Sad news today as the last of the Holiday Class ships was beached today at the shipbreaking yard in Alang, India. MV Magellan, which started life with Carnival Cruise Line as Holiday, joined her sisters, Jubilee and Celebration.
MV Magellan last sailed for the British cruise line Cruise and Maritime Voyages until that line went into administration in the middle of last year. It is an end of an era for the first class of ships that was launched by Carnival Cruise Line as new-builds. Tropicale, of course, being the first new-build ship for the Florida based company.
Photo Credit: Viramdevsinh Gohil
A Part of Carnival History
When one reads back on Carnival Cruise Line’s history, it connects on many levels with the American Dream. It started with Mardi Gras, which ran aground on its maiden voyage, and TSS Carnivale’s launch only three years later. However, the company’s expansion started in earnest in 1985 with the launch of 46,052-ton Holiday and the so-called Holiday Class of ships.
The Holiday Class ships would help Carnival Cruise Line grow into what it is today. A multi-billion dollar conglomerate that sails more cruise ships, to more places, than any other company in history.
This growth wouldn’t have happened without the success story that is Carnival’s, MS Holiday.
MS Holiday– A Rich History Of Cruising
MS Holiday sailed for Carnival Cruise Line for 24 years. Built-in Denmark in the 1980s by Aalborg Vaerft, she sailed for the first time on July 13, 1985. She was joined by the MS Jubilee and MS Celebration in 1986 and 1987.
The Holiday class ships’ launch was sparking a cruise boom, which saw Carnival Cruise Line become the “Most Popular Cruise Line in the World,” carrying more passengers than any other.
Photo Credit: Mark Wolfe
Although many great holidays were had onboard, MS Holiday famously was part of the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and used as temporary housing for the victims of the storm. After 24-years of faithful service, mostly in the Caribbean, she was transferred to Ibero Cruises in 2009.
The vessel was renamed Grand Holiday and sailed for the now-defunct IberoCruceros. Iberocruceros was never a great success for Carnival Corporation, as it ceased operation in 2014, after only 11 years of service.
As IberoCruceros ceased operating, British cruise operator Cruise and Maritime Voyages stepped in to take over the vessel and renamed her MV Magellan. She sailed with CMV until the company also went into administration in the middle of last year.
Photo Credit: Andrew Balcombe / Shutterstock.com
Bought in an auction by Greek operator Seajets, she never made it far. The company opting to sell the vessel for scrap instead of letting her have one more go at being a cruise ship.
Economic Effects Causing Havoc
Today, January 30, 2021, her story of being one of the most influential cruise ships in the world came to a sad end on a beach in India. She joins many others that have also not survived the economic effects the pandemic is having on the cruise industry.
Other former Cruise and Maritime Voyages ships have also been scrapped recently, the iconic MS Marco Polo was also beached at the ship-breaking facility in Alang, India alongside the MV Astor.
With many more ships already beached at shipbreakers around the world, and no end in sight for the pandemic, unfortunately, these ships will likely not be the last ones to be beached as scrap metal.
Last week British cruise line Saga Cruises announced they would require all guests to be vaccinated before being allowed onboard one of their ships. As a cruise line that caters exclusively to guests 50 years old and over, this can be seen as a reasonable requirement. But what about the three major cruise lines?
Once we finally get back to cruising, will Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line require guests to be vaccinated?
So far, none of them have made any commitments towards a requirement, but that’s not saying the cruise lines are not looking at implementing it. Cruise Hive is ready take a look at what is fast becoming a hot issue for many cruise fans.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line has been pretty clear on the subject so far. It is too early to make any decisions. Both John Heald, Carnival’s brand ambassador, and Donald Arnold, the Carnival Corporation CEO, have commented on the subject in recent days.
Photo: Copyright Cruise Hive
As for Carnival Cruise Line, in particular, John Heald reacted in his own typical style:
“Let me say that I have no idea if the cruise industry will ever require proof of vaccination to sail. And even if this does become the rule, I am sure that there is somewhere in the world a batch of brand new fake immunity certificates ready to roll off the presses.”
Donald Arnold has said the same during the conference call for investors last week. The Carnival Corp. CEO mentioned it is too early for any decisions to be made, citing that distribution has not ramped up to full speed yet.
