It's official: Cruising will resume in the Caribbean in just 7 weeks
The comeback of cruising in the Caribbean is finally at hand — at least in a small way.
Small-ship specialist SeaDream Yacht Club on Tuesday became the first cruise company in the world to definitively say it will resume cruises in the Caribbean in the coming weeks.
During a Zoom call with travel media, travel agents and top SeaDream customers, SeaDream vice president for itineraries and destinations Emilio Freeman said the 112-passenger SeaDream I would begin a series of 22 voyages out of Barbados to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada, on Nov. 7 -- just over seven weeks from now.
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The six- to eight-night trips will come after a 21-night repositioning cruise for the vessel from Norway to the Caribbean. That trip will start Oct. 15 in Oslo and end Nov. 5 in Barbados.
While a number of other cruise lines still have November sailings in the Caribbean on their schedules, none of them have confirmed the trips will operate.
All the world's major cruise lines have canceled Caribbean sailings in September and October, and many industry watchers expect most lines to soon cancel Caribbean sailings in November, too.
The Caribbean cruise cancellations have come amidst a "no-sail" order for cruise ships that operate in U.S. waters from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that's been in effect for months. Most cruises to the Caribbean depart out of a U.S. port or include at least one U.S. port call, making them subject to the CDC order.
The CDC's no-sail order currently is set to expire on Sept. 30, but many industry watchers expect it to be extended.
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The November sailings SeaDream announced on Tuesday would not be covered by an extended no-sail order because the itineraries do not venture into U.S. waters. SeaDream Yacht Club's small vessels also are below the size threshold included in the CDC order. The order only applies to ships that carry more than 250 passengers and crew.
The hub that SeaDream is using for its trips, Barbados, is mostly used for departures by smaller vessels -- at least among lines that cater to North Americans. It also is a hub for bigger ships operated by U.K.-based P&O Cruises.
Related: Barbados is again welcoming Americans
SeaDream Yacht Club was one of the first cruise operators to resume sailings over the summer. It began a series of seven-night trips along the coast of Norway in June.
The company, which operates just two yacht-like, 112-passengers vessels, is one of the world's smallest cruise lines. It caters to an international crowd including Americans.
SeaDream's senior vice president for hotel operations, Sudesh Kishore, said during the conference call on Tuesday that the line would operate in the Caribbean with a new array of health and safety measures, including the requirement that all passengers be tested for COVID-19 multiple times before boarding.
Related: Major cruise lines resume sailings to Greece
Kishore said passengers would be required to take a COVID-19 test just before flying to Barbados, and travelers from certain countries would be tested again when they landed at the airport in Barbados. All passengers then would be tested one more time as they arrived at the pier to board SeaDream I.
Kishore said the company had acquired three Abbott ID Now testing machines that each could process four COVID-19 tests per hour. Passengers will be asked to arrive at the pier on a staggered basis to allow for every passenger to be tested before departure. Passengers who test positive will not be allowed to board.
The extensive testing will result in a "bubble" of COVID-19 negativity on the ship, SeaDream's Freeman suggested. Also adding to the bubble: During island stops, passengers won't be allowed to wander around on their own.
"We've been talking to the governments of both St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as Grenada, and they will allow us to come ashore, but in a more organized fashion, and to pre-designated places," he said.
Such measures are similar to those being implemented by two other lines that recently resumed limited sailings in the Mediterranean: MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises.
Kishore said the ship also would impose a social distancing requirement and take passenger temperatures daily. But passengers will not have to wear masks on board.
Cruising has resumed in a very limited way in Europe and a handful of other regions in recent months. But so far, there have been no sailings in North America.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.