Norwegian Cruise Line Protocol Updates

Norwegian Cruise Line Updates

Updated October 3, 2022

Today, Norwegian Cruise Line announced it will eliminate COVID-19 requirements …

What You Need To Know

• Norwegian Cruise Line announced that it has updated its global health and safety protocols by removing all COVID-19 requirements effective October 4, 2022 including:
• Testing
• Masking  
• Vaccination
• With the easing of the Cruise Line’s health and safety protocols, NCL will continue to follow the travel guidelines as required by the destinations it visits.
• Please see the resources below for more detailed information about the country requirements.

Resources

• Cruise Travel Requirements by Country
• For more information about the required travel documentation they will need for their NCL voyage – www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents 
• Sail Safe
• Cruise Line Vaccine & Testing Requirements

---

(Last Update: September 28, 2022)

 Norwegian Cruise Line has updated its health & safety requirements.

Statement

Effective for sailings beginning September 30, 2022, all COVID-19 travel requirements, including vaccination, mandatory use of ArriveCAN, and any testing and quarantine/isolation protocols will no longer be required for travelers entering Canada by land, air or sea. Although Canada has lifted its COVID-19 travel requirements, including those specific to cruise passengers, all guests must still meet the following NCL embarkation requirements to board their upcoming cruise.

 

What You Need to Know

 

Embarkation Requirements:

• All guests ages 12 years and older, must provide proof of ONE of the following:
• Proof of completed series of one-dose or two-dose vaccination regimen.
• Proof of a negative COVID-19 antigen or NAAT test (i.e., PCR) taken within three days of the embarkation date.
• Guests 6 months to 11 years are welcome aboard with no restrictions.

Important Note: While Norwegian welcomes unvaccinated guests, it is the responsibility of the guest to be aware of any local protocols and/or travel restrictions in place at the visiting destinations at the time of sailing.

Hurricane Florence Impacts Cruises

Graphics | Archive

Hurricane Florence

Strengthening Hurricane Florence has begun impacting cruise itineraries as it approaches the East Coast of the United States as a major hurricane.  Passengers on Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas and Norwegian Escape find themselves on the way to the Bahamas instead of Bermuda as the vessels steers clear of the storm.

Watches and warnings are likely to be issued on Tuesday, September 11th.

On the forecast track, the center of Florence will move over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda and the Bahamas Tuesday and Wednesday, and approach the coast of North Carolina or South Carolina on Thursday.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

• NHC issuing advisories for the Atlantic on Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Helene and TS Isaac
• NHC issuing advisories for the Eastern Pacific on TD Paul
• CPHC issuing advisories for the Central Pacific on Olivia

Click Here to Learn More

Royal Caribbean Itinerary Updates 
(click for latest)   
Latest Update - September 10, 2018 at 6:40 pm

We are modifying the itinerary of Grandeur of the Seas September 8th & September 13th cruise to avoid the path of Hurricane Florence. Our #1 priority is the safety of our guests and crew. We will closely monitor the storm, and provide our guests with daily updates. The current changes are outlined below.

For more frequent updates, please follow our meteorologist on Twitter @JamesVanFleet or visit the Royal Caribbean Facebook page

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Grandeur of the Seas	September 8	Modified	9/11 – Nassau, Bahamas 9/12 – Port Canaveral, Florida 9/13 – Port Canaveral, Florida 9/16 - Baltimore, Maryland
Grandeur of the Seas	September 13	Modified	9/16 - Baltimore, Maryland tentative departure date

Norwegian Cruise Line Weather Alert (click for latest) In a preemptive move, the 2,340-passenger Norwegian Dawn sailed for Canada and New England on Friday instead of Bermuda and is in the midst of unexpected stops in Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia; St. John, New Brunswick; and Bar Harbor, Maine.

 Meanwhile, Norwegian Escape which departed on Sunday for what was supposed to be a three-day visit to Bermuda's King's Wharf will call at Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas as well as Port Canaveral, FL instead.
 

