Europe has always been a preeminent cruising destination for Americans and, with the European Commission’s mid-May announcement that travelers fully vaccinated against COVID-19 — including those from the U.S. — can enter the bloc gradually from the start of the summer tourism season, cruise lines are hurrying to be voyage-ready.
Is cautious optimism finally on the sea’s horizon? Here is what we know so far.
Americans Can Enter the EU This Summer
Foreign tourists vaccinated with EU-approved vaccines — including Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — will be allowed to enter the bloc without testing or quarantining upon arrival. Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein are expected to follow these recommendations, while Iceland has been open since March to travelers with proof of either vaccination or previous infection.
While details are still being refined, the overarching rules for all ships — from chartered barges to massive cruises — will be consistent with those established in the host countries. It is paramount that agents become familiar with each country’s, and ship’s, individual regulations.
This announcement points to a boatload of opportunity, quite literally. A restart in France, for example, which announced that vaccinated tourists can enter by June 9, brings the possibilities of new sales for barges and river cruising.
“From the Canal du Midi to the Canal du Nivernais, the French barge cruise experience is still the quintessential small-ship cruise along the inland waterways of France,” said Stephanie Sack, cruise consultant for Barge Lady Cruises.
Ships Returning to European Seas
This news makes the continent another viable market for U.S. cruisers. And Greece is the word for most of these restarts — at least for the first weeks of summer. Particularly reliant on summer tourism, Greece opened for Americans with proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test back in March. Cruise lines such as Silversea Cruises, Azamara and Celebrity Cruises will be joining Athens-based companies such as Celestyal Cruises, a leading cruise line serving the Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean.
“There is significant pent-up demand ... and we see a surge in last-minute bookings for this June and beyond,” said Leslie Peden, chief commercial officer for Celestyal. “We will kick off the season with our highly popular Idyllic Aegean onboard the Celestyal Crystal that visits Kusadasi, Turkey; and Rhodes, Santorini, Laviro/Athens, Mykonos, Milos and Crete in Greece.”
There is significant pent-up demand ... and we see a surge in last-minute bookings for this June and beyond.
Other European sailings include Crystal Cruises’ 10-day Iceland circumnavigation; Oceania Cruises’ Scandinavia and Western Europe itineraries; the launch of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic from Barcelona; and the debut of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ recently transformed Super Ship La Venezia in Italy.
Regaining Trust
Throughout the pandemic, the media has often compared cruises to “floating Petri dishes.” With months to prepare and implement measures to maintain guest and crew health, cruises hope to regain passengers’ trust.
AmaWaterways experienced a taste of tourism’s return in 2020 when they successfully operated sailings for more than 1,500 German-speaking guests with enhanced health and safety protocols, including pre-cruise questionnaires, temperature checks, sanitized luggage, face coverings and more.
These protocols align with what all ships will be enforcing. Seabourn, known for its shore excursions throughout Europe, will follow each destination’s safety protocols.
“Some destinations may allow independent shore excursions, and others may require us to operate Seabourn-guided shore excursions,” said Aimee Price, director of North America sales for Seabourn. “Our guests will also be required to comply with all health protocols in place at the time the shore excursion is operated.”
For her part, Sack of Barge Lady Cruises is feeling optimistic.
“It’s been a wild ride,” she said. “But we are excited to play host to the American travel market again.”
