Bowman’s Travel Brief: Cruising Is Coming Back in a New Way

Finally, we have confirmed start dates for multiple major cruise lines.

It’s great news for the cruise industry that ocean voyages have a return time to look forward to now, even if they aren’t sailing out of the United States just yet.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises will both return in June, with the former making the Bahamas their homeport and the latter St. Maarten. Celebrity will sail on June 5 and Royal Caribbean will sail on June 12th.

Both will require adults to provide proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and kids under 18 must show negative COVID-19 test results.

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Crystal Cruises will also sail from the Bahamas this summer, kickstarting their return in July. Passengers must be vaccinated to board Crystal Cruises as well.

The vaccination requirement comes with mixed reviews from some cruise travelers and advisors.

However, the demand to cruise again is absolutely still there, as evidenced by the record bookings Crystal Cruises received once reservations opened for their Bahamas cruises in July.

As I’ve said before, regardless of how you feel about the vaccine you have to see the good news in this. Businesses are going to operate again for the first time in over a year, which will lead to the return of more jobs and travel sales – all things that the travel industry needs.

People can debate the new requirements and argue on social media all they want, but the bottom line is these companies are doing whatever they can to start sailing again (aka start making money again).

Things will be different for the initial restart to cruising. Just as people have adjusted to traveling on airplanes and road trips and staying in hotels the last several months, so too will the avid cruisers adapt.

Travel advisors need to be ready to respond to pent-up demand.

Do you plan to cruise in 2021? Let me know on Twitter and Instagram: @EricBowman_

Get Caught Up

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