When Will Small-ship Cruise Lines Resume Sailing? A Line-by-line Guide.

When will small-ship cruise lines resume?

By Judi Cohen.

Updated by Heidi Sarna & Judi Cohen May 20, 2021

Things are looking up for small-ship cruising in many parts of the world. May 19, 2021, the European Union agreed to reopen its borders to vaccinated Americans and other travelers.

With the rollout of vaccines and new health and safety protocols, the resumption of small-ship cruising is gaining momentum, with operators slowly and selectively restarting service in places like southeast Alaska, North American rivers and parts of Europe, albeit with many restrictions and requirements. And many false starts.

Throughout the pandemic, only a handful of small-ship cruise lines outside of North America have operated, and they have been selective about the nationality of their passengers, particularly with respect to Americans. Most cruises have been halted since spring 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic.

UnCruise, attempted a sailing in Alaska in August 2020, with all necessary precautions in place and following government testing protocols, but was forced to return to port when a passenger received a positive test result (which turned out to be a false positive!).

UnCruises' Wilderness Adventurer in Alaska

Wilderness-Adventurer. Photo: UnCruise

And both American Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat Co restarted river cruising in North America in March (2021).

Over the past year, the industry has learned much about how COVID19 spreads, testing protocols, and the safety and health practices to prevent, manage and mitigate the spread of the virus. Working with local and international health authorities and government agencies, doctors and infectious disease experts, cruise lines are readying to set sail again. However, the challenges are still great and start dates continue to be a moving target.

The situation is evolving and without a doubt, further adjustments will be made by governments and cruise lines.

Here are the lines who have so far announced they will require both passengers and crew to be vaccinated:

American Cruise Lines
American Queen Steamship Co.
Lindblad Expeditions
UnCruise Adventures
Victory Cruise Lines
Windstar Cruises

As to when small-ship cruise lines are aiming to resume operations, and/or extend their suspension of operations, here is the most current information. It will be updated as more info is available.

Adventure Canada

Cancelled all sailings on Ocean Endeavour until 2022.

Adventure Smith Explorations

From AdventureSmith Founder Todd Smith:

Galapagos Islands are currently open and several Galapagos small ship cruises are operating. Check out Ecuador & Galapagos Travel Restrictions: 10 Things to Know Now for more details.
6-10 person Belize Catamaran Charter cruises are currently operating.
Westward Voyages in the Sea of Cortez just completed the cruising season operating December 2020 through March 2021. Next season begins in December 2021.
This summer 2021 all of Adventure Smith’s Alaska Small Ship Cruises plan to operate as expected. Requirements are changing rapidly. The State of Alaska has eased testing requirements although some operators may require negative tests and/or vaccines. See Alaska Travel Advisory & Entry Requirements: What to Know Now.
Mediterranean small ship cruises resumed operation last summer, although they were not open to Americans. These cruises plan to operate as expected this summer. Adventure Smith expects that Europe may be open to Americans by June, although this situation is fluid.
Likewise Australia cruises have resumed for Australians, but are not yet open to Americans.
By Fall 2021, Adventure Smith expects many more cruises to operate including:
With the Antarctica season starting in November 2021, the hope is things will have returned to “somewhat” normal by then and restrictions will be lifted.

Alaskan Dream Cruises

All cruises with embarkation in Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan and Yakutat, are being planned to commence end of May 2021.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways plans to commence operations as of May 2021. They will evaluate sailings 45 days in advance of their start dates.

American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines resumed some domestic U.S. river and coastal cruises in March 2021, with the line planning for its full 13-ship fleet of riverboats and small ships resuming in all regions by early summer.

Vaccines will be required for all passengers and crew (effective March 2021).

American Queen Steamboat Co.

American Duchess, which sails on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, will extend its suspension through March 14, 2021.
The American Countess, the latest paddlewheeler to join the AQSC fleet on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, operated its first cruise March 21, 2021.
American Empress, which sails the Columbia and Snake rivers, will extend its suspension through April 11, 2021.
Iconic American Queen, which sails on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee rivers, will extend its suspension through May 16, 2021.

Vaccines will be required for all passengers and crew starting July 1, 2021.

new American Countess to resume cruising

The new American Countess. * Rendering: AQSC

Atlas Ocean Voyages

The World Navigator is scheduled to sail on July 28, 2021 in the Black Sea, Holyland and Greece.

Aurora Expeditions

Currently, the plan is to start Australia expeditions for Australians in Commonwealth Bay and Ross Sea (East Antarctica) in June 2021.

Barge Lady Cruises

Reservations are being accepted by Barge Lady Cruises for September and October 2021; however clients are being strongly encouraged to look at sailings in 2022. The inventory for 2022 is wide open at this time.

Coral Expeditions

Sailings commenced on January 22, 2021, for the Coral Adventurer from Cairns to Brisbane; a South Australia cruise sailed on February 10, roundtrip Adelaide; and a Western Australia cruise is scheduled on March 10 from Fremantle to Broome.

Croisi Europe

Croisi is planning a global start to the season in mid-May, or earlier if the situation permits (for example national cruises sold to local people).

Crystal Expedition Cruises

The plan is for Crystal Expeditions’ Crystal Endeavour to resume sailing September 15, 2021.

