But Covid has not gone away some ports remain closed and are likely to do so as cases remain high. That decision (published in the Official State Gazette -BOE- on May 29, 2021), which has ended the previously existing ban on international cruises (decision on June 23, 2020 by the Directorate General for Merchant Shipping), came into force on May 7, 2021 and the health measures mentioned above will be applicable until the end of the COVID-19 health crisis. These bubble groups will have all their meals together, and groups will be 'staggered' so as not to coincide, or not too many at once, in the canteen. (more), Costa Smeralda, the new Costa Cruises flagship, has completed its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling in the port of Barcelona. Global Ports Holding PLC is the main sponsor of the annual event. //desktop A couple of cruise lines have moved their operations away from Venice altogether. All products and brands mentioned in this article are selected by our writers and editors based on first-hand experience or customer feedback. The numbers are up over 2018, including more homeport calls, a key objective for the Spanish port. Some ask for a test 48 hours before embarking, while others test you on board. Known as TTravelPass, the authorization was issued by the local government and had to be requested in advance. Transportation Security Administration(TSA)travel information. Has been for years. You will probably be asked to wear a mask in public areas, although these rules really do vary dramatically between cruise lines and the destinations to which they sail. Visitthe Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)and World Travel and Tourism Council for more information. After moving to the Costa Blanca over a decade ago, he edited a newspaper for 5 years and worked on local radio. The Rhapsody of the Seas will the most regular visitor to the country during the upcoming cruise season. For the best Barrons.com experience, please update to a modern browser. Message frequency varies. offering a special program of Southern Caribbean and Central America itineraries, recently signed a deal to hire 2,000 locals as crew aboard company ships. The more you know. Inspired to book your next cruise? Ready to cruise? Passengers will be placed in specific 'tour groups', as is often the case on package holidays or 'circuit tours' when the trip involves a series of daily organised excursions as an integral part of the visit. Here are a few of the latest changes in the Caribbean: Venice has a love-hate relationship with cruise ships and tourism in general, it sometimes seems. Glasshouses that recycle the water. Travel rules are changing daily. Youll visit floating markets, attend a Buddhist blessing ceremony, see the Killing Fields on a trip from Phnom Penh and explore riverside villages and markets. Now, only the smallest ships are allowed on the Giudecca, including those belonging to CroisiEurope and Uniworld, both of which operate Venice Lagoon cruises. (theguardian.com), Barcelona expects 3.2 million cruise guests and 830 cruise calls in a strong 2019 cruise season, said Mar Perez, cruise manager. (more), American Queen Voyages Announces Free Air for New 2022 15-day Voyage Through Mexico and Costa Rica on Ocean Victory, Virgin Voyages Updates Voyage Well Program Testing Removal And Relaxing Of Vaccination Requirements, Carnival Cruise Line Brings Texas Flair to Carnival Jubilees Keel Laying Ceremony, Silversea Cruises announces exclusive pre-sale on its Controtempo World Cruise for 2025. Most Caribbean cruise ports are accepting cruise ships and many have relaxed their rules. No more than three cruise ships will be allowed to dock on the same day, and only one of them can be a so-called mega-cruise ship with a capacity of over 5,000 passengers, it added. Sailing from Barbados, the Royal Caribbean International vessel is offering a special program of Southern Caribbean and Central America itineraries that feature visits to Scarborough and Port of Spain. Spains Mallorca restricts cruise ship arrivals. U-Turn Campaign: Everything you need to know about the driving licence, Gotele: Why this Spanish design trend has become every homeowners worst, Outrage over horror video showing bull suffering during fiesta in Albarracin,, Spains high-speed trains to allow big dogs in pilot test on, People in Spain will not be ordered to reduce gas usage, Blacktowers Sandy Paterson: Financial Columnist, Childrens artistic gymnastics club puts Javea on Spains Costa Blanca right, NTT IndyCar Series: Alex Palou could defend his title and become, Vandals topple statue of tennis star David Ferrer in home city, Match fixers who targeted Spanish and Gibraltar football leagues arrested, MSC Cruises chooses Spains Malaga as port of embarkation for 29 calls next summer, International cruise ships are coming back to Alicante on Spains Costa Blanca this June, Dont look back: A year of thank heavens we live in Spain and not the UK. Carnival Cruise Line is closing a couple of dining venues across its fleet as it continues to rebuild its crew although the reality is that on a big ship with multiple restaurants, this shouldnt be enough to ruin a holiday. Cruising has made an impressive comeback ready for summer, with many cruise lines operating at full capacity.
