While headlines are being made about three cruise lines that have recently started sailing and are already grappling with Covid-19 outbreaks onboard, making less of a wave are lines that are sailing with no issues whatsoever.
Rudi Schreiner, co-founder and president of AmaWaterways, reports that one vessel, AmaKristina, has been operating successfully on the Rhine River since early July. In partnership with German tour operator E-hoi. The cruises, which travel between Cologne and Strasbourg, are primarily marketed to German-speaking passengers.
AmaWaterways has, with guidance from the European Union, instituted new protocols. Capacity is reduced from 150 to 100 passengers. Crew wear masks whenever in public areas (including cleaning passenger staterooms) and guests are required to wear masks whenever passing through public areas. And, as we reported a few weeks ago, a dynamic approach with plexiglass
AmaWaterways is the first U.S.-based cruise line to operate in Europe but it's by no means the only one, Schreiner tells Cruise Business. "What we see right now is up until last week about 45 ships already operating on the Rhine, Danube, and Moselle, also in Bordeaux and the Douro. This week alone there are 15 more ships entering the European market, so now there are close to 60 ships.
Among other operators include A'Rosa, CroisiEurope, and Scylla among others, on rivers that include the Danube, Rhine, Bordeaux and the Douro. And a successful resumption of service isn't limited to river operators; Hapag-Lloyd, Ponant, Dream Cruises, and Tui Cruises, are sailing.
Over the weekend, a fairly significant setback occurred when it was reported that Hurtigruten, which began cruises in July, had an outbreak of Covid-19 and returned to Tromso, where some passengers and all crew are being quarantined. SeaDream Yacht Club, also operating in Norway, had a Covid outbreak as well. And UnCruise Adventures, the first U.S.-flagged, small ship line to offer Alaska itineraries this year, literally had just started its first all-Alaska cruise Saturday when a passenger tested positive with Covid-19. Its season has since been cancelled. Travelers are quarantining in Juneau.
In the meantime, the European Union continues to measure, every two weeks, the progress of Covid-19 across the globe to determine which countries can open travel to Europe. In the U.S., it was announced today that CLIA-affiliated cruise lines have now extended their no-sail date through October. Canada, while not reporting significant numbers, is still on hold for resumption of cruising.
