After the COVID-19 pandemic caused a virtual shutdown of the Caribbean cruise industry in 2020, the Carnival Corporation has now announced its plans to resume operation in the summer of 2021. According to the Cruise Jamaica website, 15 port visits in Jamaica have been scheduled between July 1 and July 29, 2021. Cruise Jamaica is a brand of the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), which regulates, develops and promotes the cruise subsector, partnering with the Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Product Development Company, and the Jamaica Tourist Board. The PAJ operates ports in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Falmouth, and Port Antonio. Since 2017, the PAJ has focused on development, working to direct investments into revitalizing historic assets and addressing issues such as unpaved streets, poor sewage, and rundown buildings. The agency has actively promoted Port Royal, its newest port.
In a press release, Carnival stated that its brands will use a phased-in approach as they resume sailings from global ports. Limited itineraries have been announced for 16 ships to date, or about 20 percent of the company’s global fleet. The brands scheduled for sailing soon include AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn and P&O Cruises (UK), all of which sail from international ports in Europe and the Caribbean.
These initial cruises will operate with enhanced health protocols developed with governmental and health authorities and the firm’s public health, epidemiological, and policy experts. Adjustments in passenger capacity will also be made. Carnival management said that the company’s collaboration with international and local health authorities and medical experts, along with relevant authorities in the destination countries, allowed its brands to develop a comprehensive array of health and safety protocols designed to protect and mitigate dangers throughout the entire cruise experience.
Additionally, Carnival expects more cruise options to become available in the summer of 2021 if the company is given the go-ahead from the United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). The Carnival Cruise Line is a global line headquartered in Doral, Florida. It has been ranked as the largest cruise line in the world on the basis of the number of passengers carried annually and the total number of ships in its fleet.
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