(more), Virgin Voyages second lady ship, Valiant Lady, shed her winter wardrobe and sailed from her sunny new Mediterranean homeport of Port de Barcelona on May 15. Subscribe for weekly inspiration and deals from The Times and The Sunday Times. Among the measures required are daily temperature-taking, and Covid tests on the third or fourth day of the trip for all passengers. (more), Tags: Barcelona, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruises today announced it will restart its sailing operations in Spain with the deployment of MSC Grandiosa to Barcelona from 26 June for a Saturday embarkation. In a long struggle with overcrowding, Catalonias regional government is looking at how to reduce the number of liners docking in the citys harbor, Costa Cruises celebrates in the port of Barcelona the christening ceremony of Costa Toscana, Christening Ceremony In Barcelona For Costa Toscana, Costa Cruises New Lng-powered Flagship. The days of social distancing on board seem to have disappeared. P&O Cruises has taken its ship Arcadia out of service until July so that the crew can be redeployed to other ships in the fleet. If theres one new issue rearing its head in the cruise industry, its staff shortages, which is affecting the whole of the hospitality sector. Thanks for the indicated increase amount (E140) that prices per sqm have risen. You can unsubscribe at any time. Cunard has capped occupancies on a few cruises on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth so it can operate with slightly fewer crew. GUARDIA Civil officers saved the life of a girl, 3, who was choking to death after swallowing some small pieces of plastic at the Main switchboard Newsroom/Sales & Admin: Alicante predicts 2022 boom for cruise ship arrivals on Spains Costa Blanca, The solution for the driver license issue will be delayed until the UK has a new prime-minister. Forum | Privacy Policy, 2022 CP Franchising, LLC, dba Cruise Planners. Here are some of the best, Discover destinations closer to home and avoid the airport queues with a UK cruise holiday. We feature properties from a specially selected list of trusted operators who are of a standard that we believe our readers expect. If you move around the world by choice, consider helping those forced from their homes by conflict. Some lines are replacing the Russian port with other calls in the Baltic but others Norwegian Cruise Line, for example have cancelled their Baltic season altogether. Please check Foreign Office advice and testing/quarantine requirements in your destination before booking. There is doubt over whether American cruisers will come to Europe this summer in the big numbers that were expected. In other news, Royal Caribbean has also announced a recruitment drive in the country. Information is power and we look forward to welcoming you back to all the beautiful places in the United States and around the world.
You can still check in at the Stazione Marittima, the purpose-built terminal at the end of the Giudecca, but youll then board a bus to Marghera, where your ship will be waiting. If you are affected by a cruise being cancelled for this reason, you should receive a full refund, a discount off a future cruise and possibly some on-board spending money as a sweetener. Advertise | Learn how your comment data is processed. Remember that if youre joining a Caribbean cruise that departs from a US port, you will need to show a negative Covid test taken one day before arrival in order to enter the US. Here are the best ocean cruising options with Fred Olsen* and Imagine Cruising*, you can also give them a call on 0808 302 2803 to discuss tailor-made options for your dream cruise holiday. Sign up, Cookies help us deliver our services. A popular destination in Southern Caribbean, the country has three major cruise destinations: Charlotteville, Scarborough and Port of Spain. Travel insurance provides you peace of mind for any unexpected travel interruption or emergency such as travel delays, bad weather lost luggage and medical emergencies in foreign countries. According to local news sources, starting on June 1, nationals and non-nationals arriving at the Caribbean nation will only be required to show proof of a negative PCR or antigen test for COVID-19 taken 48 hours before the arrival. All Rights Reserved. Others are fine with fabric masks or the more basic paper masks. EXCLUSIVE: Crisis at Torrevieja hospital on Spains Costa Blanca as doctors quit in their droves and patients wait up Benidorms Levante beach hosts summer police boost for Spains Costa Blanca, BACK IN BUSINESS: Nightclub reopens in Javea on Spains Costa Blanca after licensing dispute closure, Sticky and sleepless nights warning with soaring temperatures on Spains Costa Blanca, Luxury Costa Blanca villa in Spain turned into