In This Episode: Embarkation delays for some cruisers, multiple COVID cases on Carnival Vista, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings granted injunction to sail 100% vaccinated, surprising stats about new ships in 2021...

Today we boarded Mariner of the Seas for a two night simulated voyage from Port Canaveral.  We were fortunate to be one of the few invited, and we mean few.  With only around 515 guests on the 4,000 passenger ship it's wonderful to be onboard, and a bit like having the ship to ourselves.

Sunday evening a US District judge granted a preliminary injunction to stop Florida's so called "vaccine passport ban".  The Florida law, until now, prohibited businesses (including cruise lines) from denying service to customers if they couldn't provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Businesses violating the law were subject to a $5,000 fine per instance.  Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, originally filed a suit on the matter in July of this year.

The count is over, at four hundred and ninety-two days.  That’s how long Virgin Voyages, the newest cruise line, just for adults, was delayed in setting sail due to the pandemic.  In early 2020 many were eagerly awaiting the April 1 maiden voyage, but the change of date was no joke.  For a group of lucky British sailors (that’s what Virgin Voyages calls guests), they set sail today from...

Last week we saw Royal Caribbean and Celebrity begin requiring pre-embarkation COVID testing regardless of vaccination status, and now Carnival Corporation has announced the same for their three major North American brands.  Further, they've updated their guest mask policies...