Luxury cruise travel is ready to come back in a big way, even if it’s initially with a smaller set of ships. Without permission from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to sail from the U.S., Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Silversea Cruises are all moving ahead with cruises from foreign shores.
Until the U.S. federal government and local domestic homeports welcome their return, luxury ships are sailing from the Caribbean, Greece and the U.K. Another thing these brands have in common? They are requiring all guests to be vaccinated against COVID-19, at least for now.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal was one of the first lines, luxury or otherwise, to plan its resumption, and now its pair of ocean liners are scheduled to sail in the Caribbean this summer. Starting July 3, Crystal Serenity will depart from the Bahamas and, beginning in August, Crystal Symphony will sail from St. Maarten (Aug. 2) or Antigua and Barbuda (Aug. 5).
The new “Bahamas Escapes” itineraries on Crystal Serenity will include seven-night round-trip voyages from either Nassau or Bimini, while 10-night cruises on Crystal Symphony will homeport in Philipsburg (St. Maarten) or St. John’s and visit Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago (subject to government review) and the British Virgin Islands.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
This fall, Regent will be able to fully inaugurate its new Seven Seas Splendor when the ship sets sail from the U.K. The luxury vessel was already christened in February 2020, just before the pandemic pressed pause on all cruising. Now, it will finally be able to sail a proper maiden season, starting Sept. 11.
Splendor’s first cruise back will be an 11-night roundtrip voyage from Southampton, England, visiting Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. The ship will then set course for the Mediterranean, before heading to the Caribbean by early 2022.
The return of the rest of the Regent fleet hasn’t been revealed, but for now, all other sailings have been suspended through Sept. 30, 2021.
Silversea's Silver Moon debuts in Greece this June.
Credit: 2021 Silversea CruisesSeabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn is preparing to resume sailing both in the Caribbean and from Greece. Seabourn Ovation’s schedule includes seven-day combinable voyages sailing roundtrip from Athens to the Greek Isles, beginning July 3.
Meanwhile, Seabourn Odyssey will cruise from Bridgetown, Barbados, starting on July 18. Southern Caribbean itineraries will be seven days in length or can be extended to 14 days, back-to-back.
The other non-expedition ships in the luxury fleet are not scheduled to return until September 2021 at the earliest.
Silversea Cruises
Silversea is also planning to restart from Greece, where its latest ship, Silver Moon, will debut when it embarks on its inaugural sailing on June 18.
On a series of 10-day itineraries, Silver Moon will visit Santorini, Paros, Mykonos and Crete, as well as Haifa (Israel) and Cyprus — all roundtrip from Piraeus (Athens). Two sets of itineraries are conducive to combining consecutive voyages.
Other non-expedition ships in the Silversea fleet are tentatively expected to begin sailing as soon as July 2021.
The Details
Crystal Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Seabourn Cruise Line
Silversea Cruises