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Norwegian Escape	September 9	Modified	3 day Bahamas instead of Bermuda
Norwegian Dawn	September 7	Modified	Canada & New England instead of Bermuda

Carnival Cruise Line Travel Alerts (click for latest)
Weather Update – 09/11/18 – 6:00 PM (EDT)

Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami has been actively monitoring Hurricane Florence in the Atlantic and the tropical low near the Yucatan Peninsula. As the safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, we will continue to keep an eye on things and provide you with timely updates as more information becomes available.

In the meantime, please opt-in for text alerts by texting the codes below to CRUISE (278473): Carnival Pride – 09/16/18 – CCL1
Carnival Ecstasy – 09/16/18 – CCL2
Carnival Valor –09/13/18 – CCL3
Carnival Freedom – 09/15/18 – CCL4
Carnival Breeze – 09/16/18 – CCL5

Carnival Horizon cancelled a Sunday call at San Juan, Puerto Rico and has shifted the date of a call in the Dominican Republic as it alters its route to stay out of the storm's way. It's due back in New York on Thursday. Carnival Pride modified its itinerary to the Bahamas from Bermuda.

SHIP	SAIL DATE	STATUS	DESTINATION
Carnival Pride	September 9	Modified	3 day Bahamas instead of Bermuda
Carnival Horizon	September 5	Modified	Cancelled San Juan, Changed Dominican Republic date

Oceania Cruises

Finally, Oceania's 684-passenger Sirena is bypassing Bermuda as it nears the end of a repositioning cruise from Europe to Miami while sister ship Insignia is shifting several port calls.

Hurricane Season Dates 

Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1st and ends November 30th. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season begins May 15th and also ends November 30th.
Make a Plan (FEMA) 

Read entire series (click here)

More links and information about tropical storms and other weather conditions can be found in the Weather & Hurricane Zone tabs above.


Hurricane Preparedness Week:   
May 6-12, 2018

Follow Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

Is Luxury Cruising For You

When you consider the all-inclusive benefits and perks that a luxury cruise offers, you may be very surprised by the savings compared to the cost of a premium cruise with added extras. Cruisers know about the benefits of luxury cruising such as the higher level of service, the more  intimate environment, the extra attention to detail. But, many don't know about the cost savings benefits when compared to contemporary or premium cruise lines.  Luxury lines often include the perks that other cruise lines charge extra for.  So you don't have to worry about spending extra on gratuities, alcoholic beverages, airfare, and even specialty dining.  When you add up all these extras, the cost of a luxury cruise can be equal to or, in many cases, less than other cruise packages.

More Changes for Mexican Ports of Call

MS Oosterdam in Mexican Riviera

New Cancellations for

Mazatlan & Acapulco

Earlier this year we brought you articles about the violence in Mazatlan which prompted several cruise line changes in the Mexican Riviera region.

Holland America Line has just confirmed that the MS Oosterdam, which sails 7-day sailings to the Mexican Riviera from San Diego, will now feature two consecutive days in Puerto Vallarta instead of a visit to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

Several cruise lines, including Holland America, made modifications to schedules earlier in the year following a wave of violence, which included a shooting of a passenger in the leg and another widely publicized shooting in a hotel parking lot.  The changes were made in the abundance of  caution despite Mexican authority promises of increased security.   See our related blog posts: Carnival and NCL Skip Mazatlan Calls and   Cruise Lines Pull Out of Mazatlan   for more background.

Calls for all lines in Mazatlan have fallen from 200 in 2010 to 30 this year, with only about a third of 2011 calls in 2012.  Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star will return to the region in 2013 with, as of this writing, calls to the traditional ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta during the seven-day voyages from Los Angeles.

Cliff Divers in Acapulco

Acapulco Itinerary Changes

If you were planning on seeing the popular cliff divers in Acapulco on one of Holland America's Statendam's 14-night Panama Canal Explorer cruises sailing from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego or Rotterdam's 30-night Inca Empire South America voyage departing February 3, you will be disappointed. Both ships will spend additional time in Santa Cruz Huatulco instead of a call in Acapulco.

