Norwegian Cruise Line has announced the long-awaited return of its services, with new itineraries sailing around Europe and the Caribbean starting July 25, 2021.
The cruise line will restart operations with reduced capacity on the Norwegian Jade, Joy, and Gem ships, which will be the first to welcome passengers back on board. New seven-day cruises to the Greek islands aboard the Norwegian Jade departing from Athens (Piraeus) on July 25, 2021, will be available. Passengers can also island-hopping with week-long Caribbean itineraries departing from Montengo Bay, Jamaica, on the Norwegian Joy on August 7, 2021, or from Punta Cana (La Romana), Dominican Republic, on the Norwegian Gem on August 15, 2021.
“After more than a year of suspending voyages, the moment has finally arrived when we can announce to our loyal guests the grand return of cruising,” said Norwegian Cruise Line President and CEO Harry Sommer. “We have been working diligently to resume operations, focusing on the guest experience with their health and safety at the forefront. The vaccine, combined with our health and safety protocols, will help us offer our guests what we believe will be the healthiest and safest vacation at sea.”
Sommer continues, “All passengers sailing on board cruises with embarkation dates up to October 31, 2021, must be fully vaccinated and have a negative test result before boarding our ships. We will continue to evaluate our health and safety protocols, relying on science and our expert advice when making decisions and developing our policies and procedures.”
While the Company already had robust health and safety protocols in place, it has spent the last year developing and enhancing them, drawing on the latest scientific findings and expert advice. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings launched its SailSAFE Health and Safety program yesterday, which is based on three pillars: 1) Safety for passengers and crew with vaccination requirements, universal COVID testing, and enhanced health protocols; 2) Safety onboard with air filtration, enhanced sanitation measures, and improved medical resources; and 3) Safety ashore through collaboration with tour operators to expand health and safety measures at each destination.
Today, the Company also announced its SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council program, comprised of six leading experts in their respective fields. Led by Chairman Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Co-Chairman of the Healthy Sail Panel, the Council’s work will complement the Healthy Sail Panel’s initiative and focus on the implementation, compliance, and continuous improvement of health and safety protocols across all Company operations.
Passengers will have the opportunity to follow the Company as it makes its final preparations to welcome them back on board with its new docuseries, EMBARK: The Series, which will be available on demand on April 16.
The cruise line has been working closely with destination partners and other industry stakeholders to offer not only a safe vacation but also an exceptional guest experience. Sommer comments, “Resuming operations is a comprehensive effort involving many parties around the world. We are very proud of our collaborations and will deepen them further as we move forward.
Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, stated: “I am delighted that Norwegian Cruise Line has selected Jamaica as one of the first destinations in the world it will visit when it resumes service. Jamaica is ready for the return of cruise tourism and we have robust protocols in place to ensure a safe, seamless, and secure experience.”
These new Caribbean itineraries offer guests 10 to 11 hours of port time on each sailing, with just two days at sea and four different ports of call. In addition, guests embarking on voyages from Montego Bay, Jamaica, aboard the Norwegian Joy will enjoy a visit to Harvest Caye, the company's private resort destination in Belize.
The company will sail to Punta Cana for the first time in its history, and the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, expressed his gratitude, saying: “From day one, we have been committed to taking all necessary actions to support the recovery of our tourism sector. NCL’s presence this summer reaffirms our commitment to providing a safe destination for travelers. We appreciate NCL placing its trust in our country.”
Guests sailing aboard the Norwegian Jade's Greek Islands itinerary this summer and early fall will wake up in a new destination each day with eight to nine hours of port time to explore. Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said, “We warmly welcome the announcement that Norwegian Cruise Line will resume its cruises from Greece. In 2020, we reopened tourism safely, and we are working to continue doing the same this year, so travelers go home with memories they are proud to share and that will last a lifetime.”
Along with the announcement of its return to service, the Company has today canceled all July and August itineraries aboard Norwegian Breakaway, Dawn, Escape, Getaway, Sky, Spirit, Star, and Sun. In addition, voyages aboard Norwegian Epic through September 1, 2021, and Norwegian Pearl through November 7, 2021, have also been canceled. Guests and travel partners with affected bookings will be contacted directly.
The cruise line has also extended its temporary “Peace of Mind” cancellation policy to passengers traveling on cruises booked before April 30, 2021, with embarkation dates through October 31, 2021. These travelers will have the flexibility to cancel their cruise up to 15 days prior to departure. Those who take advantage of the “Peace of Mind” policy will receive a full refund in the form of a future cruise credit that can be applied to any voyage through December 31, 2022.
