Of all industries, cruising has perhaps been hit the hardest by the pandemic — unable to mold into an alternate version of itself, the cruise business came to an abrupt halt last year and has remained sidelined.
And 2021 hasn't brought many answers yet. While other tourism businesses have watched their bookings spike, the cruise business languished under a no-sail order, wondering when it could start sailing again.
As dire as it might sound in the moment, analysts and cruise industry experts are optimistic. Carnival Cruise Lines announced that its advance bookings for the first half of 2022 were ahead of those for 2019, despite dramatically reduced marketing. Its bookings for the second half of 2021 were in historical range, it said.
Investors have shown interest in companies like Carnival, though long-term results are of course hard to predict. Investing in Carnival is a bet in favor of a global recovery, according to The Motley Fool, pointing to a surge in Carnival's stock performance after the vaccine announcements in November.
And what about the destinations, the places where cruise ships dock and tourists disembark with cash to spend? Like everyone else, they are getting creative. Some have shifted their focus to air travel, encouraging travelers to fly in. Other places are able to offer small expeditions and land-based tours that sail for day trips.
Some cruising options have emerged overseas. In Italy, the MSC Grandiosa, MSC Magnifica and Costa Deliciosa announced two new ports of call. Crystal Cruises announced it will sail out of the Bahamas starting in July. And interestingly, on the flip side, Key West reported that tourism was stronger than ever there despite the lack of cruise ships.
