As cruise lines continue to wait for guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control before they can resume sailing out of U.S. ports, they're beginning to make plans for limited operations.
Viking hopes to reboot in May, with Princess, Crystal, Oceania and Celebrity Cruises close behind.
Some 85.5 million Americans — one-third of adults — have received at least one dose of the COVID-9 vaccine, the Washington Post reports today. But the pandemic is far from over as cases continue to rise in several hot zones in the US and abroad.
Still, there are glimmers of hope, and cruise lines are now moving forward with plans to resume operations as early as May 2021. That may be optimistic, but the cruise lines acknowledge they're playing it month by month as the situation on the ground evolves.
Here's the state of play with resumption of cruise line operations.
Viking leading the pack
Viking Cruises is ending part of its cruise pause in May with a series of cruises around England, but only for UK residents. The line is offering capacity-controlled eight-day voyages. Like all cruise companies, it is also promising increased safety and health protocols to keep crew and passengers safe.