Crystal River Cruises

Crystal’s river cruise fleet is planned to resume cruising on June 4, 2021.

Crystal Yacht Cruises

The Crystal Esprit is aiming to start up again on September 15, 2021.

Delfin Amazon Cruises

All 3 vessels are currently operating in the Amazon.

Emerald Waterways

All sailings internationally have been suspended until the end of May 2021 at this time and will be reviewed moving forward.

European Waterways

While European Waterways could not provide exact dates for resuming their sailings, they do anticipate a strong summer 2021 of cruising thanks to the continuing rollout of vaccinations.

Italy is gradually re-opening its hospitality sector to residents. England and Scotland are work through their roadmap out of lockdown, as with the rest of Europe.

La Belle Epoque cruising in Burgundy. * Photo: European Waterways

Hurtigruten

The line reports that some cruises may resume July 2021. Expedition cruises have been cancelled entirely for 2021.

LeBoat

Rideau Canal cruises in Canada are planned to resume on May 22, 2021 (Victoria Day weekend).

LeBoat tell us their vessels can be booked in France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, England and Ireland commencing in early spring 2021 with choices of a 3 to 5 night short break or 7+ night vacations.

Lindblad Expeditions

Lindblad aims to start up in Alaska and the Galapagos beginning in the first week of June, 2021.

Vaccines will be required for all passengers and crew.

Maine Windjammer Association

All nine boats are scheduled to resume sailing on Memorial Day, May 31, for the 2021 season.

The Majestic Line

Hoping to commence cruising in the Spring, but this is dependent on government guidance. All April 2021 cruises were cancelled. The Majestic Line is monitoring guidance as to whether to cancel into May as well.

Pandaw Cruises

Currently, Pandaw has cancelled all cruises for 2021, with plans to restart operations in the second half of 2022. We’ll keep you posted.

Classic Mekong Cambodia/Vietnam — 2022
Burma — (canceled indefinitely; start-up TBD)
Red River and Halong Bay — 2022
Mekong River in Laos — 2022
India Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers — 2022

Judi on the Mekong River with Pandaw. * Photo: Judi Cohen

Pearl Seas Cruises

Pearl Seas Cruises hope to begin its small ship cruises in late spring/early summer 2021.

Ponant

Ponant expects ships will be able to sail this summer 2021 around France, in Greece (currently closed but perhaps opening mid-May), Italy, Croatia and Spain, and possibly the U.K. (which initially may allow domestic cruises starting May 17; no word yet on foreign-flag ships).

Poseidon Expeditions

Poseidon Expeditions is planning to resume sailing in late summer 2021.

Quark Expeditions

Quark has cancelled all cruises in May up until the end of June 2021. They plan to resume at the end of June, 2021, in the Arctic, and they intend to proceed with their Antarctic season as planned in November 2021.

Scenic Cruises

All sailings have been suspended until the end of May 2021.

SeaCloud Cruises

They had hoped to resume sailing in March/April, but now SeaCloud Cruises is shooting for early May 2021.

Sea Cloud is now planned to be the first ship in the fleet to begin, on May 7, with cruises from Piraeus, while Sea Cloud II is to start on June 2, with voyages from Nice, France. Meanwhile, new ship Sea Cloud Spirit’s maiden voyage is now set for June 2 from Civitavecchia (Rome) and voyages from there will focus on Sicily and Tuscany.

Star Clippers

Royal Clipper sail dates are on hold until July 3, 2021
Star Flyer sail dates on hold until July 10, 2021
Star Clipper sail dates cancelled until Sept 11, 2021
Others to be reviewed at a later date.

The Royal Clipper. * Photo: Star Clippers

St. Lawrence Cruise Lines

This line is planning to resume sailings along the St. Lawrence river, Canada, on May 20, 2021.

Swan Hellenic

The new SH Minerva expedition ship is due to be delivered in November 2021.

Tradewind Voyages

The line’s new Golden Horizon is slated to commence sailing from the UK in early July, 2021.

The Golden Horizon. * Photo: Tradewind Voyages

UnCruise Adventures

UnCruise launched their Alaska season with a full schedule in early May (2021), offering 7-to-14-night itineraries from Seattle, Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, operating six ships and one on reserve for increased demand.

The line also started up its first Galápagos program, after a year away, on April 3, with a trip aboard the Metropolitan Touring ship La Pinta.

Vaccines will be required for all passenger and crew starting with its first April/May 2021 cruises.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Most cruises have been suspended until the end of April 2021. Portugal and Spain are suspended until at least end of March 2021.

Victory Cruise Lines

Vaccines will be required for all passengers and crew starting July 1.

Viking River Cruises

On March 11, 2020, Viking was the first cruise line to suspend operations of river and ocean cruises. The suspension has been extended through May 31, 2021, with plans to restart in May with limited operations — three special sailings along the coast of England, available only to UK residents.

Viking plans to restart European river cruises in July (2021) in Portugal, France and on the Rhine. The initial routes include an 8-day Rhine River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel; a 10-day Portugal river cruise from Lisbon to Porto; and an 8-day Lyon & Provence river cruise from Avignon to Lyon.