It seems it will be a while yet before Carnival announces any decisions regarding mandatory vaccinations for its passengers.
Royal Caribbean
The second-largest cruise company, which owns major cruise brands such as Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, has been pretty quiet on the subject.
Photo Credit: Benjamin Clapp / Shutterstock.com
In an interview with Porthole Cruise magazine, Richard D. Fain mentioned the decision would be made by the healthy sail panel set up by the cruise line, together with Norwegian Cruise Line.
“The purpose of the panel is to advise us on things like that. Exactly how are we going to require it? Are we going to just use it as an adjunct? I think all of that is going to come out reasonably soon. We have the experts, and we’ll let them guide us.”
It seems then that Royal Caribbean is not handling it as a business decision but a health call. It could be that Royal Caribbean decides, if the healthy sail panel says so, that the vaccine will be required onboard, but not decision has yet been made.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Frank Del Rio has been outspoken on the subject of COVID-19 vaccines. He has said he would require crew members to be vaccinated at a minimum, and the company is investigating the legality of requiring guests to be vaccinated.
Del Rio said the following last month:
“It’s too early to tell whether we have the legal standing to mandate that you take a vaccine to come onboard — lawyers are looking at it as we speak. But there is talk beginning to emerge from different corners of the travel industry, the airlines as well, of requiring some kind of immunity passport demonstrating that you’ve had the virus or been vaccinated so that you are good to go.”
For Norwegian Cruise Line, you could expect they would be implementing something of a mandate that requires vaccination, though the situation continues to evolve and their stance could change.
Photo Credit: ackats / Shutterstock.com
Can a Cruise Line Legally Make Me Get a Vaccine?
Yes, cruise lines likely have legal standing to require guests, and crew, to be vaccinated before they cruise.
Cruise lines would likely be required to offer refunds to anyone that is refused boarding based on a vaccination requirement if the guest had booked their travel before the requirement was made official. This would be something that would likely not sit well with the cruise lines after a full year of having virtually no income during the pandemic shutdown.
Stay tuned in the next few weeks as it could be expected that the cruise lines will be making decisions on the subject soon. These decisions will both give clarity to guests who want to cruise and give people enough time to get a shot if a mandatory vaccination requirement does come into play for future cruise vacations.
Our fact-packed Miami Cruise Terminal Guide offers a comprehensive look at each terminal in PortMiami. It provides cruisers with all the information they might need to know.
Known as the “Cruise Capital of the World”, Miami cruise port is the largest and busiest in the world and is part of PortMiami’s 518-acre site. It makes sense to know which cruise terminal your cruise will depart from, and what amenities are available.
PortMiami cruise terminals are among the best and most modern in the world. They have to be, as they need to accommodate over 6.8 million cruise passengers and their luggage in a speedy, secure and efficient manner! The port deals with 55 different cruise ships from 22 different cruise lines each year.
Every Miami cruise terminal has parking, special facilities for disabled travelers, lounges, check-in desks, security checks, and must be able to deal with thousands of taxis, shuttle buses, and other vehicles delivering excited cruisers to the correct ship.
On its busiest day in December 2018, PortMiami cruise terminals handled a world record-breaking 52,000 passengers.
As of early 2021, The Port of Miami has seven operational cruise terminals with four more undergoing renovation or construction. However, it remains to be seen whether any planned construction and investment will be affected by the halting of cruises due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Where is Miami Cruise Port?
Located on Dodge Island, PortMiami is in sheltered Biscayne Bay just a short sail from the Atlantic Ocean. The port handles a vast amount of cargo and containers as well as cruise ships. The cruise terminals are about 8 miles (25 mins) from Miami International Airport (MIA) and 25 miles (45 mins) from Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL).
All vehicles must enter the port via Biscayne Blvd and the Port Bridge. Along the north side of Dodge Island are terminals A, B, C, D, E, F and G. On the west side is terminal H/V. On the south side are the proposed Terminals J and K.
The PortMiami address is:
1741-1751 Africa Way, Dodge Island, Miami 33132. Phone: (305) 347-4800.
