With New Cruise Ships In 2022, The Industry Shows Steady Recovery After The Pandemic

The cruise industry is steadily recovering after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is rolling out a couple of dozen new vessels in 2022.

Chuck McKay from Florida sailed to the Greek Islands with his friends and wife on the Celebrity Beyond.

The new ship launched in the spring successfully enticed travellers with its luxurious expanded rooftop garden, two-story sundeck, and Daniel Boulud, the French chef’s first restaurant at sea.

McKay expressed how excited he was to be on the cruise as they could experience the new stuff added to the vessel.

This week, Celebrity and other lines loosen the pre-existing, stringent COVID protocols, no longer needing vaccinated passengers to test before cruises and permitting unvaccinated passengers, who must try before they board.

The Celebrity’s president and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, mentioned that it is time to move on to the next phase, and that is what the world is also doing, and so that’s what the firm is also finally doing.

Cruise firms haemorrhaged billions of dollars during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the industry trade groups are noticing that the tides are shifting.

Cruise Lines International Association predicts that the number of passengers will exceed what was there in the pre-pandemic levels by 2023. Cutoff-Perlo says that the future is bright, the industry is also growing, and the guests are returning, so everyone is pleased.

Disney Cruise Lines added the fifth and largest vessel, Disney Wish, to the firm’s fleet this summer, and the world’s giant ship, Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, started sailing in 2022 (March).

They continue innovating, and shaping different experiences for different travellers, mentioned Rob Clabbers, a travel advisor associated with Q Cruise + Travel.

Another option is MSC Cruises’ the Seashore, a line more popular in Europe than in the US. Yannis Kazalis, a Hotel Director, says they have about 140,000 square feet of outdoor space.

It is enormous and one of the biggest at sea, thinks Wendy Gillette, a CBS News Correspondent, got a reduced rate to sail on the Beyond and Seashore, which boasts an infinity pool, water slide, and some speciality restaurants.

MSC Cruises is expected to introduce two more ships toward the end of 2022. The family-owned firm also operates the world’s largest container shipping line. MSC secures its position as the third-biggest cruise line.

Reference: CBSNews, Flipboard