Frank Del Rio (NCL-Norwegian Cruise Lines CEO) announced that the company's full fleet (28 ships) would resume service by April 1st, 2022, for the first time since the COVID crisis anchored most of the industry across the world - with a total of 75% of NCL’s boats returning to regular passenger shipping operations by the end of 2021.
The shipowner NCLH (Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd) currently has 8 ships in service across its 3 subsidiaries (NCL, Oceania, RSSC-Regent Seven Seas), and all onboard must provide proof of full vaccination prior to setting sail.
The company requires all crew and passengers to be vaccinated before boarding and is not allowing unvaccinated kids who are not yet eligible for the shots to sail.
Those under 12 years of age are not yet allowed to receive their COVID vaccines, but Pfizer submitted data to the Food & Drug Administration last month in hopes of receiving an emergency use authorization to administer vaccines to 5-11-year-olds. In case the EUA is approved, Del Rio said that fully immunized kids in that age group would be allowed to sail.