Individual cruise terminal addresses are shown further below. You can also take a detailed look at the map of the terminal that includes the terminals and parking garages. Simply click the image to expand:
Each Miami cruise terminal is maintained and operated by one main cruise line. These are the allocated terminals for each cruise line, in alphabetical order:
Azamara – Terminal J
Carnival Cruises – Terminals D, E and F (under construction)
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) – Terminal B (under construction)
Oceania – Terminal J
Regent Seven Seas – Terminal J
Royal Caribbean – Terminals A, G
Virgin Cruises – Terminal V
Your cruise documents will also confirm the terminal and name of your cruise ship.
Miami Cruise Terminal AA/AAA
Currently, under construction, Terminal AA/AAA is due for completion 2022 at a cost of $300 million. It will have 2 berths to serve MSC Cruises who are financing, building, operating, and maintaining this terminal to use as a homeport for their future fleet.
Rendering By: MSC Cruises
MSC previously used Terminal F. Designed by Aquatonica, the planned new mega-ship terminal will have two terminals and two berths. It will be able to simultaneously accommodate two of MSC’s new World-Class cruise vessels (which rival RCI’s Oasis-class vessels in size). The daily capacity will be a staggering 28,000 passengers.
Terminal A – The Crown of Miami
1015 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Sleek and efficient, Terminal A is the largest cruise terminal in the US. It was opened in November 2018 and serves as homeport to Royal Caribbean International.
Rendering By: Royal Caribbean
The 170,000 sq.ft. cruise terminal is capable of accommodating the larger Oasis-class ships of their fleet and includes parking at the terminal for 1000 cars.
Known as “The Crown of Miami” this cruise terminal is operated by RCI in collaboration with Miami-Dade County. It was designed to handle 2 million cruise passengers per year.
Terminal B – The Pearl of Miami
1751 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Not to be outdone, Miami Cruise Terminal B is in the final stages of constructing a new state-of-the-art terminal serving Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Known as the Pearl of Miami, this futuristic 166,500 sq.ft.terminal was designed by Miami-based architects Bermello Ajamil & Partners.
Photo Credit: Solarisys / Shutterstock.com
The open plan design features a Nautilus theme. It will accommodate cruise ships with a capacity of up to 5,000 passengers, offering a more advanced embarkation and debarking process.
Started in 2018. Terminal B is in the final stages of completion at a cost of $239 million with expected completion in 2021. It will have a dedicated waiting lounge, bar lounge, service area and dedicated parking garage with optional valet service.
Miami Cruise Terminal C
1741 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Cruise Terminal C is currently under renovation. Part of it has been incorporated into the new Terminal B construction.
Terminal C at PortMiami (Photo Credit: PortMiami)
Terminal D
1435 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Terminal D was opened in 2007 and upgraded in 2013 to accommodate the new generation of larger Carnival cruise ships. The apron of the terminals was improved to allow for new passenger boarding bridges to the ships.
This terminal meets LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification standards for green ratings at a total investment cost of $7 million.
Terminal D (Photo By: Chuck Kramer, Creative Commons)
It is one of 3 terminals dedicated to Carnival which is currently Miami’s top customer, welcoming over 2 million passengers a year. Terminal D has a 3-story facility covering 105,000 sq. ft. including a VIP lounge, advanced security screening, check-in counters, and conveyor baggage system.
Terminal E
1265 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Most recently updated in 2018, Terminal E also exclusively serves Carnival Cruise Lines. New improvements meet the silver standard for eco-efficiency and green practices and include new boarding bridges directly onto the ship.
Photo Credit: pisaphotography / Shutterstock.com
The 3-story facility has a VIP lounge, advanced security screening, check-in counters, and conveyor baggage system.
Terminal F
1103 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Formerly used as the MSC home port and cruise terminal, Terminal F is under renovation to accommodate Carnival Cruise Line’s future 7,000 passenger Excel-class vessels including the Panorama, Celebration and Mardi Gras.
Future Look at Upgraded Terminal F (Rendering: Carnival Cruise Line)
It will use sophisticated facial recognition software to speed up security during embarkation. It will have two 32m-long telescopic Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges to serve the larger vessels.
The estimated cost of the renovations is $170 million and completion is scheduled for October 2022. This will be Carnival’s third and largest Miami cruise terminal and its proposed opening will mark Carnival’s 50th anniversary.
