand Classica to New Orleans to house 1,500-plus power company workers as they work to restore power to the region.

Another major focus from the cruise industry over the last month was sustainability efforts and the long-term impact on the environment. The Royal Caribbean Group announced as part of the release of the 13th annual sustainability report, the company had met or exceeded nearly all of its 2020 sustainability targets. It also committed to further reduce emissions to 25 percent by 2025. MSC Group's Cruise Division also revealed a new commitment to sustainability by pledging to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its cruise marine operation by 2050.

One of the biggest issues with the cruise industry during the pandemic was the inconsistencies with refund policies. Louis E. Sola of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said federal regulators took notice of the influx of complaints and launched a formal investigation last year into the refund programs of cruise brands. The FMC is now proposing a new set of uniform cruise refund rules based on federal airline regulations, with officials scheduled to vote on the legislation later in the year. When a cruise is canceled or delayed by 24 hours or more, the proposal would require full refunds to be paid within 60 days of the passenger's refund request. If the voyage is canceled or delayed due to a government order, cruise lines would have 180 days to issue a refund.

In September, several cruise lines announced the introduction of new ships to their fleets and major changes to existing vessels. Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Victory ship has officially changed its name to Carnival Radiance as it nears completion of its $200 million renovation in Cadiz, Spain. Radiance will begin sailing from Cadiz to its homeport in Long Beach, California, starting on October 18. Earlier this month, AmaWaterways co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst welcomed guests onto the new AmaDahlia sailing on the Nile River. The AmaDahlia has just 36 staterooms, 16 of which are suites ranging between 370 and 430 square feet. For travelers looking to cruise in the lap of luxury, Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced that its new 4,443-square-foot suite aboard the new Seven Seas Grandeur ship would cost $11,000 a night.

Royal Caribbean will be able to construct a new cruise terminal in Ravenna, Italy, after the local port authority awarded the tender for the construction of a new cruise terminal and the concession of its cruise operations in Porto Corsini. The port will offer convenient access to Bologna, Forlì, Rimini and Venice, and is scheduled to feature integrated landscaping, public green spaces, pedestrian and cycling pathways and entertainment areas for residents and visitors. When fully operational, the port will be able to serve more than 300,000 guests per year.

In addition to new and overhauled ships, several companies have announced additional or expanded itineraries. Disney Cruise Line recently announced a wide array of itineraries for 2022, including sailings from ports in Galveston, Miami, New Orleans, Port Canaveral, San Diego and Vancouver, as well as a return to the Hawaiian Islands. Crystal Cruises also got in on the fun by unveiling its 2022 Grand Voyage, the 132-night "Caribbean Idylls & Mediterranean Masterpieces," which will sail from Miami to Los Angeles on Crystal Serenity. Silversea Cruises also revealed it would launch its 2021-22 Antarctica season in November with three ships. The company reached an agreement with the Chilean authorities for two vessels to depart from Punta Arenas, Silver Cloud and Silver Wind. The line's third Antarctica-bound ship, Silver Explorer, will continue with its scheduled plan to leave from Chile's Puerto Williams starting in November.

American Cruise Lines revealed plans to redesign and rename its four classic paddlewheelers. The river vessels will get a new interior design, similar to that on the company's modern riverboats, while retaining the traditional elements true to steamboat history. The project is slated for completion in March 2022. American Queen Steamboat Co., which purchased Victory Cruise Lines in 2018, has merged the two brands under the new umbrella brand name of American Queen Voyages. The new brand also will encompass the company's expedition product to launch in April 2022 in Alaska and Central America.