Cruises and Covid-19: When U.S. Sailings Could Restart and What Safety Precautions Are Expected

The coronavirus pandemic has halted cruises in much of the world and idled the fleets of Carnival Corp. , Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

The operators are promising to resume sailing in the U.S. in 2021, but health officials want them to clear certain requirements first. Here is what you need to know:

When will cruise ships sail again in the U.S.?

Major cruise lines keep pushing back their restart dates as coronavirus cases continue rising in the U.S. Here is the latest they have said:

Carnival: The biggest operator’s flagship line, Carnival Cruise Line, has paused all cruises through the end of February.

In November, it said it planned to restart sailing first in Miami and Port Canaveral, Fla., to be followed by Galveston, Texas. The company also owns Aida, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, PO, Princess and Seabourn lines. Sailing suspensions vary by line and ship, with some idled as far back as 2022.