Terminal G
909/1055 North Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Terminal G is a Miami landmark with its iconic sail-like roofline. It currently serves Royal Caribbean International (RCI) and Celebrity Cruises among others. It was completed in 2013 at a relatively moderate cost of $2 million.
Terminal J
1120 Caribbean Way, Port of Miami, FL33132
Designed to accommodate smaller boutique vessels and more exclusive luxury cruise ships, Terminal J is operated by Oceania and Regent Seven Seas.
It is also used by Azamara and Crystal cruise ships. It is currently undergoing a $3 million facelift which includes a new exterior escalator and ground floor restrooms.
PortMiami Terminal J (Photo Credit: PortMiami)
It will become a fully automated “One-stop shop” for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) services. This facility is designed to look like a boutique to cater to discerning high-end cruisers who are looking for more personal service.
Terminal K
Terminal K is a newly approved terminal to serve as homeport for at least one of Disney Cruise Line’s latest ships which will all be powered by eco-friendly LNG. Plans are currently pending. An MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) was approved by Miami-Dade commissioners in Fall 2018.
It will be on the south side of the port, east of Terminal J, and will be homeport to Disney Cruise Line’s larger vessels carrying over 3,500 passengers.
Plans include widening the ship channel and the turning basin which will include the acquisition of land rights currently used by Seaboard Marine.
Terminal V – Palm Grove
897 South Cruise Blvd, Port of Miami, FL33132
Formerly known as Terminal H, Terminal V is planned as an exclusive terminal dedicated to Virgin Voyages. This 100,000 sq.ft. Miami cruise terminal will have a tropical-inspired feel.
PortMiami Terminal V (Rendering By: Virgin Voyages)
It is due for completion in late 2021 at an estimated cost of $180 million. It is located on the northwest side of the port and is planned to be the homeport to Virgin’s showcase Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady. The construction of the terminal broke ground in early 2021.
Are There Future Developments for Miami Cruise Terminals?
Port Miami has many major ongoing construction and improvement projects listed above. These are at Terminals AA/AAA, B/C, F, J, K and V.
In additional, future plans include a train station at the cruise port to allow high-speed trains to connect with Aventura, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando International Airport. Watch this space!
How to Get to the PortMiami Cruise Terminals?
By Car:
From I-95 south, take I-395 East towards Miami Beach. Continue across MacArthur Causeway. The entrance of Port Miami Tunnel (Road 887) is on the left. Follow signs to your Cruise Terminal.
From downtown Miami, exit I95 at 3B Bayside. Drive south to Northeast 5th Street, turn left. 5th Street leads onto PortMiami Bridge. Continue over the bridge and follow the signs to your terminal.
Photo Credit: Frank Fell Media / Shutterstock.com
From South Miami, take SR-826 North to SR-836 East. Drive eastbound on SR-836 to I-395 East (Miami Beach), continuing over MacArthur Causeway. The entrance of Port Miami Tunnel is on the left. Follow the signs to your Cruise Terminal.
From Miami Beach – take I-395 (MacArthur Causeway) westbound, exit on Biscayne Blvd. Make a U-turn on North Bayshore Drive to enter MacArthur Causeway eastbound then continue east along MacArthur Causeway.
From the Airport:
The easiest way to transfer to and from the port from Miami Airport is to book a shuttle service with your cruise line. There is a private Express Shuttle company providing shared rides which must be booked in advance. Alternatively, take a taxi or Uber for the 8-mile journey..
PortMiami Cruise Terminal FAQ
Which terminal does Carnival use in Miami?
Carnival Cruise Line uses Terminals D, E and F (currently under construction) at Miami cruise port.
What is the address for the Port of Miami?
The PortMiami address is: 1741-1751 Africa Way, Dodge Island, Miami 33132. Phone: (305) 347-4800
How many terminals are at PortMiami?
Port Miami has 11 cruise terminals although several are currently under construction.
The Iconic MS Marco Polo vessel has reached the end and completed her final journey today at the ship-breaking facility in Alang, India. We already knew she was to be scrapped but now that’s become a reality after photos show her beached ready for scrapping.