marijuana farm serving central Europe, Childrens artistic gymnastics club puts Javea on Spains Costa Blanca right on the map, Bogus police officers tie up elderly woman during home robbery on Spains Costa Blanca, U-TURN CAMPAIGN: Radio silence from Spanish authorities on UK driving licences, Maintenance work on high-speed train between Spains Madrid and Malaga in August, Rising raw material prices dramatically push up new home building costs in Spain, Tourism chief leads calls for coastal rail service to connect towns on Spains Costa del Sol, Tens of thousands of pro-lifers march in Madrid against Spains abortion laws, Is Spain really ugly? No chance before, Why does Spain seem to always wait for the summer holidays to start maintenance and repairs on roads, highways, bridges,, There is a solution. Cruising is slowly returning to normal when it comes to life on board. All rights reserved, Corporate Governance and Corporate Responsibility. And if they do come, would they want a cruise on which the big-hitting port was missing? Previously, tourists needed to present a specific travel document for the entry. Again, these rules were sometimes dictated by the places the ships sailed to. To enter Puerto Rico by air to join a cruise, youll have to take a test one day before travel (as Puerto Rico is a territory of the. They will also be required to take a PCR or similar test no more than 72 hours before embarking, or a rapid antigen test where results come through within 10 to 30 minutes on the day of setting sail. Check the CIBT Entry Guide, the up-to-date and authoritative source for all your travel needs. But questions remain. Yes, cruise lines across the board require you to be fully vaccinated, including the booster, as do some of the destinations to which they sail. Heres all you need to know about rules, routes and whats coming up on the rivers and the high seas. But from what base?, Of course this is desperately needed. Palma welcomed 2.2 million cruise passengers this year in a city of 414,000 and in an effort to alleviate overtourism the city wants to attract smaller cruise ships over a longer season. Orderbook | A maximum of 518 cruise ships will be allowed to stop in the Mediterranean port next year, compared to the 594 that docked there in 2019 before the pandemic, the archipelago's regional government said late Monday in a statement. Only fully vaccinated tourists were able to apply for the travel pass. Please visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the latest information on vaccinations and travel information. Theres even some doubt about cruises to St Petersburg for 2023 as the war drags on. (more), Global Ports Holding, the worlds largest cruise port operator, is pleased to announce that it will sponsor the 2019 Barcelona Half Marathon as the next engagement of its Global Run initiative. Tips for Protecting You and Your FamilySimply continue topractice social distancing, be safe and follow the tips below: And most importantly, be kind and take care of each other. Also, the relatively short time they spend in a town or city means there is less chance of their being a source of Covid contagion than if they were in destination for a couple of weeks and mingling with people outside their passenger 'bubble'. Police save life of choking semi-conscious girl on Spains Costa Blanca, Delays to new dual-carriageway for busy Costa Blanca road raised in Spains Congress, Costa Blanca airport in Spain welcomes bright new-look tourist information office, Benidorm announces 2023 dates for Spain to find Eurovision Song Contest winner, Tourist dies after spending 9 days in coma following bull attack at Costa Blanca festival in Spain. AIC Hotel Group(All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels,UNICO 2087 Hotel Riviera Maya, and Nobu Hotel Los Cabos), (Globus, Cosmos, Monograms or Avalon Waterways), Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. It brought together more than 19,000 participants from 103 countries to run in support of cultural tolerance and enjoy the charms of the city. Big ships now dock at the industrial and ferry port of Marghera, just visible from the city and connected to the centre by a vaporetto (water bus) service. The world is slowly opening up after the pandemic and with it cruise ports that have been closed for two years. View our terms and conditions. Luxury river line AmaWaterways, for one, has announced the resumption of its Mekong cruises from October 17 on the riverboat AmaDara. Cruise lines with scheduled calls at the nation include Princess Cruises, Silversea Cruises, Costa Cruises, MSC Cruises, Marella Cruises, Phoenix Reisen, Oceania Cruises, Seabourn, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and more. Do you need to be vaccinated? Cruise liners making stop-offs in Spain will be