SeaDream To Cruise From Barbados – Other Cruise News: New Cruise Routes & Services – Incidents With Covid-19

by Kevin Griffin

SeaDream has now announced plans for forty cruises in 2020-21, the majority from Barbados to some of the smaller ports in the Caribbean. Other new services are being effected by Bahamas Paradise Cruses Lines, Royal Caribbean International, Dream Cruises and AIDA Cruises. While new Med start-up services have been generally successful so far, there have been a couple of hiccups, with small numbers testing positive on some ships. Generally, these have been controlled, but there are spikes occurring throughout Europe at the moment, including in France.

THIS WEEK’S STORY

SeaDream To Cruise From Barbados

As the first luxury cruise line to resume sailing, SeaDream has been able to provide a safe and healthy environment without sacrificing the upmarket SeaDream experience. SeaDream learned many lessons after completing a successful summer season in Norway, thanks to stringent sanitation procedures, the professionalism of the crew, and the cooperation of guests.

Preparing to visit Barbados this winter season, with a series of forty cruises, the line is taking these measures a step further, strengthening existing protocols to protect crew, guests, and the communities the line visits alike.

With a small ship size, ultra-personalized service, emphasis on cleanliness, and access to more intimate, less travelled ports, SeaDream has a reduced risk built into its operations. They have now invested in equipment, education, and methods that will help further ensure everyone’s safety.

SeaDream uses Bridgetown as the hub for its Southern Caribbean voyages as well as some voyages that cross the Atlantic. The Island includes UNESCO Heritage Sites, excellent beaches and history dating back to 1628.

The climate is tropical with constant warm temperatures during the year cooled by light trade winds.

OTHER CRUISE NEWS

New Cruise Routes & Services

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines will restart its West Palm Beach to Bahamas service with the 1,502-berth Grand Celebration on November 4, 2020. She will be rejoined by her 1,316-berth fleetmate Grand Classica on March 3, 2021.

On the other side of the world, a selection of 3- and 4-night cruises have been approved by the Singapore Government to begin sailing on December 1, 2020. These new cruises by Royal Caribbean’s 4,180-berth Quantum of the Seas are only available to residents of Singapore.

Royal Caribbean has been working with local health and tourism authorities to follow all requirements and guidelines including the Cruise Safe Certification standards, which all cruise lines must obtain prior to sailing out of Singapore.

Dream Cruises’ 3,376-berth World Dream will be operating a similar cycle of cruises, commencing on November 6.

Meanwhile, Aida Cruises, Carnival Corp’s German brand, has restarted its cruises in Italy.

The line’s 2,194-berth AIDAblu sailed on October 16 from Civitavecchia on a 7-night itinerary that includes Naples, Palermo, Catania, La Spezia and an overnight stay in Civitavecchia, for nearby Rome.

Incidents With Covid-19

Costa Cruises 3,708-berth Costa Diadema made the news again when she had seven French passengers test positive for Covid-19 after returning from shore excursions in Palermo.

This was the first of two French charter cruises. The second sailing has been cancelled due to a Coronavirus spike in France.

Previous cases on the same ship were put down to false positive test results.

Meanwhile, MSC Cruises’ 4,843-berth MSC Grandiosa called at Malta last week with a single passenger with flu-like symptoms and had to leave port without landing any passengers or crew.

(Kevin Griffin is managing director of The Cruise People Ltd in London, England. For further information concerning cruises mentioned in this article readers can visit his blog)

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