When is cruising expected to resume?

When can we get back to cruising? That’s the question cruise lovers have been asking for months. However, before we list the date’s cruise lines hope to return to service, let’s go over a brief history of the pause in cruising, and what we know so far.

What’s happened since the beginning of the cruise line shutdown?

The cruise industry came to a halt in mid-March, as cruise lines voluntarily paused their cruises during this unprecedented time, and announced dates for a return to service. The Uk Government also issued a no sail order on the 12th Match 2020 for cruises stating ‘The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against cruise ship travel at this time. This is due to the ongoing pandemic and is based on medical advice from Public Health England’.

As the situation went on longer than anyone could have imagined, the pause in cruising extended further in 2020, and then into early 2021.

Most cruise lines voluntarily paused sailings for the meantime after being faced with port closures; a lack of suitable infrastructure, including flights & Hotels, and increased travel restrictions that change on a country-by-country basis. CLIA, the cruise lines international association that represents most cruise lines, issued a further voluntary suspension in operations though to December 31st 2020. When will the great cruise shutdown end? That the question many cruise fans are asking now as we all eagerly await the day when we can all get back to the high seas.

It’s important to note that while cruises remain paused in the United States, the UK and Australia, there has been some cruising that has resumed mainly in Europe and Asia.

When will cruise lines return to sailing?

While cruise lines have set dates for a return to service, the situation remains fluid and further cruise cancellations are possible. However, cruise lines are actively working on a path to resume.

Cruise cancellation resumption updates for 2021 **last updated January 15th 2021**

When Will Ocean Cruise Lines Resume Service? 

Adventure Canada (Ocean Endeavour only): June 3, 2021 

AIDA: March 6, 2021 

Aqua Expeditions. Aqua Expeditions' ship Aqua Blu will open in Indonesia for local Indonesia residents in August 2020, and take international passengers beginning September 12. 

Australis: September 2021 

Azamara: 

• Azamara Quest: May 1, 2021 
• Azamara Journey: May 1, 2021 
• Azamara Pursuit: May 9, 2021 

Bahamas Paradise: A restart date has not been set yet. 

Blount Small Ship Adventures: The company ceased operations in late August. All future voyages are cancelled. 

Blue Lagoon Cruises: February 28, 2021 

Captain Cook Cruises: December 19, 2020 

Carnival: April 1, 2021, with several exceptions: 

• Mardi Gras: now debuting on April 24, 2021. 
• Carnival Freedom: voyages from Galveston are cancelled through April 10, 2021. 
• Carnival Miracle: voyages from San Francisco and San Diego are cancelled through September 16, 2021. 
• Carnival Liberty: sailings from Port Canaveral from September 17 - October 18, 2021 are cancelled for drydock work. 
• Carnival Sunshine: sailings from Charleston from October 11 - November 13, 2021 are cancelled for drydock work. 

• Four ships that were scheduled for drydocks in the first half of 2021 – Magic, Paradise, Valor and Legend – won't return to service until the work is done, and are not being listed as returning in 2021. More information on  

• Australia voyages aboard Carnival Splendor are cancelled through the ship's April 19, 2021 departure, while sailings aboard Carnival Spirit are paused through the May 16, 2021 sailing. Carnival Spirit’s 15-day cruise from Singapore to Brisbane on June 12, 2021 is also cancelled. 

Celebrity: May 1, 2021 

Sailings in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America are cancelled fror the 2020-2021 season. 

In addition: The May 1 Transatlantic crossing on Apex; May through October 2021 Europe and transatlantic cruises on Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Constellation will also be suspended. 

Celestyal Cruises: April 24, 2021 

Coral Expeditions: Coral Adventurer will resume operations in January 2021. 

Costa: February 1, 2021 (voyages in Italy only) 

CroisiEurope: March 2021 

Cruise & Maritime Voyages: CMV has collapsed. All future voyages are cancelled as of July 20, 2020. 

Crystal Cruises: 

• Crystal Esprit: May 2, 2021 
• Crystal Serenity: May 24, 2021 
• Crystal Symphony: May 1, 2021 

Cunard Line: 

• Queen Elizabeth: June 5, 2021 
• Queen Mary 2: May 29, 2021 
• Queen Victoria: May 17, 2021 

Disney Cruise Line: April 1, 2021 

Dream Cruises: Explorer Dream resumed cruising in Taiwan on July 26. 