A crime wave began in August, with a reported 148 deaths, prompting the government to  reinforce the local police force of  1500 with an additional 3000 troops from Army, Navy, and Federal Police.   The death toll has fallen since that action, but HAL and luxury line Seabourn have still cut calls in Acapulco. Oceania, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea have left their handful of 2012 calls on the schedule at this time, but all lines will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments in the interest of safety if warranted.  For the lines that have pulled out, they will work with local authorities to determine when and if it is safe to resume calling in the port.

See our International Travel tab her or on our Facebook Fan page  for important information for anyone traveling abroad.  You need to be aware of entry / exit requirements, health concerns and precautions, and any travel advisories for any port of call that you visit.   There are general guidelines to make your vacation worry free to the extent that it can be.   Being prepared and aware of your surroundings is the best advice we can give you when traveling, even at home.

Specifically,

For those traveling to Mexico, please consult the U.S. State Department's Travel Warnings at:

Mexico Country Specific Information

Oceania Sails to Europe

Oceania Insignia - Monte Carlo

Oceania Cruises

2011 European Program

2011 marks Oceania Marina's inaugural European season during which time she joins Insignia and Nautica sailing to every corner of the continent.  The 2011 European Collection contains 32 wonderfully imaginative itineraries of which 21 are new.   Oceania has also added eight new ports within Europe, further expanding their already impressive reach. The new focus for 2011 is a region Oceania calls Continental Europe along the Western European coast. 

Enjoy 2 for 1 Cruise Fares with Free Airfare.* 

Reflections in Rome

Your 10 - 18 day European cruise adventure starts and ends in ports of call including Barcelona, Rome, Venice, Athens, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Stockholm, London, Miami, and Rio de Janeiro.   When traveling from the United States to Europe, I recommend spending one or more days before your cruise exploring the departure port  while getting adjusted to the time difference.   This also removes the stress of arriving on the cruise departure day.  Some of the itineraries allow you to extend your stay in a different port of call at the conclusion of your cruise.

*Free Airfare promotion applies to economy, round-trip flights only from select Oceania Cruises U.S. & Canadian gateways and does not include ground transfers.  2 for 1 cruise fares are based on full brochure prices, based on double occupancy, and subject to additional terms and conditions.  This Oceania offer expires August 31, 2010.   Booking early gives you best choice of cabins and itineraries.    More information about Oceania Cruises

Oceania Marina Staterooms

Oceania Marina - Balcony Suite

The Oceania-Class Marina represents an evolution of the line’s extremely popular Regatta-Class ships. While larger than other ships in the fleet, Regatta, Insignia and Nautica, Marina remains comfortably mid-size, utilizing the additional space for even greater amenities.  When she debuts in January 2011, Oceania Cruises’ new Marina will offer elegantly appointed and custom-crafted accommodations that are reminiscent of a luxurious private estate.

The ship’s 629 staterooms and suites will be among the most spacious in the upper premium category. Oceania Cruises provided the following information about Marina's accommodations:

• Standard veranda staterooms measure 282 square feet – the largest standard veranda staterooms in the cruise industry. Both Veranda- and Concierge-level accommodations feature a sitting area and private teak balcony furnished with a chaise lounge, armchair and occasional table.
• Penthouse Suites measure 420 square feet with living/dining room separate from the sleeping area, walk-in closet and bathrooms with a double vanity.
• Oceania Suites, a new category of accommodations for Oceania Cruises, measure 1,030 square feet. The layout is comprised of a large living and dining area, media room and separate bedroom. As a highlight, a large veranda features a hot tub.
• Vista Suites range in size from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet and offer the same features as Oceania Suites but with the added benefit of floor-to-ceiling windows affording sweeping views over the ship’s bow.

Marina's Owner's Suite

• Owner’s Suites offer 2,000+ square feet of palatial luxury. Marina is the first ship to offer suites completely appointed from furniture and fabrics to lighting and bedding using the acclaimed Ralph Lauren Home collection. New York-based Tocar, Inc. penned a design that exudes a rich, clubby and refined sophistication.

