A major cruise line will sail from a US port this weekend for the first time in 15 months
The long-awaited comeback of big-ship cruising out of U.S. waters finally is at hand.
In a milestone moment for the cruise industry that surely will have cruise fans celebrating, Celebrity Cruises on Saturday will kick off the first big-ship voyage out of a U.S. port since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The seven-night sailing out of Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades will break an unprecedented, 15-month period without a single sailing in U.S. waters by a major cruise vessel.
The last cruise departure out of a U.S. port by a major cruise ship took place in early March of 2020, just before cruise lines around the world halted operations due to the pandemic.
The Celebrity sailing on Saturday will take place on the line's 2,908-passenger Celebrity Edge and feature calls at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Nassau in the Bahamas.
Celebrity will be just the first of several major cruise lines to restart operations out of U.S. ports in the coming weeks.
The world's largest cruise line, Royal Caribbean, will launch its first sailing out of a U.S. port since the start of the pandemic on July 2 with a voyage from Port Canaveral, Florida.
Carnival Cruise Line will restart U.S. operations just a day later with sailings out of Galveston, Texas, on July 3 and out of Miami on July 4. Carnival will restart operations out of Port Canaveral on July 31.
In addition, seven separate major cruise lines have announced plans to restart cruises out of Seattle to Alaska in July and August.
While many major U.S. vacation destinations on land including Disneyland in California have reopened to tourists in recent months as COVID-19 cases have fallen, cruise lines have been delayed in restarting sailings in U.S. waters due to restrictions implemented by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Until recently, the CDC had blocked all but the smallest cruise ships from sailing in U.S. waters. This effectively shut down big-ship cruising in not just U.S. waters but also all of North America. Most big cruise ships that sail in North America use U.S. ports as a base.
While Celebrity Edge is the first big cruise ship to restart operations out of a U.S. port since the coronavirus pandemic began, it's not the first cruise ship to restart operations in North America.
Both Celebrity and Royal Caribbean have restarted Caribbean voyages in recent weeks with sailings out of non-U.S. ports such as Nassau.
There also have been dozens of cruises on small riverboats and other small vessels operated in the past three months on U.S. rivers and intracoastal waters. All of the trips have been on vessels that carry fewer than 250 passengers and crew, which are not subject to CDC regulation.
Still, the Celebrity Edge sailing this weekend marks what many consider the true kickoff to the return of cruising in North America, and it's a major milestone for the comeback of cruising around the world.
Cruises from U.S. ports -- particularly the Florida ports of Port Everglades, Port Canaveral and PortMiami -- account for a significant percentage of all cruises taken worldwide.
Like all the lines in the midst of restarting departures, Celebrity is implementing a long list of new health and safety measures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on board Celebrity Edge.
The new measures include sailing with at least 95% of passengers fully vaccinated for COVID-19. To clear that hurdle, the line initially planned to require all passengers 16 years of age and older to show proof of vaccination before boarding. But due to a new Florida law forbidding such a requirement, the line plans only to ask passengers to volunteer such information.
Passengers who don't show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination will face significantly different health protocols while sailing including a requirement for multiple COVID-19 tests at their own expense and a mask-wearing requirement.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | 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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.