Cruise lines are planning restarts in various phases in 2021, including a number of smaller European niche brands.
Here’s the latest:
Black Sea Cruises
First sailing: In service
Ship: Prince Vladimir
Region: Black Sea
Black Sea Cruises restarted operations on June 13, as the Prince Vladimir departed Sochi, Russia, on its first post-pandemic cruise.
The Rosmorport-led operation offers seven-night itineraries in the Black Sea, with calls in Novorossiysk, Yalta and Sevastopol.
Club Med
First sailing: July 10, 2021
Ships: Club Med 2
Regions: Mediterranean
Club Med is currently planning a July service resumption, with the Club Med 2 reentering service in the Mediterranean.
Starting on July 10, the vessel is set to offer three new French coast itineraries, as well as cruises to Greece and the Western Mediterranean.
Celestyal Cruises
First sailing: In service
Ships: Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia (from June 28)
Regions: Greek Islands
Celestyal Cruises successfully resumed operations on June 12, with its seven-night Idyllic Aegean itinerary on the Celestyal Crystal.
Offering cruises to the Greek Islands, the company plans to add a second ship, the Celestyal Olympia, into service on June 28.
Marella Cruises
First sailing: June 25, 2021
Ships: Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2
Region: United Kingdom
Marella will restart service with domestic sailings in the United Kingdom. The company plans to add two ships into service, starting on June 25.
The Marella Explorer will be the first back to welcome the guests back, sailing from Southampton. The Marella Explorer 2, the cruise line’s adult-only ship, will offer cruises from Newcastle, starting on July 10.
Sea Cloud
First sailing: August 6, 2021
Ships: Sea Cloud, Sea Cloud II and Sea Cloud Spirit
Region: Mediterranean
According to its website, Sea Cloud intends to have all of its fleet operating in the Mediterranean by September.
The first vessel set to resume service is the Sea Cloud, slated to sail from Piraeus on a Greek Islands itinerary on August 6, 2021. On September 14, the new Sea Cloud Spirit is scheduled to sail from Civitavecchia on its maiden voyage.
Ponant
First sailing: In service
Ship: Le Bougainville, Le Lyrial, Le Dumont-D’Urville, Le Champlain and Le Bellot
Region: Mediterranean, Iceland and France
Ponant has resumed operations on June 16, 2021, with more than 50 departures setting sail to Iceland, the Mediterranean, and France this summer.
Highlights include a new partnership with the Louvre, new itineraries and ports of call, and a stop at the brand’s namesake islands, Ponant Islands.
Saga
First sailing: June 27, 2021
Ship: Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure
Region: United Kingdom
Saga Cruises is offering a new summer 2021 United Kingdom program aboard its two ships, the Spirit of Adventure and the Spirit of Discovery.
Both ships will be based in Tilbury, with the first cruise scheduled on June 27, 2021.
