April 30, 2021
(Updated 11 a.m. EDT) -- While the global COVID-19 pandemic has shut down most cruise lines since mid-March 2020, there are areas of the world where some ships are sailing.
In most cases, these are single-nationality cruises calling in at a limited number of ports, usually in the country of origin. Nearly all are in Europe or Asia, as U.S. cruise lines are on a voluntary operational pause, with the exception of small ships that do not fall under the direct requirements of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Although options are limited, and in most cases are nationality and government-advice dependent, here is a round-up of which lines have restarted cruising on what ships, as well as where they are going and who can sail.
All these lines are operating strict new health and safety protocols, which include temperature checking and social distancing. We have also indicated which lines have mandated COVID-19 testing before boarding, as well as ship-sponsored, shore excursion "bubbles."
Ocean Cruises
American Cruise Lines
Ship: Independence
Itineraries: Coastal southeastern United States
Who can go: All passengers
Health requirement: COVID-19 testing prior to departure, COVID-19 testing onboard.
AIDA
Ships: AIDAperla, AIDAmar
Itineraries: Canary Islands
Who can go: German citizens
Health requirement: COVID-19 testing prior to departure.
Alaskan Dream Cruises
Ships: Kruzof Explorer
Itineraries: Alaska
Who can go: U.S, citizens
Health requirement: Fully vaccinated passengers only.
Aranui
Ships: Aranui 5
Itineraries: French Polynesia
Who can go: All visitors.
Health requirement: COVID test prior to flight; COVID-19 test the day before departure at the Aranui offices.
Costa Cruises
Ships: Costa Smerelda
Itineraries: Costa Smerelda operates from Savona, calling in at Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples, Messina, Cagliari and La Spezia.
Who can go: Italians only, opening up to more European nationalities toward the end of the month.
Health requirement: COVID-19 testing as standard; only ship-organized shore excursions.
Coral Expeditions
Ship: Coral Discoverer, Coral Adventurer
Itineraries: Coral Discoverer will offer 10-and-16-night Tasmanian voyages from Sydney or Hobart began January 1, 2021. Coral Adventurer will return to operations from Cairns, offering Great Barrier Reef cruises.
Who can go: Australians
Dream Cruises
Ship: Explorer Dream, World Dream
Itineraries: Explorer Dream: From Taipei, offering four-day cruises to Taiwanese islands
World Dream: From Singapore, for Singaporeans only, offering three- and four-night cruises to nowhere.
Who can go: Taiwanese and Singaporeans.
Hapag-Lloyd
Ship: Europa 2
Itineraries: Canary Islands.
Who can go: Germans, Austrians, Swiss
Heritage Expeditions
Ship: Spirit of Enderby
Itineraries: Fiordland Land and Stewart Island; Auckland Islands.
Who can go: New Zealanders.
Metropolitan Touring
Ship: La Pinta
Itineraries: Galapagos Islands expeditions
Who can go:Anyone eligible to travel to Ecuador
Health Requirement: COVID negative test required to enter Galapagos Islands; masks must be worn.
MSC Cruises
Ships: MSC Grandiosa restarted cruises on January 24, 2021. MSC Seaside resumed cruising from May 1, 2021.
Itineraries: Both ships operates from Genoa, offering week-long cruises round Italy. MSC Seaside features two new destinations -- Siracusa in Sicily and Taranto in Puglia, where the line has a private beach.
Who can go: Schengen citizens.
Health requirement: COVID testing as standard; only ship-organised shore excursions
Ponant
Ships: Le Champlain
Itineraries: Cruise to nowhere.
Who can go: Citizens and residents of Qatar.
Health requirement: Mandatory PCR test.
Royal Caribbean
Ships: Quantum of the Seas
Itineraries: Three- and four-day cruises to nowhere for Singaporeans from Singapore.
Who can go: Singaporeans.
Health requirement: Passengers have to be COVID-19 free for 180 days before boarding.
TUI
Ships: Mein Schiff 1, Mein Schiff 2
Itineraries: Mein Schiff 1 operates 14-day itineraries around the Canary Islands; Mein Schiff 2 operates week-long cruises in the Canary Islands.
Who can go: Germans
Health requirement: A negative Covid-19 test result when returning to Germany after the cruise. TUI Cruises is performing antigen rapid tests for that purpose on board.
River Cruises
American Cruise Lines
Ship: American Jazz
Itineraries: Lower Mississippi River
Who can go: All passengers
Health requirement: COVID-19 testing prior to departure, COVID-19 testing onboard.
American Queen Steamboat Company
Ships: American Duchess, American Countess
Itineraries: Both ships sail on the Mississippi River
Who can go: All passengers
Health requirement: COVID-19 testing prior to departure, vaccines required as of July 1, 2021