Crewmembers and cruise job applicants are anxiously waiting for the cruise industry to restart. Everyone wants to know when cruises will resume. The cruise industry has been on pause for almost a year now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. What will it take for cruise lines to start cruising again and what is the foreseeable timeline for their restart?
Cruise Line Restart Dates
A great resource to follow for current information on each cruise line’s restart date is Cruise Critic’s article, When Are Cruise Lines Around the World Expected to Resume Service? The article offers a comprehensive list of when each cruise line is expected to resume service, taking into account the continual changes within the cruise industry. Although many major cruise lines won’t be sailing until at least June 2021, there are a number of cruise lines that are hoping to resume earlier, and a limited number of cruise ships that have already started cruising.
Guidance for Restarting Cruise Operations
There are a number of documents that provide information on what it will take for the cruise lines to resume operations. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry’s trade association that represents 50+ cruise lines, has links on their website to resources detailing guidance for restarting cruise operations. This includes documents such as:
- CLIA Interim Guidance from EU Healthy Gateways
- Recommendations from the Healthy Sail Panel
- CDC Framework for Conditional Sailing Order
- Member Policy For SARS-COV-2 & Covid-19
- UK Chamber of Shipping Framework
The main components of CLIA’s COVID-19 Member Policy include augmented shipboard medical staffing and equipment, daily temperature checks for staff and crew, physical distancing and mask wearing in public spaces, and strengthened sanitation protocols. All crew will be required to have a negative test result prior to their departure from home and prior to embarking the ship.
The other documents and guidance identify, measure and provide recommendations and requirements to the resumption of cruise ship operations. They focus on operators, the management of seafarers and advice for passengers. This includes enhanced health screening, changes made at terminals and what to expect onboard the ship and during any shore excursions the passengers may take.
When Will Cruise Lines Start Hiring Again?
Cruise lines have already started recruiting again. With cruising start dates just around the corner, many cruise lines are thinking ahead and making sure they have enough crew on their ships. In addition, there are 32 new cruise ships set to debut in 2021. Check out our Cruise Line Employment Information for links to how applying for cruise ship jobs and only use cruise line authorized hiring partners.
Updated: April 18, 2021