Cruise industry sees resurgence in July

Vessels from 50 different operators will sail this month, with safety protocols reassuring passengers 

In what is welcome news for passengers and operators alike, July 2021 heralds the recovery of the cruise industry. An estimated 141 cruise ships from 50 different operators will set sail. The ships represent over 180,000 berths at full occupancy, with MSC Cruises having the biggest operational footprint; the world’s fastest-growing cruise line is set to operate seven ships this month with over 25,000 berths. 

Consumer confidence is clearly high with safety measures in place to reassure passengers. Norweigan Cruise Line is among the companies witnessing strong demand.

Nick Wilkinson, regional vice president of business development, Middle East & Africa, said: “We already had robust health and safety protocols in place, and the health and safety of our guests, our crew, and the communities we visit have always been, and always will be, our number one priority. We have spent the past year further developing and refining those measures, using the latest scientific findings and expert advice.

“We recently launched our Sail Safe Health and Safety programme, which is founded on three pillars: safety aboard, with medical-grade air filtration, increased sanitation measures and enhanced medical resources; safety ashore, through the collaboration with land-based tour operator partners to extend health and safety measures to each destination; and safety for guests and crew, with a requirement that all on board must be fully vaccinated for all cruises departing through 31 October 2021, as well as universal testing and enhanced health screening protocols prior to boarding and at disembarkation.”

As protocols evolve and additional information becomes available, NCLH will share updates at www.ncl.com/sail-safe.

Adding momentum to the growing industry confidence is the debut of several ships including Silversea’s inaugural Silver Moon sailing from Greece, and Freedom of the Seas, sailing for Royal Caribbean International from Miami, plus Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean sailing once more from the iconic Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong.

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