It has been a bad year for cruise enthusiasts, but it looks like there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Alaska cruises seem set to resume soon!
SeattleTimes.com is reporting, “Cruises from Seattle to Alaska are set to return this summer after federal lawmakers cleared the way for sailings that have been on hold since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
The move signals the return of a significant slice of downtown Seattle’s economy, where some waterfront businesses plan staffing around the cruise schedule. But significant questions remain about exact safety protocols the cruise lines will enforce.
Proof of vaccination will be required, the companies said Thursday. Decisions about masks, social distancing and precise quarantine procedures are still to come.
Cruise ships became early emblems of the pandemic when outbreaks aboard ships last year stranded crews and passengers on board for weeks. This spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been working on guidelines to allow cruise ships to resume operations.
For Seattle-Alaska sailings, the Port of Seattle will craft agreements with the cruise companies outlining safety protocols, including arrangements in the event of an outbreak on board “so it’s not a burden on the local government and community resources,” said Stephanie Jones Stebbins, the Port of Seattle’s maritime director.
The resumption of sailing is made possible by the recent passage of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, which will temporarily allow cruise lines to bypass Canada.”
My wife Marty and I have sailed over 150 days on Holland America Line. We’ve never enjoyed an Alaska cruise, but it’s definitely on our bucket list!
Keep in mind to budget extra time to see all the flavor of Alaska, including Denali!
Click on the link below for the full story mentioned in this blog post:
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/seattle-alaska-cruises-to-resume-in-july-says-holland-america/
