A second major cruise line is about to resume sailings in the Mediterranean
A second major cruise line is about to test the waters for a resumption of cruising in the Mediterranean.
Europe-based Costa Cruises on Sunday will resume seven-night sailings out of Italy with a single ship, the 2,260-passenger Costa Deliziosa.
The 12-deck-high vessel will sail from Trieste, Italy, on an all-Italy itinerary featuring stops in Bari and Brindisi in Puglia; Corigliano-Rossano in Calabria; and Siracusa and Catania in Sicily.
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Costa is following in the wake of Europe-based MSC Cruises, which on Aug. 16 became the first major cruise line to restart sailings in the Mediterranean since the coronavirus caused the cruising industry to shut down in March.
Like Costa, MSC Cruises restarted operations with just a single vessel, the 4,842-passenger MSC Grandiosa. It's sailing out of Genoa on seven-night trips to ports in Italy and Malta.
For both lines, the sailings are a test of sorts to see if they can operate without major coronavirus-related incidents even as the illness continues to circulate in society without a vaccine.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
So far, MSC Grandiosa has recorded no cases of COVID-19 on board.
MSC Cruises has taken some extraordinary -- and innovative -- measures to keep the coronavirus off the ship. That includes rapidly testing every passenger for the illness as they arrive for their cruise. Those who test positive aren't allowed to board. MSC Grandiosa passengers also aren't allowed to get off in ports for touring on their own. They only can disembark as part of a cruise line-organized tour that's designed for social distancing.
The ship also is operating at a significantly reduced capacity, and with social distancing and mask-wearing rules in place.
The policies are designed to create a coronavirus-free "bubble" on board the ship. But the line also has prepared for the possibility of onboard cases of the illness by setting aside hundreds of cabins for crew and passenger isolation and arranging for medical help in advance from port towns.
Related: Has MSC Cruises cracked the code for a safe return of cruising?
Like MSC Cruises, Costa also plans to test passengers for COVID-19 on the day of departure before they board the ship and restrict their touring options in ports.
Costa says Costa Deliziosa will operate four of the seven-night Italy sailings between this weekend and Oct. 3. It hasn't said whether the ship will continue with the voyages beyond that date.
Assuming all goes well, a second, bigger Costa ship -- the 3,724-passenger Costa Diadema -- will begin sailings from Genoa, Italy, on Sept. 19. Like Costa Deliziosa, it'll only sail to Italian ports including Civitavecchia (the port for Rome), Naples, Palermo, Cagliari and La Spezia.
Both itineraries only are available to Italians for now. Costa ships normally draw a mix of Europeans as well as a handful of Americans. The company maintains a U.S. sales office.
The restart of cruising for Costa Cruises is a major milestone for its parent company, Carnival Corporation -- the world's largest cruise company. Costa Deliziosa will be the first of nearly 90 Carnival Corporation-operated ships to resume departures since March.
In addition to Costa, Carnival Corporation owns eight more major cruise brands including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and Cunard Line.
Related: This well-known cruise line just canceled every sailing through March
Cruising is restarting in Europe earlier than in North America because the COVID-19 case counts in Europe have fallen far more sharply in recent months than they have in North America. Italy has recorded fewer than 1,400 cases a day in recent days. The United States, on the other hand, still frequently records more than 40,000 cases a day.
In addition to the Mediterranean, cruising has resumed in a very limited way in Northern Europe with a handful of sailings out of Germany by German lines TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. There also have been a few cruises by small lines out of ports in Norway and France.
Quite a few small river cruise ships in Europe also have resumed sailings. But none of the vessels have been of the size or significance of MSC Grandiosa ā the worldās seventh-biggest cruise ship.
More cruise ships may resume sailing in Europe in the coming weeks. TUI Cruises recently said it was preparing to start cruises from Greece with a single ship on Sept. 13. If it does, it would be the first international line to do so.
Planning a cruise for the coming year? These stories will help:
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Thereās a lot to love about the Amex Gold. Itās a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If youāre hitting the skies soon, youāll 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 Dunkinā credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, thereās no reason that foodies shouldnāt 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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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- 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 RewardsĀ® 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 youāre approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount ā all with no credit score impact. If youāre approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® 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 RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership RewardsĀ® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership RewardsĀ® 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. Thatās up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership RewardsĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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 ExpressĀ® 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.