MSC’s VIRTUOSA

The brand new Virtuosa, capacity 6,300, did not hold back on social distancing with just 1,000 on board, meaning crew outnumbered passengers. And although it did not insist on two vaccinations, as many other cruise lines are now doing, a negative Covid test was required just to enter the terminal.
Once on board, all passengers were given what looks like a Fitbit watch but is a contact tracker, which in an outbreak can help find other infected persons. However, at that point MSC had been cruising the Med since August with 50,000 passengers and there had been no outbreaks on board. Same for Sea Dream Yacht Club during its Norwegian coastal cruises.

On Virtuosa, meanwhile, passengers had face masks delivered to their cabins every day and were expected to wear them in public spaces, which they did. Mind you these passengers were presumably very conscious of their relatively novel experience; it could be different with 6,300 on board.

Even so, Virtuosa is a big ship and it should be easy to avoid crowded situations. Buffets, for example, should not see passengers ducking in and out of lines, and loading their plates, as they now have to line-up, receive a plate and napkin, then walk the buffet line pointing to their choices to staff behind glass-fronted displays. Virtuosa has 10 restaurants including the well received new French-Vietnamese Indochine and Mexican style Hola! Tacos, both of which charge extra, and 21 bars.
There is also a Yacht Club, a premium section separated from the main ship, which has more refined cabins, deck and pool areas, and a private restaurant and bar. Passengers here can visit the rest of the ship, rather like liners of old where first class passengers would often slip down to second class for a more relaxed evening of dancing and socialising.

At press time 15 cruise lines have said they have restarted cruising or are about to, and three ships have reported onboard infections. One is Virtuosa sister ship MSC Seaside, which disembarked two passengers in Sicily. Royal Caribbean is another, where a handful of crew of its new Odyssey of the Seas were found to be infected, and Celebrity Millennium, with two passengers on a cruise out of Aruba isolating.

NEW REGULATIONS

In the US, in an effort to meet the demands of the Centres for Disease Control (CDC), cruise lines are being creative in dealing with the question of vaccinations. While many lines have already announced Covid vaccination requirements fleetwide, that strategy may not work for all operators.

What is starting to evolve is that some lines, particularly those that cater to families, are going down a route where some ships and itineraries will carry a passenger vaccine requirement – and some will not. This follows the CDC conditions for resumption of service requiring 95 per cent of passengers and 98 per cent of the crew to be vaccinated to bypass a lengthier test cruise process. But some lines, particularly those that carry more children, are not able to meet that threshold.

To get ships back in the water faster – without alienating key demographics – some lines are choosing to do both. Carnival Cruise Line has already said it will not mandate vaccines across its entire fleet, yet it recently announced sailings from Seattle to Alaska aboard Carnival Miracle will require all passengers and crew to provide proof of vaccination before sailing. Alaska typically attracts an older demographic to begin with, and it is thought that mandatory vaccinations for all crew and passengers are a condition for these ships being allowed to sail from Seattle. By the way, these cruises have traditionally sailed from Vancouver, but Canada has shut its ports for the time being.

This is a much more attractive place to sail from, and visit nearby Whistler and Vancouver Island, so I would recommend saving your Alaska cruise until Vancouver is back in business. Meanwhile Norwegian Cruise Line has sailed into a controversy by banning all unvaccinated passengers, including those under the age of 12, on sailings through October 31. However this runs counter to a new law introduced by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, making it illegal to deny boarding to passengers who have not been vaccinated. This is a huge problem for the cruise industry as several of its biggest ports, including Miami and Ft Lauderdale, are in Florida.

PASSENGER INFORMATION

One thing is certain – with no unified front across the cruise industry in terms of vaccine requirements, the onus will be on cruisers to determine whether their cruise of choice mandates vaccinations or not, and whether those requirements are ship or destination-specific.

Then there are shore excursions, no small matter for most passengers, who should check itineraries to make sure they are not sailing into ports where infections are risky. Some cruise lines say their passengers will only be allowed to go ashore in a “verified” official party, but imagine being in the Greek islands and not being able to stroll along waterfronts looking for a good taverna? Particularly when there will be other tourists who have arrived by ferry or air and can go where they want without being on a leash.

All of the issues here, with rules being changed all the time, make it essential to book and keep in close touch with a specialised cruise travel agent such as Mundy in London. It won’t cost you any more, and you will have the benefit of the latest combined knowledge of a very experienced team. Mundy Cruising (+44) 207 399 767.

Hello Sailor!

