The re-entry into service for Diamond Princess has been delayed again.
RICK FRENDT
Although cruising is almost back to normal, there are still some restrictions, but these vary from company to company. Now, unless required by a few destination countries, pre-boarding testing has been dropped by most cruise lines for cruises of shorter duration, typically up to ten or 12 nights, and masks are reserved for passenger-facing crew.
There is generally no restriction on table sizes in restaurants, and bar seating is back in use. Most ships still have an isolation area, where passengers that test positive for Covid during a cruise can go. With the reopening to international cruising in New Zealand, the first arrival was P&O Australia’s Pacific Explorer on a cruise from Australia. New Zealand still requires passengers to be tested, as do Canada, Australia and Greece.
The problem now seems to be in recruiting sufficient crewmembers, and Diamond Princess’s re-entry into service has been delayed again for that reason. The outbreak on that ship in Japan started the original hostility towards cruising. Virgin Voyages has given the same reason for the delay with Resilient Lady. However, passenger bookings seem to be going well.