Marco Polo Beached
The vessel which was once a popular ocean liner arrived off the coast of Alang, India, and in the early hours of this morning, was finally beached. The ship will not sail again and over the coming months will be scrapped.
Cruise Hive first reported that the ship was set to be scrapped earlier in January. She had already set a course for the ship-breaking facility on January 4 and was scheduled to arrive on January 6.
Photo Credit: Viramdevsinh Gohil
Usually, in these cases, a ship that’s set to be scrapped will remain just off the coast for up to several days to prepare for a safe beaching. Once a ship is beached it doesn’t take long until the first pieces start getting cut and it usually begins from the bow.
Why Was MS Marco Polo Scrapped?
Just like many other older cruise ships, she became a victim of the global pandemic and the suspension of operations. The 55-year-old vessel was previously part of the Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) fleet, but unfortunately, the British cruise line went into administration in the Summer of 2020, and the fleet went up for auction.
It was hoped the cruise line would be saved with a last-ditch effort and to save around 4,000 employees. A deal never got agreed. The cruise operator also suffered after authorities in the UK detained five CMV vessels due to issues with crew member contracts. Crew members were apparently not paid for over 12 months.
Marco Polo was auctioned off by CW Kellock & Co for $2,770,000. There was hope she would sail for Offshore Solutions Unlimited but sadly since been removed from their web site and beached. Four other former CMV vessels were also put up for auction and have now been sold to another line or for scrap.
A Growing List of Scrapped Cruise Ships
The cruise industry has been hit hard by the global pandemic, and every cruise line has suffered, including the giants such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Just today, we also reported on the former Carnival Cruise Ship Celebration that was also beached in Alang, India.
Just days ago it was also reported that Costa Victoria is heading to be scrapped at the Aliaga facility in Turkey. She will join three Fantasy-class vessels that were once part of Carnival Cruise Line and two former Royal Caribbean ships that were scrapped after Pullmantur went out of business.
There is no doubt we’re going to see more cruise ships head to the scrapyard especially with cruise line extending their pause on operations much further in 2021.
Grand Celebration has been beached at the shipbreaking yard in Alang, India. While we reported already in November this might be coming, the vessel can be seen today on our cruise ship tracker as on the beach at the facility in Bhavnagar district.
A fan favorite for short breaks to the Bahamas from Florida, the vessel had been sailing for Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line since 2014. As early as September 2020 the cruise line announced that the vessel would return to sailing on November 4, 2020. While that date never happened due to the CDC’s no-sail-order, it is staggering to think how fast these things can change.
This makes the Grand Celebration the next in a long line of cruise ships that have been beached this year and the previous.
Beached and Scrapped
On Nov 16, 2020, Cruise Hive reported that the ship could well be heading to the scrapyard, as a course had been planned into a shipping tracker. Today was finally the day that Grand Celebration met her end. You can see a photo of the vessel beached which was posted by Janvi Bhuri Baraiya:
Photo Credit: Janvi Bhuri Baraiya
Video footage of the former Carnival cruise ship has also been posted online and in the coming weeks she will no longer start to look like a cruise ship:
Of the other Holiday class ships, the only one that is still under operations is the former Holiday itself, which is currently under the ownership of Seajets in Greece as the MV Magellan.
Grand Celebration sailed for Carnival Cruise Line between 1987 and 2008. She was one of three out of the Holiday class of ships, the first set of new-builds by Carnival Cruise Line.
The ship was built in 1986 at the Kockums Varv shipyard in Malmö, Sweden, for Carnival. Carnival Celebration was in service for the cruise giant for 20 years. The 1497 passenger, 47,262 GT, was turned over to Ibero Cruises in 2008 and renamed Grand Celebration after a refit.
The vessel remained in Ibero Cruises for only six years until 2014. The ship was transferred to Costa Cruises and quickly sold on to Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, where she sailed on 2-day Bahamas cruises from Florida.
The Pandemic Hits Hard
It is the next thing on the list for Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line since the start of the pandemic. Crew members stuck on board for months and months, and a court case against the cruise line with settlements to be paid. It’s been a hectic year for the cruise line.
$612,000 to 276 crew members of both Grand Celebration and Grand Classica. The settlement Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is to pay back pay for crew members held onboard Grand Celebration against their will during the first months of the pandemic.