Fred. Olsen: 

• Balmoral: June 9, 2021 
• Bolette: May 29, 2021 
• Borealis: May 22, 2021 

• Braemar: Spring 2022 (date tbd). 
• River cruise departures on Brabant are cancelled for the 2021 season. 

G Adventures March 1, 2021 

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: Limited sailings resumed July 31, 2020 aboard Europa 2 and Hanseatic Inspiration for German, Swiss and Austrian residents only. Europa and Hanseatic Nature will resume operations in September. Bremen has left the fleet. Sailings were cancelled through November due to rising COVID cases; voyages will resume December 1, 2020. 

Hebridean Island Cruises: March 2021. 

Holland America Line: May 1, 2021, except the following ships/destinations: 

• Eurodam: Second Week of June 2021 (Alaska) 
• Oosterdam: Second Week of June 2021 (Alaska) 
• Koningsdam: Mid-May 2021 (Alaska) 
• Nieuw Amsterdam: Mid-May 2021 (Alaska) 

• Noordam: Mid-May 2021 (Alaska) 
• Volendam: Early June 2021 (Mediterranean) 
• Westerdam: Early June 2021 (Mediterranean) 
• Zuiderdam: Early June 2021 (Alaska) 
• Zaandam: September 2021 (Canada & New England) 

Hurtigruten: January 2021 for Norwegian coastal sailings only for local and freight traffic. Voyages to Antarctica are cancelled for the entire season through March 2021. Select expedition itineraries aboard MS Fram, MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Roald Amundsen are cancelled through May 2021. Expedition sailings aboard MS Trollfjord are cancelled entirely. 

Lindblad To Be Announced. Sailings to Antarctica for 2020-2021 have been postponed to 2021-2022. 

The Majestic Line: Cruises will now restart in 2021 after being suspended on October 9 due to new Scottish regulations on alcohol service in a hotel setting. 

Maple Leaf Adventures: April 14, 2021 

Marella Cruises: April 1 (Europe); May 1 (Global) 

Metropolitan Touring: Metropolitan restarted Galapagos voyages on August 2. 

MSC Cruises: All North American Caribbean voyages are cancelled until April 1, 2021; Japan cruises will resume in April 2021. Voyages in Greece aboard MSC Magnfica are postponed until February 14, 2021. MSC Grandiosa will restart cruises from Italy on Jan 24, 2021. 

Norwegian Cruise Line: April 1, 2021. 

NYK Cruises November 2020 

Oceania Cruises: April 1, 2021 

P&O Cruises: April 2021 

P&O Cruises Australia: The fleet will resume on a staggered basis: 

• Pacific Explorer: April 30, 2021 
• Pacific Adventure: April 30, 2021 
• Pacific Encounter: May 7, 2021 

• Pacific Aria: vessel has been sold & withdrawn from service 
• Pacific Dawn: vessel has been sold & withdrawn from service 

Paul Gauguin: March 6, 2021 

Pearl Seas Cruises: January 2021 

Ponant: Ponant restarted cruising in France for French citizens in July, and opened to other nationalities, depending on restrictions, through s fall 2020. In mid-November, the line closed sailings until December 2020. 

Poseidon Expeditions: All 2020 Arctic voyages have been postponed to 2021. Voyages for the 2020-2021 season to Antarctica have been cancelled. 

Princess Cruises: May 15, 2021 (June 26 in Japan). 

Pullmantur Cruises: Pullmantur Cruises has filed for creditor protection in Spain. Its ships have been scrapped. 

Quark Expeditions: May 1, 2021 

Regent Seven Seas: April 1, 2021 

Royal Caribbean: May 1, 2021, except: 

• Sailings aboard Quantum of the Seas and Spectrum of the Seas in Singapore and China; 
• Sailings in Australia, which are cancelled until May 1, 2021. 