expected to follow a series of requirements, including designating a coordinator for Covid-prevention procedures, not filling more than 70-75% of spaces on board until the pandemic is considered over, avoiding more than two crew members sharing a sleeping berth, having the resources, including staff, on board able to carry out the necessary testing and arrangements in place to conduct them in ports, sufficient space and equipment to be able to deal with, and quarantine, suspected or proven cases, adequate supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE) for staff and passengers, including surgical masks or those of an even greater level of efficiency, eye protection, disposable gloves, hand sanitiser and waterproof, filter-proof gowns, a full and regular disinfecting and cleaning schedule even the cleaning products to be used are stipulated in the rule book proper ventilation on board, which is also stipulated and the cruise company is required to give details of each liner's airing systems, and all costs of medical treatment plus other direct and indirect expenses involved in a passenger or crew member's becoming infected must be covered by the cruise firm, through an insurance policy that includes bi-lateral agreements with various health centres. Which baby names are set to trend in 2022 in Spain? |, Ready to travel again? Sign up. Lines | Cruise ships started out after the pandemic with low capacity, keeping passenger numbers down. Copyright 2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. Passengers are required to be informed of every Covid-related step at all times, and immediate isolation of contacts will be ordered if one or more person tests positive. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. The city will also benefit from MSC Cruises using the port as a starting point for cruises.
Ready to travel again? Japan has just tentatively reopened to tourism, but only for visitors joining group tours; as yet, there are no cruises planned there for the immediate future. A new MSC itinerary will take in the Western Mediterranean with 12 journeys departing from Alicante between June and October, with up to 2,550 passengers boarding each time. While the first is mostly visited by small and luxury ships, the other two ports are often part of itineraries of North American and European ships. You dont have to keep it on when sitting at the bar or in a restaurant, or by the pool. Grenada was particularly active earlier in the year in turning away cruise ships with Covid cases on board, as were St Thomas, USVI, and Ocho Rios in Jamaica. var Expatica_ES_New_Homepage_Leaderboard_ATF = googletag.sizeMapping(). But any ship reporting Covid cases on board could be turned away and Covid is still circulating. Summer is peak season for cruises to the Baltic and St Petersburg is usually the star attraction of these voyages, with ships typically spending at least one night there. Ship List | We are with you every step of the way: pre-, during and post. The Value of CP Travel AdvisorsThere are many benefits to using a Cruise Planners Travel Advisor. (more), MSC Cruises has obtained final approval by the Port of Barcelonas Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. Calling in 59 destinations in 30 countries, guests will journey aboard Silver Dawn for the first time on a Silversea World Cruise, Fred. You decide, after leading writer slams overdevelopment and awful architecture, All coastal bathing spots in Spains Andalucia meet water quality requirements, Gotele: Why this Spanish design trend has become every homeowners worst nightmare, Vets in Spains Malaga warn of increased risk of rabies in the province. Cruise Industry News 1996-2022. Both Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises have made widespread cancellations in Asia for the coming winter and others may well follow. It could mean the price of a cruise may rise this year, as costs of PCR tests, spare masks, extra personnel, compulsory insurance and so on will probably be included in the sum paid by the holidaymaker on the other hand, with international and even most national travel having been practically non-existent since early 2020, it is just as likely that holiday companies will slash prices in order to encourage customers, especially those who have become used to not travelling after nearly a year and a half of restricted movement. Olsen Cruise Lines to welcome war veteran Simon Weston CBE when Balmoral visits Falkland Islands in 2023, Regent Seven Seas Cruises Unveils New Legendary Journeys with the Launch of its 2024-2025 Grand Voyages. addSize([1280, 0], [[728, 90]]). All rights reserved. Donate to the UN Refugee Agencytoday. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals will be welcomed, a local report says citing government sources.
