Seafood suppliers are celebrating the passage of the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act by the U.S. Congress, which allows some cruising to resume in the state.
Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises have all announced week-long sailings from Alaska starting in July, according to a press release from AAA - The Auto Club Group, the travel agency of AAA.
Norwegian Cruise Lines plans to resume week-long cruises from Seattle, Washington to Alaska in August.
“This is huge news for the travel industry, especially for Alaska, which heavily relies on income generated by cruising,” Debbie Haas, vice president of travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group, said in a press release. “Cruise bookings with AAA have accelerated in recent months, and the addition of travel to Alaska in 2021 will create even more positive momentum for the industry.”
Although the Centers for Disease Control is supporting a mid-July restart in U.S. sailings, it was unclear whether Alaska would benefit, due to Canada being closed to travelers and regulations that require foreign-owned ships to stop in another country when sailing between U.S. ports.
However, the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act offers a temporary exemption from current legislation for travel between Washington and Alaska.
In addition, cruise lines are adding sailings and dining options globally.
Viking is expanding its presence in the Mediterranean this summer, adding a third ship to sail round-trip voyages from Valletta, Malta.
Oceania Cruises, meanwhile, is upgrading its dining experiences for guests via its OceaniaNEXT program.
“Whether guests are in the mood for an elaborate dinner at Toscana, or prefer to indulge in the line's exclusive Dom Pérignon Experience, or crave the casual comfort of tacos or fresh poke bowls, every meal on board is given the same thought, care and creativity to ensure it is as mouth-watering as it is memorable,” the company said in a press release.
Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new World Navigator will sail throughout the Arctic, British Isles, the Norwegian Fjords, Iceland and Greenland, the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas, and Central and South America, from March through November 2022, it said.
Photo courtesy of Princess Cruises
