CRUISE NEWS, NOTES AND COMMENTARY
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Norwegian Prima. (rendering courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line).
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NCL Takes Delivery of Norwegian Prima
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On July 29, 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line took delivery of Norwegian Prima. The 142,000 gross ton ship is the first of six ships planned for the line's Prima class. Built by Italy's Fincantieri shipyard, Prima is 965 feet long and can accommodate 3,099 guests. She is also Norwegian's first ship to be powered by Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), which is a more environmentally-friendly power system.
The ship will be officially named in a ceremony in Reykjavik, Iceland later in August. After that she will do some European cruises before sailing transatlantic to New York, where she will do a series of Bermuda cruises. Later, Prima will shift to Florida for a season in the Caribbean. |
Norwegian Prima during her construction. (Photo courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line).
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Cruise Lines Modify Pre-Cruise Testing Requirements
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As of July 18, 2022, the U.S. Center for Disease Control's COVID-19 program for cruise ships went out of effect. In its place, the CDC issued a set of voluntary guidelines for the cruise industry.
Along the same lines, the European Union eliminated its requirement that passengers be tested for COVID prior to boarding a cruise ship. These actions prompted several of the cruise lines to modify their COVID protocols, particularly with regard to testing requirements for COVID prior to a cruise. Azamara, Virgin Voyages, and Margaritaville-at-Sea eliminated pre-cruise testing for vaccinated guests. Royal Caribbean Group, which includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea took a more cautious approach. Beginning August 8, 2022, these lines will no longer require vaccinated guests to provide proof of a negative COVID test result before boarding cruises less than six nights long. Similarly, Carnival Cruise Line announced that beginning August 4, 2022, it will no longer require vaccinated guests to present proof of a negative COVID test result before embarking on cruises five nights or fewer. Carnival also indicated that this was only the first step and that other changes would be announced shortly. (It should be noted that this announcement was only with regard to Carnival Cruise Line and does not pertain to cruises on other Carnival Corporation lines such as Princess Cruises and Holland America Line). |
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Keel Laid for Utopia of the Seas
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On July 1, 2022, a keel laying ceremony was held at Chantiers de l”Talantique in Saint Nazare, France for Utopia of the Seas. Utopia will be Royal Caribbean International's next Oasis class ship. Unlike the existing Oasis class ships, the 220,000 gross ton ship will be powered by LNG rather than traditional diesel fuel.
Traditionally, the keel laying was the first step in the actual construction of a ship. The keel was the central beam running the length of the ship at the bottom of the hull. It would be laid out on a slipway by the water and the ship would be built around it. Today, cruise ships are built in sections, which are then put together in a drydock. Thus, there is no conventional keel. Nonetheless, to honor tradition, a keel laying ceremony is still held, often when the first section is placed in the drydock or when two sections are assembled together. |
Utopia of the Seas keel-laying. (Photo Bernard Biger, Chantiers de l'Atlantique courtesy of Royal Caribbean).
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Cruise news notes and commentary - - July 2022