Photo Credit: YES Market Media / Shutterstock.com
A judge in Florida signed a settlement last Thursday, which forces the cruise line to pay a significant settlement that will provide up to two months’ severance pay for former employees. The crew members were not only held but also subsequently lost their jobs when the cruise industry shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whether the lawsuit is why the ship has been sold and scrapped is not known; it certainly would not have helped the small cruise line. The lawsuit goes into great detail about how far the Cruise Line went to force the crew into submission.
As a sign of the times, and probably no one is present to update the website, the cruise line still advertises the Grand Celebration on its website, although it’s not possible to book any cruises.
Where this leaves Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line for when the pandemic ends is not entirely clear. Grand Classica is currently moored in the Bahamas, so we’ll keep an eye on this.
Two major cruise lines owned by Carnival have announced further extensions on the pause in operations well into Spring 2021. Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are canceling more sailings as they continue to develop on meeting the framework on the CDC Conditional Sailing Order.
Princess Cruises Cancellations
The cruise line which has been hit hard by the global pandemic has announced a further suspension on cruise operations. Cruises have been cancelled through May 14, 2021 including departures in the Caribbean, the California Coast along with sailings in Alaska and Europe.
Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said:
“We appreciate the patience from our loyal guests and travel advisors as we work to meet the health and safety requirements for our return to service.”
“We continue to prepare our ships for our return to service and we are eager to see our guests back on board to create summertime memories.”
Princess Cruises had previously suspended cruises through March 2021 but it’s going to take longer than expected to resume cruises safely. Those guests impacted by the further cancellations are being offered compensation. There are the options of a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) plus an additional 25% bonus.
Guests can also request a full refund of what’s been paid on the booking using an online form. The requests have to be completed by February 15, 2021 or they will automatically be put on the FCC option.
Holland America Cancellations
Holland America Line is another major cruise line that’s part of the Carnival Corporation and it has also extended the pause on operations. All departures through April 30, 2021, are now cancelled including cruises in Alaska, Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coast, Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Canada/New England departures.
The cruise line has also cancelled Alaska cruises on three of its ships through early June 2021. Land+Sea Journeys connected with the Alaska sailings are also cancelled along with departures in the Mediterranean. Canada and New England cruises on the Zaandam have will also no longer take place through early June 2021.
Photo Credit: JL IMAGES / Shutterstock.com
Here’s the full list of cancellations for Holland America:
All cruise departures through April 30, 2021.
Alaska: Eurodam and Oosterdam through the first week of June (roundtrip from Seattle); Koningsdam through mid-May (roundtrip from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada); Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam through mid-May (roundtrip Vancouver and between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska); and Zuiderdam through early June (roundtrip from Vancouver).
Mediterranean: Volendam cruises through early June (between Venice and Civitavecchia [Rome], Italy); Westerdam through early June (roundtrip from Venice or between Venice and Piraeus [Athens], Greece).
Canada/New England: Zaandam cruises through August (between Boston, Massachusetts, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada).
Guests impacted by today’s announcement by the Carnival cruise brand do have options for re-booking. if guests have paid in full already, they can receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit. Those that haven’t paid in full will receive an FCC of double the amount of the deposit.
A full 100% refund is also available and guests need to decide using an online form no later than February 15, 2021 which is the same as sister line Princess Cruises.
Huge Disappointment
There was hope that cruises would finally start to resume for both cruise lines in April but it seems to prepare for cruises again is taking longer than expected. With the virus sweeping across the globe and now end in letting up it does make the return more difficult.
Cruise lines are working with the relevant authorities including the CDC in the United States and cruise ships have already started moving to start that process on returning, However, a lot needs to be done to make sure guests and crew can remain safe.
This news follows Carnival Cruise Line which also announced further cancellations with cruises now delayed until April 2021 at the very earliest. P&O Australia has also announced further cancellations in New Zealand.
Keep checking all the latest as more cruise lines could follow.
Main Photo Credit: Stories In Light / Shutterstock.com
Carnival Cruise Line has announced further cancellations, and it now means that no Carnival cruise ships will sail in March. It delays the resumption of operations until April at the very earliest.
