Cruising is back! As the light at the end of the tunnel is finally being reached, we see cruise ships restart across the world each week. Since the first revenue sailing, it has been a month since the pandemic shutdown has resumed sailings from the United States. Since June 26, a total of six ships have resumed US sailings, and it is expected that within the coming weeks and months that many more of these floating cities will be bringing guests back to their
favorite destinations. Let us look at the first five ships that restarted and attempt to captivate the excitement and thrill that cruising is back.
The first ship to set sail from the United States of America since the Covid-19 shutdown was the Celebrity Edge. With Captain Kate McCue at the helm, she successfully brought guests throughout the
The Caribbean on weeklong vacations, bringing passengers to some of the most picturesque locations. The Celebrity Edge debuted in late 2018 as the first in its class at 130,818 gross registered tons making it the perfect size to get into smaller, more secluded ports. Some of the most exciting onboard amenities
include the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered deck serving as a bar, dining venue, and a tender platform. The Rooftop Garden boasts some spectacular views as you are surrounded by nature, and The Grand Plaza, the heart of the ship and is filled with many entertainment and dining venues.
We saw the next ship sailing a revenue sailing not even a week later as Royal Caribbean International ramped up their United States return. Before COVID-19 virtually shut down the entire globe, the Freedom of the Seas went through a 116-million-dollar amplification to bring the ship up to the new standards of the Royal Caribbean fleet. Freedom debuted back in 2006 and currently sails short 3- and 4-night sailings to the Bahamas. The ship measures 1,111 feet long and is 156,271 gross registered tons. A few exciting onboard amenities include the newly redesigned resort-style pool deck, The Perfect Storm waterslides, and a personal favorite, Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade.
After having two ships from the Royal Caribbean Group relaunch, it was time for Carnival, America's cruise line, to start painting their comeback story. On July 3, the Carnival Vista became the first ship in the Carnival fleet to make its United States relaunch. Homeporting out of Galveston, Texas, the Vista sails 7-night Western
Caribbean itineraries. Vista debuted in 2015 with all the hype surrounding the new fun ship. Some fan favorites onboard include the legendary Carnival Waterworks, an Imax theater that offers several different short films onboard, and Skyride, which is a bicycle ride with a suspended track that allows guests to travel around the ship in the sky.
The following day after Vista set sail, her sister, the Carnival Horizon, departed on her first cruise back in service. Cruise Ship Crayz was lucky to be on board for this historic sailing and brought content all week long from the ship. The Carnival Horizon is nearly identical to the Carnival Vista, only differing in a few onboard eateries. The Horizon sails alternate western and southern Caribbean cruises from Miami. She debuted back in 2017, measures 1055 feet long, and comes in at 133,500 gross registered tons. This past week we had the chance to speak with passenger Robbie O'Malley who just returned from an 8-night sailing on the Horizon. We asked him what he looked forward to the most about
returning to ships, and he responded by saying, "I just really wanted to get back on the ocean and did not care where the ship went." This seems to be a common thought amongst most avid cruisers.
The fifth ship to return to service was the Carnival Breeze. Carnival has been eager to get their vessels sailing from the United States again as they are preparing to ramp up quickly like the other lines. The Breeze is another of Carnival's larger ships, weighing in at 130,000 gross registered tons and measuring 1004 feet long. The ship went through a dry dock during the pandemic, adding a smoke-free casino and mechanical updates. A few personal favorite places onboard the Breeze include the Atrium and the Limelight Lounge. The entertainment onboard is out of this world, and I could only say good things about it. Be sure to book a sailing as she departs on 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston, Texas.
Additional ship resumptions include,
July 23- Celebrity Millenium
July 24- Nieuw Amsterdam
July 25- Majestic Princess and Celebrity Equinox
July 27- Carnival Miracle
Lastly, two of the most anticipated new ships for 2020 and 2021, Odyssey of the Seas and Carnival Mardi Gras, will commence operations on July 31, 2021.
The cruise industry is back! Each week we will see more and more passengers board their favorite ships traveling across the high seas. This is just the start of the comeback, and Cruise Ship Crayz cannot wait to bring even more content and information about the ships to come!
Do you have any cruises booked? What is your cruise countdown?