Saga Cruises: 

• Spirit of Adventure: May 4, 2021 

• Spirit of Discovery: April 2021 

Sea Cloud Cruises: 

• Sea Cloud: April 21, 2021 
• Sea Cloud 2: March 17, 2021 
• Sea Cloud Spirit: April 21, 2021 

Seabourn: On October 6, Seabourn paused its fleet until the following dates: 

• Seabourn Odyssey: November 6, 2021 (except seven-day Alaska/British Columbia and the Pacific Coast sailings, beginning May 28). 
• Seabourn Encore: May 29, 2021 
• Seabourn Ovation: April 19, 2021 
• Seabourn Quest: November 7, 2021 (with cruise longer than seven days and calling on a US port). 

• Seabourn Sojourn: June 5, 2021 

SeaDream Yacht Club: SeaDream restarted operations from Barbados in November, but was forced to pause until the end of the year following a COVID outbreak onboard. The line will resume in Europe in May 2021. 

Scenic: April 1, 2021 

Silversea: 

• Silver Cloud: May 5, 2021 

• Silver Wind: June 14, 2021 
• Silver Shadow: April 28, 2021 
• Silver Spirit: April 20, 2021 
• Silver Muse: May 20, 2021 
• Silver Whisper: June 20, 2021 

• Silver Explorer: June 24, 2021 
• Silver Moon: April 1, 2021 
• Silver Dawn: November 9, 2021 
• Silver Origin: April 3, 2021 

Star Clippers: 

• Royal Clipper: April 19, 2021 
• Star Clipper: April 3, 2021 
• Star Flyer: April 16, 2021 

Tauck: March 1, 2021 

TUI (Mein Schiff): Mein Schiff 2 resumed cruising with three-day, no-port cruises on July 24. Mein Schiff 2 will commence voyages through the Canary Islands aboard Mein Schiff 2 beginning October 30. 

UnCruise Adventures: UnCruise resumed service on August 1, but a COVID-19 positive test on the first sailing forced the line to cancel its 2020 season. 

Variety Cruises Variety Cruises resumed on July 24 with sailings in Greece. 

Viking Cruises: April 1, 2021 

Virgin Voyages: May 9, 2021 (and for its second ship, Valiant Lady, November 14, 2021). 

Windstar Cruises: On December 14, Windstar announced it will return its fleet to service on the following schedule, excluding voyages to Alaska, Mexico or the United States: 

• Wind Spirit – May 6, 2021 
• Star Breeze – May 15, 2021 
• Star Legend – May 1, 2021 
• Wind Star – May 22, 2021 
• Wind Surf – May 9, 2021 

• Star Pride – July 14, 2021 

Zegrahm Expeditions: TBC 

When Will River Cruise Lines Resume Service? 

Amadeus: Amadeus resumed service in Europe for international passengers on July 27, 2020 

AmaWaterways: March 1, 2021 for European cruises; April 2021 

American Cruise Lines: TBD 

American Queen Steamboat Company: Feb 28, 2021 

APT: March 1, 2021 

Arena Travel: TBC. 

A-ROSA River Cruises: February 1 on the Rhine and Danube only. 

Avalon Waterways: March 16, 2021 

Botanica: August 1 

Captain Cook Cruises (Murray River): July 31, 2020 

Century Cruises: Century Cruises will restart for Chinese passengers only on August 12. 

CroisiEurope: March 2021 

Crystal River Cruises: May 2021 

Emerald Waterways/Evergreen Cruises: April 1, 2021 

Fred. Olsen River Cruises: River voyages are cancelled for the 2021 season. 

Gate1 Travel: April 30, 2021 

Grand Circle: TBC 

Hebridean Island Cruises: All sailings for its river ship Royal Crown have been cancelled for the remainder of 2020. 

Pandaw: July 2020 

Riviera Travel March 26, 2021 

Sanctuary: Sanctuary resumed cruises in Myanmar along the Irrawaddy in July. 

Scenic: April 1, 2021 

Tauck: March 1, 2021 

Teeming River Cruises: Most sailing dates have now been moved into 2021. 

Titan: Feb 1, 2021 

Travelmarvel: TBC 

TUI River Cruises: March 2021 

Uniworld: TBC 

Vantage Deluxe World Travel: May 2021 

Victory Cruise Lines: 2021 

Viking River Cruises: February 1, 2021 

Will cruises really resume on the dates each cruise line has announced?

Cruise lines have stated that their “back to cruising” dates, however, the situation is still fluid and changes are still possible. Major cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC are working diligently to make sure the cruise ships are safe.

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