Some of the year's hottest new cruise ships will be delayed due to coronavirus
It's shaping up to be a tough year for cruise fans who only will travel on the hottest new ships.
Even if cruising resumes relatively soon, which seems increasingly unlikely, some of the year's most-anticipated new ships won't be in operation as early as expected, because cruise lines increasingly are pushing back planned unveilings for new vessels.
Luxury line Crystal Cruises, for instance, has delayed the long-awaited debut of its first expedition ship, the 200-passenger Crystal Endeavor, until at least November. Named one of the most exciting new cruise ships of 2020 by TPG, Endeavor originally was scheduled to begin service in August.
Visit TPG's guide to all coronavirus news and updates
Also pushing back the debut of a major new ship is Princess Cruises. The line has delayed the debut of its newest vessel, the 3,660-passenger Enchanted Princess, until at least August. Enchanted Princess originally was set to be christened in late June.
Celebrity Cruises, Virgin Voyages and Lindblad Expeditions also have postponed inaugural sailings for new ships this year. So have a long list of river cruise ship operators.
In some cases, the delays are due to a coronavirus-related slowdown of work at the shipyards where the vessels are under construction. Some shipyards have shut down completely. In other instances, the ship are unable to sail due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.
Related: 9 ways cruising will be different when it starts up again
Princess president Jan Swartz, in a video message posted last week on Twitter, blamed the Enchanted Princess delay on "the significant impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on Italy and our shipbuilding partners." Enchanted Princess is being built at a Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy (not far from Venice) that's been closed for many weeks due to Italy's countrywide lockdown.
Crystal said Crystal Endeavor's delay is due to the temporary closure of the MV Werften shipyard in Germany where the vessel has been under construction since 2018.
"We know that, like us, our guests have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to explore anew with Crystal aboard this groundbreaking ship, and we deeply regret that this change has become necessary and has disrupted our guests' travel plans," Crystal president and CEO Tom Wolber said in a statement announcing Endeavor's delay.
Among the new cruise vessels that have been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak:
Scarlet Lady
The first ship for start-up cruise line Virgin Voyages is ready to sail. Construction was completed in February. But Scarlet Lady won't operate its inaugural voyage with paying passengers until at least Aug. 7, Virgin Voyages has said. Scarlet Lady's first trips with paying passengers originally were scheduled for March.
Celebrity Apex
The second ship in Celebrity's groundbreaking Edge Class-series also is ready to go. But it remains tied up in the French shipyard where it was built. Celebrity took delivery of Apex from the Chantiers de l'Atlantique facility in St. Nazaire, France in late March, just as coronavirus cases were exploding worldwide. But the line never moved the vessel. All inaugural events and sailings were canceled, and Apex's new inaugural voyage has yet to be set.
Crystal Endeavor
The inaugural voyage of Crystal's first expedition ship originally was scheduled for Aug. 10. It's now set for Nov. 14.
National Geographic Endurance
Billed as the world's most advanced polar expedition ship, this is another vessel that's ready to go. Its construction was completed in March. But operator Lindblad canceled inaugural voyages in late March and April due to the coronavirus outbreak. It's unclear when it will begin sailing with paying passengers.
Enchanted Princess
Construction has been delayed on the newest Princess ship due to the coronavirus outbreak, and it's unclear when work will be completed. The ship originally was scheduled for delivery in June. Princess says a new delivery date has not been set for now. The line has canceled all voyages on the ship through July 31.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter
Other major new ships due in 2020 that could be affected by coronavirus-related work slowdowns include Carnival Cruise Line's much-awaited, 180,000-ton Mardi Gras. This is the vessel that famously will have a roller coaster on its top deck -- a cruise industry first.
Mardi Gras has been under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, since late 2018. Its maiden voyage currently is scheduled Nov. 14.
In recent weeks, the first 19 departures of Mardi Gras scheduled through March 20, 2021 have disappeared from Carnival's website. But the sailings still are on, according to a spokesperson for Carnival. The spokesperson told TPG the sailings have disappeared from Carnival's booking engine because the line is capping capacity on them, resulting in them showing as "sold out."
The first Mardi Gras sailing still available to book on Carnival's website is on March 27, 2021.
The arrival of Mardi Gras already has been pushed back once. The ship originally was scheduled to debut in August of this year, but late last year it's arrival was delayed to November.
A spokesperson for the Meyer Turku shipyard told The Points Guy the coronavirus outbreak has had an impact on the facility but work continues.
"We are still in operation, with understandable reductions in production volume," Meyer Turku spokesperson Tapani Mylly said. "Work on Mardi Gras is continuing at the moment."
This year also has seen a major delay of the first cruise vessel from Ritz-Carlton.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the new cruising arm of the upscale hotel company, announced in March it had pushed back the debut of its 298-passenger Evrima by 10 months to April 2021.
But the Evrima delay is unrelated to the coronavirus outbreak. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has encountered ongoing problems at Hijos de J. Barreras, the shipyard in Vigo, Spain, where Evrima has been under construction for more than a year.
Related: 5 reasons you might not want to book a cruise on a brand new ship
Evrima originally was scheduled to begin sailing in February of this year, but its arrival already had been delayed by four months, to June 14 before the latest delay was announced.
The coronavirus outbreak also has caused significant delays to major ship renovation projects that had been scheduled for this year. Among the projects that are on hold for now is a massive, eight-week-long "amplification" of Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas — one of the world's biggest cruise ships. At $165 million, it was to have been one of the most expensive overhauls of a ship ever.
Major makeovers of Carnival and Windstar Cruises also have been delayed.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees