Re-Entry Into Cruise Service (By Line) In 2021 – Other Cruise News: Might Pullmantur Cruises Return? – Impact Of Covid-19 On Cruise Revenues
by Kevin Griffin
This week we look at when the cruise lines are preparing to return to service. As well we report on a possible two-ship revival for Pullmantur Cruises and revenue losses to date in 2020 that have been brought about by Covid-19.
THIS WEEKS STORY
Re-Entry Into Cruise Service (By Line) In 2021
With the CDC (US Center for Disease Control)’s requirement that all major cruise lines sailing from and to US Ports re-qualify to sail before re-entering revenue service, so far this means that the various cruise lines will be re-commencing service,in stages, a few ships every month, as follows:
• January 2021: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Virgin Voyages and Marella Cruises.
• February 2021: Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Viking Ocean Cruises.
• March 2221; Azamara, Celestial Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard Line, Windstar Cruises.
• April 2021: P&O Cruises, Star Clippers, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Saga Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea.
OTHER CRUISE NEWS
Celebrity Millennium at Singapore (Photo credit Singapore Cruise Society at Facebook)
Might Pullmantur Cruises Return?
Last week news reports from the Spanish financial press and also from the Royal Caribbean blog brought up the possibility that Pullmantur Cruises might be revived in late 2021. The Spanish-speaking market has lost both Pullmantur and Carnival’s former Iberocruceros in recent years.
If this plan came about it might see two of Celebrity’s 2,158-berth “Millennium” class ships transfer in to Pullmantur.
Celebrity Constellation
These ships were built in St Nazaire in 2000-2002, with the oldest being the Millennium and Infinity and the newest pair being Summit and Constellation.
This class of ship has many more balconies than the ships that Pullmantur had been operating pre-Covid.
Which two ships might be the subject of this plan has not been released but the 2,918-berth Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Ape would be the obvious replacements.
Impact Of Covid-19 On Cruise Revenues
A brief note from last week revealed that cruise line revenue losses so far in 2020 have reached $21 billion, a 71% reduction from 2019, brought about by the Covid-19 endemic.
(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)