Carnival Cancels All March Sailings
Carnival Cruise Line has announced a new round of cancellations, and the suspension of operations will continue until April 2021. Select ships will also be delayed due to dry dock upgrades. Here is the full list of which ships are delayed and the current situation:
All embarkations from U.S. homeports through March 31, 2021
Carnival Freedom from Galveston through April 10, 2021 (which includes a repositioning of the ship from Galveston to Seattle and a 17-day Carnival Journeys cruise which is not allowed under the current guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
Carnival Miracle from San Diego and San Francisco through September 16, 2021 (which includes many 10-day and longer itineraries not allowed under the current CDC guidelines)
Carnival Liberty from Port Canaveral from September 17-October 18, 2021 (to accommodate rescheduled dry dock work)
Carnival Sunshine from Charleston from October 11-November 13, 2021 (to accommodate rescheduled dry dock work)
Carnival Spirit’s 15-day cruise from Singapore to Brisbane on June 12, 2021 (consistent with the current limitations on international travel in place in Australia).
This announcement was expected with many cruisers already noticing on social media that Carnival had removed all sailing in March 2021 from its booking engine.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said:
“We are sorry to disappoint our guests, as we can see from our booking activity that there is clearly a pent-up demand for cruising on Carnival. We appreciate their patience and support as we continue to work on our plans to resume operations in 2021 with a gradual, phased in approach.”
Impacted Guests
The Miami-based cruise line is contacting guests and travel agents impacted by the new round of cancellations. The cruise line is offering a Future Cruises Credit (FCC) and onboard credit. Guests can alternatively request a full refund if they no longer want to cruise in the future.
Photo Credit: Igor_Koptilin / Shutterstock.com
The Delays Keep on Coming
As the pandemic sweeps across the United States and the world, cruising continues to be on hold. Carnival Cruise Line hoped to return with a limited number of ships in March 2021, but now this won’t be the case.
The Conditional Sailing Order implemented by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) needs cruise lines to implement many changes to make sure guests and crew remain safe.
With the fleet being on hold for almost a year, it’s not easy to prepare the ships. Crew members need to be brought back and trained along with test sailings. Cruise Hive has already reported on several ships recently returning to the U.S. to start the preparations.
With cruise lines not not being able to offer cruises longer than seven days, many itineraries have been moved until November 2021 and that has impacted operations for ships that sail Carnival Journeys and longer sailings.
It’s going to be a long recovery for the cruise industry.
Previous Cancellations
Carnival has suspended operations since March 2020. The cruise line had previously cancelled scheduled sailings out of Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston through February 28, 2021.
The original hope was that cruises would resume once 2021 arrived but the return dates seem to keep being delayed. Carnival’s new Mardi Gras which is the most anticipated new cruise ship for 2021 is delayed until April 24 out of Port Canaveral.
One of the oldest cruise ships in the world has been designated to be scrapped. A storied history of more than 55 years sailing the world’s oceans comes to a sad end as the former Cruise and Maritime Voyages liner MS Marco Polo sets a course to the shipbreaking yard in Alang, India.
A fan favorite, Cruise and Maritime Voyages catered mostly for the UK market, focusing on an older, mature crowd that enjoyed indulging in the classic cruise setup. While the line had a steady client base for many years, it was to be one of the first victims in the cruise industry to succumb to the pandemic’s effects.
Unexpected End Of Operations
Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ demise was not something that many would have seen coming just over twelve months ago. As a cruise line with a steady base of fans and growing steadily over the years, December 2019 saw the purchase of two new vessels.
P&O Australia’s Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria were both bought. Still, they never entered service, as March 2019 saw a cease of operations. Subsequently, in June of last year, reports surfaced that the company could not repatriate crew members, pay salaries, and pay bills. The company went into administration on July 20, 2020, and cruise ships went up for auction.
MS Marco Polo was sold at auction in October 2020 as part of CMV’s administration phase for only US $2,770,000. As recently as November 2020, there was still hope for the 55-year-old vessel as she was offered for charter by Offshore Solutions Unlimited. She has now been taken off the website and, according to Cruise & Harbour News, has been designated to be scrapped.