• In addition to the standard stateroom amenities, suite guests enjoy the added luxury of Champagne upon arrival, 1,000-thread-count linens, 42” plasma TV, Hermès and Clarins bath amenities, butler service, and en-suite delivery from any of the ship’s restaurants. Other stateroom amenities include a flat-panel TV, lap-top computer with wireless access, refrigerated mini bar, security safe, writing desk, plush terry robes, bed slippers, and marble and granite bathroom.

Rich woods, marble and granite, fine wool carpets and lustrous leathers adorn public rooms. Facilities include 10 dining venues – six of which are open-seating gourmet restaurants, an array of bars and lounges, a full-service Canyon Ranch Spa Club and fitness center, swimming pool and hot tubs.

More information about Oceania Marina (click here)

Oceania 2010 European Collection

Oceania Cruises

Announces the 2010 European Collection

Oceania Cruises announced the launch of its new 2010 European Collection of Sailings in conjunction with its offer of $2,000 Price Reduction off 2 for 1 Cruise Fares with Free Airfare per stateroom on all 2010 sailings to Europe. The 2010 European Collection features 34 unique itineraries sailing to more than 130 ports ranging from 10 to 36 days in length. In addition to offering guests extraordinary value, guests sailing on 2010 European Collection voyages will receive free unlimited soft drinks and bottled water.

Select from sailings on Regatta, Insignia, or Nautica.
Oceania has three intimate and luxurious 684 passenger ships, the Regatta, Insignia and Nautica. All three are formerly Renaissance R class ships, these mid-size ships afford incomparable luxury, including cuisine that is simply the finest at sea. With only 684 guests to pamper, the 400 staff members cater to your every whim, with highly personalized service. There's a sense of warmth and intimacy throughout, so the ambiance resembles that of a private country club - casual, yet elegant.

Your European adventure can begin in one of several enchanting cities like London, Rome, Barcelona, Venice, Athens, Monte Carlo, Stockholm, Istanbul, Amsterdam, or Copenhagen.

Regardless of whether you want to depart in April or December, 2010, Oceania has a European cruise vacation that you will remember for quite some time.

More details about Oceania Cruises itineraries (on my Web site)

More details about the European Collection Promotion (on my Facebook Pages)

This is Luxury you can Afford! Take advantage of this offer before cabins are gone. Just this evening I booked the last inside cabin for a client on one of the sailings aboard Regatta. Contact me for more details - I'd love to help you plan a cruise vacation to Europe.

Final Sale Days for Several Great Deals

Oceania Cruises Fifth Anniv. Sale
Now Thru March 31st



Oceania Cruises is celebrating their Fifth Anniversary with two fantastic offers:

European Collection

Enjoy $2,000 Price Reduction Off 2 for 1 Cruise Fares with Free Airfare per stateroom on 18 of Oceania's 2009 European Collection Sailings!

Winter Collection

Enjoy Up to $1,500 Price Reduction Off 2 for 1 Cruise Fares with Free Airfare PLUS $500 Shipboard Credit and Free Prepaid Gratuities per stateroom on Most 2009-2010 Winter Collection Sailings (including new itineraries)!

Now is your chance to give Luxury Cruising a try. Click on the links above for a sample of the cruise itineraries. Call me for complete details before the sale ends.

FREE Unlimited Shore Excursions
during select 2009 Cruises
Simply book by March 31, 2009

Yes, you heard me - Free Unlimited Shore Excursions! With this offer from Regent Seven Seas Cruises this is an all-inclusive deal on one of the premier luxury cruise lines afloat. More details about this offer can be found here (or click the banner to the right).

Take the worry out of booking a cruise vacation by taking advantage of our Exclusive CruiseAssurance Job Loss Protection

Use the tools in the right-hand navigation pane to search for a cruise vacation or learn more about these and other exciting offers.

The cruise lines are doing their part to stimulate the economy. The rest is up to you. Call or email me today - I love talking about cruises and helping plan the right vacation for you.