In a watershed moment for cruising, one small line will resume Caribbean sailings this weekend
Something big in the cruise world is happening this weekend, almost under the radar.
One of the world's smallest cruise brands, SeaDream Yacht Club, on Saturday will kick off the very first cruise in the Caribbean since the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic in March.
That's right, cruising is about to be back in the Caribbean -- albeit in a very small way.
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Assuming all goes as expected, SeaDream's yacht-like, 112-passenger SeaDream I will depart from Barbados on Saturday on a seven-night voyage to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. It'll be the first of 22 sailings that the line plans in the region through the spring.
If it goes well, the voyage could be a watershed moment for the cruise industry, which has been eyeing a restart in the Caribbean for many months. The Caribbean is the world's biggest cruise destination, accounting for at least a third of all cruises taken in a normal year, and a resumption of sailings in the region is critical to the cruise industry's long-term health.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
In recent months, cruising has resumed in a limited way in several other parts of the world, including in Europe and French Polynesia. But, with the exception of one aborted attempt, there hasn't been a single sailing not just in the Caribbean but all of North America.
SeaDream announced plans for the new Caribbean voyages just seven weeks ago, and it has stuck with the plans over the past few weeks even as every other major line in the world has pulled back from the idea of a November restart to Caribbean cruising.
In recent days, all the world’s major cruise lines have extended their cancellations of sailings in North America even further -- through the end of December.
Related: TPG will report live from the first SeaDream sailing
The recent cancellations came in the wake of a restrictive new “conditional sailing” order from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that will make it hard for most lines to restart operations in the Caribbean before January. The order creates a number of hoops that cruise lines must jump through before receiving a Conditional Sailing Certificate to resume operations out of U.S. ports such as PortMiami and Port Canaveral.
SeaDream's sailings aren't covered by the CDC's new order because the line's Caribbean itineraries do not include passages through U.S. waters. SeaDream Yacht Club's two 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.
SeaDream is confident that it can restart cruising in the Caribbean safely.
The line already has experience operating voyages during this new era of COVID in a safe way. It was one of the first cruise operators to resume sailings in Europe -- way back in June. It operated sailings along the Norwegian coast for months with little trouble.
Related: Demand rises for cruises on small ships in wake of COVID
The line had a brief COVID scare in August when someone who had sailed on one of its ships tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home. But that turned out to be a false alarm.
SeaDream has implemented a range of anti-COVID measures on its two small ships that — for several months, at least — have kept them COVID-free.
The anti-COVID measures include testing every passenger for COVID-19 at the pier before they are allowed to board and requiring social distancing and daily temperature checks.
SeaDream also has implemented rigorous cleaning and sanitizing measures on board its ships, including using the same sort of ultrasonic foggers that hospitals use to sanitize rooms, as well as a germ-killing UV light system.
Related: A preview of the new COVID-related cruise restrictions
For the upcoming Caribbean sailings, SeaDream also will be restricting passengers from wandering around during calls on their own. This is designed to minimize the chance of interacting with local residents who might be ill.
Most of the anti-COVID measures that SeaDream is implementing are the same as what the major cruise lines plan for when they restart sailings as early as January.
In that sense, the line's success -- or failure -- in restarting cruising in the Caribbean in the coming days and weeks could be a bellwether for what is to come when the industry's bigger players begin tiptoeing back into operations in the coming months.
Or, put another way, all eyes in cruise world are about to be on the SeaDream I.
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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
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 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.