Cruise ships could only stop at Alicante since June, with 43,466 passengers embarking to visit the city. Please visit our Health & Safety Travel Protocols page for helpful guidelines from the Healthy Sail Panel - a group of recognized experts with diverse backgrounds, including in public health, infectious disease, biosecurity, hospitality, and maritime operations. CRUISE liners will be allowed back into Spain's ports from June 7 next Monday which will be great news for the national tourism industry, although some restrictions or criteria will apply. Spains Balearic Islands will from 2022 limit the number of cruise ships which can dock in the port of Palma de Mallorca, a first for the popular holiday destination. Generally, youd only be asked to wear a mask when walking around the ship. Our cruise editor takes you through all you need to know about rules, routes and whats coming up on the rivers and high seas, While all ultra-luxury cruise lines have fine dining, superb accommodation and impeccable service, each has its own personality, style and devoted following. Having said this, several cruise lines are back to operating 100 per cent of their fleet now, among them Royal Caribbean, MSC, Azamara, NCL and Carnival. Should I buy travel insurance before taking any vacation?Cruise Planners highly recommends travel insurance for any type of vacation. In effect, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expanded the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test to all air passengers entering the United States. Cruise lines are relaxing their rules about mask-wearing, to an extent. All this, along with the fact that many jobs in coastal destinations are based around ports and yacht marinas, means it was vital that steps were taken to allow cruise ships to dock in Spain as soon as possible. But cruise lines were quick to react when Russia attacked Ukraine in February and all that were scheduled to call at St Petersburg this summer have now pulled out.
(more), Harmony of the Seas set sail from its new summer home in Barcelona, Spain yesterday, (Aug. 15, 2021) marking Royal Caribbean Internationals harmonious return to Western Europe. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Charms of the Mekong cruise sails from My Tho, close to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Links | addSize([800, 0], [[728, 90]]). Passengers on cruises tend to spend more money in a port town or city in relation to the length of time they stay there compared with longer-term holidaymakers, and are usually keen to cram as much into their few hours on dry land as possible, including visiting main attractions, buying souvenirs and trying out the local cuisine, as it may be one of only two or three stops they are due to make in the country at all, and they have limited time to get the best out of it before they set off again. We can save you time, money and provide you with the latest information during situations that may affect your travel. (more), Barcelona Cruise Port has obtained the Safe Travels Stamp, as safe infrastructures preventing COVID-19, granted by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the leading global association in the sector. *Messages and data rates may apply. The number of people youll see on board has changed, too. All-Inclusive Australian Luxury Silversea Cruise with Immersive New Zealand Tour & Bali Rainforest Escape, All-Inclusive Barbados Beach Stay & Charms of the Caribbean Cruise, See the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland, 2023 Croatia Island-Hopping Private Yacht and Magical Montenegro Experience. 2022 J&A Garrigues, S.L.P. The most prominent measures of this type, which will be mandatory for cruises, are: a number of passengers equal to or below 70% - 75% of maximum capacity, mandatory COVID-19 tests for crew members and passengers, mandatory health insurance cover, specific hygiene and cleaning measures, established procedure if cases appear on board, etc. Some locals say they avoid the city centre on days when many cruise ships dock, and before the pandemic graffiti flourished on walls of the city urging Tourists go home. Or take a look at the best river cruise tours with Times Travel partners here. The revenue generated will help us to support the content of this website and to continue to invest in our award-winning journalism. So are cruises that would have visited the Russian Arctic and the Russian Far East, both increasingly popular destinations in the world of expeditions. Alex worked for 30 years for the BBC as a presenter, producer and manager. About us / Privacy Stat, The days when Barcelonas harbor was thronged with cruise ships could soon be a thing of the past if local leaders get their way. The rules are changing (and generally easing off) all the time, so check before you travel. (more), Virgin Voyages cruise ship Valiant Lady set sail from sunny Barcelona yesterday on its MerMaiden cruise in Europe with Sir Richard Branson onboard. The Miami-based cruise line recently signed a deal to hire 2,000 locals as crew aboard company ships. These links are signposted with an asterisk. Glasshouses made of glass as in the Netherlands but instead of, Thats interesting Alex. googletag.enableServices(); Ports in the vast majority of countries worldwide have reopened to cruising this year. (more), Posted in: Event / Convention / Exhibition / News, The 59th MedCruise General Assembly that was held in Barcelona, Spain, elected Ms Figen Ayan, Chief Port Officer Galataport Istanbul as the new President of the Association representing ports and stakeholders related to the cruise business in the Mediterranean and its adjoining seas.
