Cruise world restarts hiccups even in the Mediterranean
On the day Costa Luminosa restarts its eastern Mediterranean cruises and the group confirms plans [...]
On the day that Costa Luminosa is restarting its eastern Mediterranean cruises and the group confirms plans to have four ships operating for the summer season across the ocean, comes news that the Odyssey of the Seas has canceled the summer season that was to have departed in the coming weeks from Israel.
Costa Cruises' Plans
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Costa Luminosa is the second of a total of four ships who will operate for Costa in thesummer 2021, offering cruises in the Mediterranean. On May 1, the flagship departed from Savona. Emerald Coast, which is proposing an itinerary dedicated to Italy.
June 26 will be the turn of Costa Deliziosa, again for week-long cruises to Greece. On July 4, however, the following will depart Coast Florence, the new ship inspired by the Florentine Renaissance, which will offer a weeklong itinerary in Italy. Coinciding with the return of Costa Firenze, from July 3 Costa Smeralda will return to international itineraries, with one-week cruises to Italy, France and Spain.
New Odyssey of the Seas debut postponed
The fate of Royal Caribbean Group's new ship, Odyssey of the Seas, is beginning to resemble the flagship of the Virgin Voyages, Scarlet Lady.
The American company's new ship was to be christened in Italy and, departing from Civitavecchia, was to carry American tourists and others around Italy and the Greek islands. The Covid situation had prompted RCCL to change plans by moving the ship to Haifa, Israel, aiming to be the first cruise ship open only to vaccinated tourists. The unrest and the tense situation in the state prompted the company to cancel the season, and now we will see if the ship will be moved to the Caribbean or if, unlikely, a new itinerary will be designed.
The situation
As for summer 2020, it seems that the only "certain" departures are those of the two leading companies in the Italian market: Costa Cruises and MSC. The Caribbean is also expected to depart, but in this case the problem would not be the domestic situation but the Indian variant.
A great many crew members come right from the Indian subcontinent, and so the problem for U.S. companies would be having the time to immunize crews and ensure a safe protocol for summer cruises to the Caribbean.
