During the pandemic, I watched as several cruise ships sat idle off the coast of my San Diego, Calif. homeport, anxiously awaiting their return to operations. But as I drove west on the Coronado Bridge high above San Diego Bay a few days ago, the Pacific Ocean was finally free of anchored ships, as a sure sign of the resilient cruise industry’s robust comeback.
It was a sight for sore eyes, to be sure.
It just so happens that more cruise lines are sending their full fleets back online. Most recently, the 10-ship Silversea Cruises fleet, the four-ship Azamara fleet, the 19-ship MSC Cruises fleet and the five-ship Seabourn Cruise Line fleet announced that all vessels have returned to service, following shortly behind other lines (including Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line).
“I am beyond thankful to our hardworking team and dedicated crew members for all the incredible work and effort that has brought us to this exciting moment,” said Carol Cabezas, president of Azamara. “Thanks to them, our four-ship fleet are all sailing for the first time ever, allowing us even more opportunities to immerse our guests in the smaller ports and hidden-gem destinations of the world.”
Ruben A. Rodriguez, president of MSC Cruises USA, said that putting the last of the fleet’s ships back into the waters has been “a milestone for all of our hard-working crew members onboard, and … a milestone for our guests looking for new ways to discover fantastic destinations around the world.”
"We were the first major line to return to international cruising in the summer of 2020,” he said. “Our industry-leading health and safety protocols laid the groundwork for us to return to full strength and give our travel agent partners and their customers what they want — relaxing, enjoyable and, most importantly, safe cruise vacations.”
MSC has MSC Divina currently homeporting in Port Canaveral, Fla., and its newest MSC Seashore in Miami while the rest embark in Europe and the Middle East. Azamara is also operating internationally in Europe before moving to Asia, Australia and South America.
Others, particularly those previously waiting on the West Coast, are heading to Alaska for the season. Seabourn Odyssey will be in the U.S. region for the summer, while Seabourn Ovation goes to Northern Europe. Seabourn Encore, Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Sojourn, the last to restart operations, are embarking in the Mediterranean. ay is an important milestone for the entire Seabourn family, and we are so incredibly happy to have all of our ships back in operation,” said Josh Leibowitz, president of Seabourn. “The Seabourn Sojourn team members have been looking forward to this day and are eager to welcome guests back onboard and provide them with the finest service, indulgences and special ‘Seabourn Moments’ throughout their time on board with us.”
Silversea is fully operational now, including with the recent launch of several new ships. Silver Moon and Silver Origin both debuted in 2021, and the latest, Silver Dawn, launched in 2022. Following its conversion for expedition cruising last year, Silver Wind just became the latest ship to rejoin in the Mediterranean. It will head next to the Arctic and then Antarctica.
"I am incredibly proud to see all of our ships now welcoming guests around the world — with 10 ships in operation for the first time in our cruise line’s history — after what’s been a challenging period for the global travel industry," said Roberto Martinoli, president and CEO of Silversea. "After leading the global return of ultra-luxury cruising, we have come back stronger than before with the support of Royal Caribbean Group, with a more all-inclusive door-to-door service, three news ships and various product enhancements. It is especially gratifying to have our beloved Silver Wind embark on her first voyages as an ice-class expedition vessel, complete with Zodiacs and kayaks — offering our guests unforgettable encounters with nature and wildlife, and, in due course, expanding our industry-leading polar offering."
