'We're back!' Another major cruise line announces restart plans
Add Holland America to the list of cruise lines planning to restart at least some operations by late summer.
The Seattle-based cruise company known for globe-circling itineraries on Wednesday said it would resume departures in the Mediterranean in August -- albeit with just a single ship.
The line said its 2,104-passenger Eurodam would operate a series of seven-night voyages out of Piraeus, Greece (the port for Athens) starting on Aug. 15 through early September before repositioning to Venice, Italy, for additional Mediterranean sailings.
Like many cruise lines, Holland America hasn't operated a single cruise departure since the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic in March of 2020.
"I'll give you the punchline, which is we're back!" Holland America president Gus Antorcha said in advance of the announcement during a call with cruise writers.
Antorcha said the 10-ship line might have other vessels starting up over the summer, too -- perhaps even before Aug. 15. But the Eurodam sailings are the first the line is ready to announce.
The announcement is just the latest sign that cruising is finally in the midst of a widespread comeback after more than a year when many lines weren't able to operate a single departure.
In recent weeks, nearly half a dozen major cruise brands including Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises have announced plans to resume Mediterranean sailings out of Piraeus over the next three months.
The restarts include the first Silversea sailings in 15 months, starting on June 18, and the first Seabourn sailings in 16 months, starting on July 3.
Norwegian Cruise Line is resuming Mediterranean sailings out of Piraeus on July 25 in what also will likely be its first voyages in 16 months. Celebrity Cruises is scheduled to begin cruises out of Piraeus on June 19.
The restarts are happening as Greece moves forward aggressively with a plan to reopen widely to tourists in advance of the summer travel season, and other countries around the Mediterranean get closer to broader reopenings to tourists, too.
Several lines including Crystal Cruises, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean also have announced plans to restart Caribbean sailings in the coming months with trips out of non-U.S. ports such as Nassau in the Bahamas. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently is blocking all but the smallest cruise ships from sailing out of U.S. ports due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19 on ships.
The ship that Holland America is restarting in the Mediterranean, Eurodam, had been scheduled to spend this summer in Alaska. But Holland America fans shouldn't read too much into the ship redeployment, Antorcha suggested. It doesn't necessarily mean the line won't be operating Alaska trips later this summer, he said.
It's still unclear whether Holland America will be able to restart Alaska sailings later this year, due to regulatory issues. But if the line does, the trips that Eurodam had been scheduled to operate in Alaska will be operated by the similarly sized Nieuw Amsterdam, Antorcha said.
"The reason [for the switch in ships] is a very simple one, which is that the Eurodam at the moment is sitting in Europe, and the Nieuw Amsterdam is sitting in Alaska," he said. "As we return to service, we may have these tweaks to the ships [used on various itineraries] because we have to be practical as to where the ships actually are located."
The cruise industry shutdown of the past year has left many vessels at many lines out of position in various parts of the world.
Antorcha said Eurodam initially would offer two different seven-night itineraries out of Piraeus. The first is an “Idyllic Greek Isles” itinerary that brings stops at the Greek islands of Corfu, Santorini and Mykonos plus a visit to Kotor, Montenegro. The second is an “Ancient Wonders” itinerary that brings calls at Náfplion, Mykonos and Rhodes in Greece plus Haifa, Israel.
The two itineraries can be booked back-to-back to create a longer, 14-day voyage without duplicative ports.
Antorcha said Eurodam would reposition to Venice on Sept. 5 with a one-way voyage from Piraeus that brings calls at Mykonos, Katakolon and Crete in Greece, and Sarandë, Albania. After that, the ship will operate voyages between Italy and Greece.
Eurodam will reposition to the Caribbean in mid-November as previously scheduled, Antorcha added.
All passengers on the newly announced Eurodam sailings, including children, will need to show proof that they have received a final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of their voyage.
Such a requirement is increasingly common for cruise ships restarting operations.
Eurodam also will sail with a wide range of new health and safety measures including health screenings for passengers, face mask requirements, physical distancing and capacity controls.
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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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- 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 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.