One of the most striking is Scarlet Lady, the first of three newbuilds ordered by Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages. This will be cruising with a difference, with no children under 18, no main restaurant but 20 eating places without extra charges, so called RockStar suites, unlimited fitness classes and local entertainment in its inaugural season of short cruises from Portsmouth (British passengers only) starting in August. Passengers will be known as Sailors, and they will have to be vaccinated.

Capacity is 2,800, but numbers will likely be much reduced to meet Covid requirements.

Fares for three nights start at £1,251 per cabin (for two Sailors) and include tips, all meals, soft drinks and WiFi. There are no port calls on these first cruises.

Sea Cloud Spirit

The company with the legendary Sea Cloud and sister ship Sea Cloud 2 admits that building a three-mast full-rigged ship in the 21st century might seem a little unusual, but puts this down to a true passion for sailing.

Sea Cloud Spirit, built in Spain for 136 passengers, also comes with new standards such as an entire deck of balcony cabins, a wellness and fitness area, and two restaurants. Expect plenty of brass fittings as well.

First cruise will be 10 days from Rome in September, rates starting at €6.775 per person.

Windstar Reborn

The three motorised vessels (as opposed to the line’s sailing vessels) have been stretched to increase capacity from 212 to 312 passengers and they promise to be just as charming as before but with added suites, restaurants, bars, balconies/verandas, more deck space, bigger pool and spa.

These vessels were built for Seabourn Cruise Line with no expense spared – the Rolls-Royces of their day, with one central passageway opening into spacious cabins and elegant bathrooms. Windstar has continued the pursuit of quality and just like Sea Dream Yacht Club, the vessels feel contemporary, spacious and luxurious in an understated manner.

Most of the 88 balconies/verandas will be Romeo and Juliets, which are attractive as when the seaside door is opened it brings in the outside very effectively.

Star Breeze is already sailing in the Caribbean, Star Legend starts in Northern Europe September 4 and Star Pride in the Caribbean in November.

Star Legend offers 12 days with a London departure in September from $5,999.

Saga at Sea

Saga Cruises of UK, which caters to the over-50 crowd, has two newbuilds, the second of which, Spirit of Adventure, departed on her inaugural cruise in July. She has 554 all-balcony cabins including 109 single balcony cabins – surely a first!

All passengers are required to have both Covid-19 vaccines at least 14-days ahead of departure, but getting to ports from within the UK is free, including shared chauffeur service, as is car parking near the port, domestic flights, rail or coach travel.

Saga Cruises also come with all dining and house drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, fitness facilities, 24-hour room service, sightseeing tours in selected ports, entertainment (lectures and recitals), porters for luggage, shuttle buses to the nearest town centre and travel insurance with up to £5m coronavirus cover included.

Upcoming cruises include a ‘Taste of the Continent’ departing on October 5 with prices from £1,306 per person.

Golden Horizon

The romance of sail continues with a five-mast barque rigged tall ship built in Croatia, originally called Flying Clipper on order from Star Clippers, but due to a dispute with the yard the vessel ended up with Tradewind Voyages and was renamed Golden Horizon.

The design was based on France 11, a French windjammer built in 1911. The new vessel is the largest sailing ship ever built, but will carry just 330 passengers.

There are three pools, five bars and a two-deck restaurant, plus a watersports marina.
Worldwide itineraries had planned to start up with voyages around Britain this summer, but at press time these had been postponed because of Covid restrictions.

Silver Moon

Readers may recall our review of Silversea’s Silver Muse on an inaugural voyage to Canada, and the 600-passenger Silver Moon is quite similar, but with subtle changes. This is a line that listens to passengers’ comments.

The spa, for example, has been enlarged, and some of the eight restaurants have been moved, with S.A.L.T (Sea and Land Taste) culinary enrichment programme introduced. Others include Atlantide (European cuisine and seafood), Kaiseki (sushi by day, hibachi by night), Silver Note (tapas in a jazz club setting), the Grill (alfresco grilled meat and seafood) and the well-known La Dame.

Suites come in one and two-bedroom layouts and all have balconies and butlers.

Silver Moon is currently cruising in the Med with a 10-day cruise out of Athens starting at €5.800, including flights.

Refreds

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has replaced old timers Black Watch and Boudicca with two handsome vessels from Holland America Line, the Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Renamed Bolette and Borealis, both have 690 cabins, and will be the largest in the fleet of four vessels.

Each has six restaurants and 11 bars, most of which are likely to have a good selection of draught beers popular with the largely British clientele.

Borealis made her first voyage in July while Bolette sails August 24 roundtrip from Dover around UK. Fares start at £899.