Carnival Corp. said it is planning to resume Alaska cruises in July, in what would be among the first sailings out of the U.S. since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company said Thursday that its Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line plan to return to service with Alaska itineraries out of Seattle this summer.
The company said each brand is planning to have one ship sailing round-trip this season. The cruises are available to guests who have had their final dose of an approved Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the cruise begins and proof of vaccination.
“Crew vaccinations will be in accordance with CDC guidelines,” Carnival said.
The announcement comes after the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday passed a bill that would let cruise ships sail directly from Washington state to Alaska, temporarily waiving a part of maritime law prohibiting foreign-flagged vessels from transporting passengers between two U.S. ports. Foreign-flagged vessels, such as cruise ships, had been required to stop at a foreign port—Canada, in this case—under U.S. law. Canada currently bans large cruise ships from sailing on its waters until the end of February 2022.
