Oceania Cruises, the world’s leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, welcomed guests across the gangway for the first time in 524 days. Marina is the first of Oceania Cruises’ ships to resume sailing and is also the very first cruise ship to sail from the port of Copenhagen since 2019.

“Today is one of those days we will all remember for a lifetime as we reunite with our shipboard families and our guests to start exploring the world once again,” stated Bob Binder, President and CEO of Oceania Cruises.

All Oceania Cruises voyages are operating with a requirement that 100% of guests and crew are vaccinated, creating what we believe is one of the safest vacation experiences in the world. The line is undertaking a phased restart with its science-backed plan for a healthy return to service that protects our guests, crew and communities visited. The robust SailSAFE™ Health and Safety Program creates multiple layers of protection against COVID-19 and was developed with guidance from our team of public health and scientific experts including the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council and the Healthy Sail Panel.

Full details on our SailSAFE protocols can be found here. These protocols will be continuously evolved and modified using the best available science and technology.

Oceania Cruises’ first guests to board the Marina cut a ceremonial red ribbon and are welcomed by Captain Luca Manzi, Master of the Marina, and Bob Binder, President & CEO of Oceania Cruises.

Marina’s first voyage sails from Copenhagen to ports in Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland prior to concluding in Stockholm. Marina will spend the remainder of the summer and autumn cruising around Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Greek Isles prior to setting sail for Miami where she will arrive on December 1^st.

Marina is the first ship to resume sailing for Oceania Cruises and will quickly be followed by Riviera, which resumes sailing in the Greek Isles on October 18, 2021, and Insignia from Miami on December 21, 2021, to kick off the epic six-month-long “Around the World in 180 Days” voyage. Sirena resumes sailing in the Caribbean on January 21, 2022, and Regatta will start sailing on February 5, 2022, in Polynesia followed by Nautica in the Mediterranean on April 1, 2022.

Guests will once again sail aboard Norwegian Breakaway, Encore, Escape, Pearl, Jewel, Sun, Spirit and Norwegian’s Pride of America to explore Hawaii, the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Asia and much more. Earlier this week, NCL also announced its return to Seattle for the Alaska cruise season, with a start date of Aug. 7, 2021. Voyages expected to operate in the U.S. are contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”).

Today the Company announced its redeployment plans for the following ships:

• Norwegian Joy will cruise from Miami beginning Oct. 19, 2021 with five to 11-day Caribbean voyages.
• Norwegian Breakaway will cruise seven-day itineraries to Bermuda from New York beginning Oct. 24, 2021.
• Pride of America will offer seven-day Hawaii interisland voyages from Honolulu beginning Nov. 6, 2021.
• Norwegian Bliss will cruise from Los Angeles for seven-day Mexican Riviera voyages beginning Nov. 7, 2021.
• Norwegian Encore will offer seven-night itineraries from Miami to the Caribbean beginning Nov. 14, 2021.
• Beginning Nov. 20, 2021, Norwegian Escape will cruise for the first time from Orlando (Port Canaveral), Fla., offering seven-day itineraries to the Caribbean.
• Norwegian Pearl will sail from Miami offering Panama Canal, Bahamas and Caribbean cruises beginning Dec. 23, 2021.
• Beginning Jan. 20, 2022, Norwegian Jewel will be the first ship in the fleet to offer roundtrip Panama Canal cruises from Panama City (Colón and Fuerte Amador).
• Norwegian Sun will sail for the first time in Asia beginning Jan. 28, 2022, offering a five-day Japan itinerary from Hong Kong, before sailing a variety of 11-day cruises from Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.
• Norwegian Spirit will cruise 12-day Australia and New Zealand voyages from Sydney, and Auckland, New Zealand beginning Feb. 9, 2022.

Further redeployments will be announced in the near future.

“When we first welcome our guests aboard Norwegian Jade this July, it will be exactly 500 days since our ships last sailed,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “I am so happy that we’re finally getting back to what we love the most, and I’m very proud that we continue to redeploy our fleet methodically. We always said we wouldn’t rush to sail again, but that we’d get back to it when we felt we could do so safely while maintaining our incomparable guest experience. Our efforts to resume cruising safely will continue to be slow and steady, guided by the science-backed protocols of our Sail Safe health and safety program and in collaboration with our destination partners as well as with a variety of governing bodies. We cannot wait to see our guests rediscover the world and make memories with their loved ones again.”

In conjunction with today’s redeployment announcement, the Cruise Line has canceled all voyages on Pride of America through Oct. 30, 2021; Norwegian Escape through Nov. 2, 2021; Norwegian Jewel through Jan. 9, 2022; Norwegian Pearl through Dec. 7, 2021; Norwegian Spirit through Jan. 28, 2022; Norwegian Sun through Jan. 18, 2022; and the Oct. 24, 2021 itinerary aboard Norwegian Bliss.

