There's been plenty of changes and happenings in the cruise industry, so today's post is aimed at helping you quickly get caught up with it all.
Protocol changes, announcements, and even new construction top the cruise news of this week.
Let's dive into what's new and different.
CDC lowers warning level for cruise ships
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lowered its warning level for cruise ships from level 4 to level 3.
The change reflects falling case counts of Covid-19 on the ships.
The CDC made the change just a week after warning the public cruise ship passengers are at a high risk of getting Covid-19 onboard.
Immediately after the CDC lowered the warning level from the highest level, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) issued a statement in support of the change.
"The decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lower the Travel Health Notice threat level for cruise ships is a step in the right direction and recognizes the leadership and effectiveness of the cruise sector’s health and safety protocols that are unmatched by virtually any other commercial setting."
Carnival will celebrate 50th birthday with celebration cruises
Carnival Cruise Line will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding with special "Sailabration cruises".
The commemorative birthday sailings will feature at-sea ship meetups, as well as special entertainment and programming.
These Sailabrations cruises will begin later this week and run through March 10, 2022.
The 17 themed Sailabrations will allow guests to not only celebrate with each other on board but also with other Carnival ships. Ships throughout the Carnival fleet will meet to host the biggest birthday parties at sea. The meetups include:
- March 5: Carnival Radiance and Carnival Miracle (Baja, Mexico, outside Ensenada)
- March 7: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Glory, Mardi Gras, Carnival Pride, Carnival Sunrise and Carnival Vista (Western Caribbean, between Cozumel and Costa Maya)
- March 9: Carnival Conquest, Carnival Spirit, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Legend, Carnival Liberty and Carnival Sunshine (The Bahamas, between Eleuthera and Nassau)
- March 11: Carnival Miracle and Carnival Panorama (Baja, Mexico, outside Ensenada)
Before stepping on board, guests will be welcomed into Carnival’s cruise terminals-turned-birthday parties with fun music, signage and décor. Upon embarkation, the celebration begins as each ship will host a 50th Birthday Bash Sailaway Party where guests are invited to wear their favorite Carnival gear, vintage or modern, as Playlist Productions cast members join the ships’ Cruise Director, Fun Squad and DJs to rock to festive tunes.
Other unique entertainment that will debut on the Sailabrations will include Carnival-themed puzzles; 1972 fun-fact trivia with commemorative 50th Birthday medallions; a Build-A-Bear Birthday Party featuring the debut of a special-edition cuddly bear; and a Rollin’ In Riches casino event. The sailings will also include the debut of new, exclusive collections of specially-designed and collectable retail offerings.
Virgin Voyages opens new cruise terminal in Miami
The new Terminal V in PortMiami is open, which is the new home for Virgin Voyages.
Terminal V stands three stories tall, and is 132,000 square feet in total. It sits at the northwestern corner of the port, and has unobstructed skyline views of Biscayne Bay, Edgewater, and downtown Miami.
The address of the terminal is an hommage to Sir Richard Branson's birthday, which is on July 18.
"Coming to this beautiful new terminal and seeing Scarlet Lady in her home port here in Miami has been such an incredible experience. The team at Virgin Voyages has created a stunning building that delivers on our commitment to being better stewards of the earth with its LEED Gold Certification," said Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group.
Canada drops PCR test requirement for vaccinated travelers
Canada announced fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada will no longer have to take a pre-arrival molecular test — such as a PCR — as of Feb. 28.
Travelers will still be required to take a pre-arrival test, but they can instead opt for an authorized rapid antigen test taken no more than one day before their scheduled flight or arrival at the land border.
This makes testing significantly faster since rapid antigen test results can come back in minutes.
Matt Hochberg
Matt loves to cruise, and started Cruise.Blog as a place to share different cruise experiences, advice, and what to know before going on a cruise.
He lives in Florida with his wife and two daughters, where he can be found on any given day trying to convince his wife they "need" to book another cruise.