All of CMV’s vessels were sold at auction in October. As Cruise Hive reported on November 24, 2020, MV Astor has already been beached at the Aliaga ship breaking facility in Turkey. Pacific Dawn, which was designated to be a ‘cryptocurrency’ ship called Satoshi, is currently at anchor outside Colon, Panama, but will also be scrapped eventually unless a buyer is found soon.
As for the other CMV vessels, Magellan, Columbus, and the Pacific Aria have been sold to Seajets in Greece. Astoria has been returned to the Portuguese bank that owns her, and Mystic Invest, a relatively new cruise operator from Portugal, has bought the Vasco Da Gama.
55-Years Of Sailing The Seven Seas
These days, very few ships can say they have sailed with passengers for more than half a century. Built-in East Germany for the Baltic State Shipping Company, the 19.860 gross ton and 176 meters long MS Marco Polo was first and foremost an Ocean Liner that sailed on the Leningrad- Montreal route.
Not until 1990, when the vessel was laid up for three years, the ship was rebuilt entirely as a cruise liner for now-defunct cruise line Orient Lines, here MS Marco Polo sailed until 2008. After that, the vessel sailed for Transocean Tours, the German subsidiary of Cruise and Maritime Voyages, and later CMV.
MS Marco Polo is currently sailing on a course to the yard with a reported arrival date of January 9, 2021, making this iconic 55-year old Ocean Liner another in a long line of ships that fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new year did not start well for former Carnival cruise line ship Ocean Dream, formerly known as Tropicale. After a long life sailing the world’s oceans for multiple cruise lines since 1982, she was beached at the shipbreakers in Alang, India, on January 1, 2021.
The Ocean Dream is the latest in an ever-increasing list of ships that have been beached in India and Turkey over the last year. Companies are hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and are forced to eliminate costly and financially ineffective vessels.
In the last 12 months, Carnival Cruise Line has scrapped Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, and Carnival Fantasy, sold Carnival Fascination, while another former Carnival Cruise ship is also heading for the shipbreakers in India, Grand Celebration.
You can watch the cruise ship beached in Alang, India below:
Carnival’s first new-build ship
At the time she was built, Tropicale was a first in many different ways. While Carnival was sailing with Mardi Gras, Carnivale, and TSS Festivale, the line needed to increase its presence. Building a new ship was the only option to remain competitive with the stiff competition in the Caribean; Tropicale was ordered and delivered in 1982.
Built at the Aalborg Værft, Denmark, in 1981, Carnival Tropicale could hold 1,022 passengers. As-built, she weighed in at 36,674 gross tons and measured 204.76 metres from bow to stern.
She was the first vessel to feature the iconic winged funnel, designed by Joe Farcus, who would significantly influence how cruise ships would be designed and built in the future. Due to the success of Tropicale, Carnival cruise line ordered Carnival Holiday in 1985, Carnival Jubilee in 1986, and Carnival Celebration in 1987.
Tropicale for Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Tropicale sailed for Carnival cruise line from 1982 until the year 2000. As Carnival cruise line grew in size and took on larger vessels, the line used Tropicale mainly for test voyages in places like Alaska, New Orleans, Tampa, and Puerto Rico. She became a front runner in what would ultimately become incredibly popular cruise destinations.
A Lifetime Roaming The High Seas
Tropicale was transferred to sail for Costa Cruises in the year 2000 and was renamed Costa Tropicale. During her 40-year career as a cruise ship, she was a testament to the build quality of the time. Tropicale sailed for five different operators and was renamed several times as well.
After sailing with Costa Cruises until the year 2005, she was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia under the name Pacific Star, where she sailed until the year 2008. In 2008 she left Carnival Corporation and sailed for Pullmantur and renamed yet again to Ocean Dream.
The vessel’s last assignment was for the Peace Boat organization. Peace Boat is a Japanese NGO that raises awareness internationally for human rights, sustainability, environmental protection, and other global causes. Peace Boat had operated Tropicale, or how it was now named Ocean Dream, since 2008.
In 2020 the organization purchased the former Princess cruise line ship, Sun Princess, marking the end of the line for Tropicale. The end of the line sadly ended on a beach in India, amongst other iconic vessels made obsolete by the pandemic.