Due to the previously disclosed lead time needed to relaunch a vessel and in order to maximize the short Alaska cruise season, the cruise line has made the decision to transfer crew from Norwegian Joy to Alaska and has canceled itineraries aboard Norwegian Joy from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Guests and Travel Partners with impacted reservations will be contacted directly.

The Cruise Line’s Peace of Mind cancelation policy remains in effect for guests sailing on cruises with embarkation dates through Oct. 31, 2021. These guests have the flexibility to cancel their cruise 15 days prior to departure. Those who take advantage of the Peace of Mind policy will receive a full refund in the form of a future cruise credit which may be applied to any sailing through Dec. 31, 2022. In addition, the Company is extending its 60-day final payment requirement to all voyages with embarkations through Dec. 31, 2021, instead of the standard 120 days, allowing for more flexible booking.

NCL will continue its measured approach to redeploying its fleet, working in partnership with destination partners, governing bodies and the leading experts of the Sail Safe Global Health and Wellness Council. The Council will regularly evaluate the robust protocols of the Sail Safe health and safety program and make science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits. As protocols evolve and are modified and additional information becomes available, updates will be published at www.ncl.com/sail-safe.

Travelers seeking the latest details about NCL’s redeployment should click here.

For more information about the Company’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional or visit www.ncl.com.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 54-year history of breaking boundaries, today announced that it expects to resume cruise operations from the U.S. beginning Aug. 7, 2021 with week-long voyages from Seattle to Alaska, one of the top cruise destinations among its guests.

The news follows the temporary waiver of the Passenger Vessel Services Act, allowing cruising to Alaska to resume upon obtaining the pending Conditional Sailing Certificate from the U.S.   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”). In partnership with local governments and guided by the robust protocols of the SailSAFE™ health and safety program, which at its cornerstone includes that all crew and guests must be fully vaccinated to embark, travellers will once again be able to explore the “Last Frontier” and all its beauty with NCL.

“Seattle has always been our second home, and we are beyond excited to return to this incredible homeport and to once again bring our guests to Alaska,” said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Twenty-one years ago, we were the first to offer itineraries to Alaska from Seattle, and we continue to celebrate a strong relationship with our partners in this spectacular destination. We have been waiting for a very long time to announce a resumption of cruising from the U.S. We are so proud to be sailing for the first time in over a year from our special homeport of Seattle to the breathtaking state of Alaska.”

Travellers will be able to recommence their cruise adventures to Alaska with week-long voyages aboard Norwegian Bliss. She will sail revised itineraries from Aug. 7, 2021 through Oct. 16, 2021, offering seven to 13 hours of port time in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point, Alaska. On select sailings, guests will also have the chance to take in the serene views of Glacier Bay National Park or the Holkham Bay Glacier Fjord.

Guests will also benefit from the opening of the second cruise pier in Icy Strait Point, which NCL’s parent company, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., developed in partnership with Alaska Native-owned Huna Totem Corporation. Initially scheduled to open during the 2020 summer cruise season, the recently expanded Wilderness Landing on Icy Strait Point caters to visitors in search of individualized experiences with the land, wildlife and native peoples of Alaska. The enhancements include upgraded retail and restaurants, as well as shore excursion offerings, including the world’s largest ZipRider zip line, the most accessible coastal brown bear viewing platforms in Southeast Alaska, whale watching, fishing adventures and walking trails as well as Alaska’s first gondola connecting the new Wilderness Landing development to the Adventure Landing and Historic Hoonah Packing Company Cannery. In 2022, the guest experience will continue to evolve with the opening of the Mountain Top gondola that will provide easy, vehicle-free access through the treetops, unlocking additional areas of exploration and spectacular views of icefields, the Fairweather Range and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit people.

“Alaskans are ready to welcome visitors from across the globe to Alaska, where they can personally experience the scenic and cultural wonders that can only be found here,” said Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. “I am grateful for the teamwork and thoughtful planning that many people from Norwegian Cruise Line, Alaska’s local governments, our congressional delegation, tourism industry, and the state’s public health team put into preparing for a cruise ship season that promises to be both safe and rewarding for everyone.”

Norwegian Cruise Line will continue with its thoughtful approach to redeploying its fleet, working with destination partners and the leading experts of the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council. The Council will regularly evaluate the robust protocols of the SailSAFE health and safety program and make science-based decisions to protect guests, crew and the destinations it visits. As protocols evolve and additional information becomes available, updates will be published at www.ncl.com/sail-safe.

For more information about the Company’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional or visit www.ncl.com.