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Next time someone says that cruising is dead and cruise ships are not sailing, show them this article, because an amazing half of the world’s cruise fleet has returned to revenue sailings by August, which is an incredible 58 cruise lines currently in service globally, with in contrast, currently very few smaller ships operating in Australia and New Zealand.

So, according to the August 2021 edition of the Cruise Ships in Service Report by Cruise Industry News, these are the companies and ships in action right now:

Royal Caribbean International
Royal Caribbean was one of the first major cruise lines to welcome the guests back, sailing from Singapore resuming in December 2020. Now, the company has 13 vessels back in service, offering itineraries in Europe, Alaska, and the Caribbean.

Highlights of the company’s restart include the maiden season of the new Odyssey of the Seas, which entered service on July 31, and the world’s biggest cruise ship, the Symphony of the Seas, which resumed operations on August 14.

Region: Singapore, Bahamas, Europe, Alaska and Caribbean

Ships currently in service:

  1. Quantum of the Seas
  2. Adventure of the Seas
  3. Freedom of the Seas
  4. Anthem of the Seas
  5. Jewel of the Seas
  6. Serenade of the Seas
  7. Odyssey of the Seas
  8. Allure of the Seas
  9. Ovation of the Seas
  10. Symphony of the Seas
  11. Independence of the Seas
  12. Harmony of the Seas
  13. Mariner of the Seas (from August 23)

Carnival Cruise Line
With 7 ships currently in service in the Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line resumed service on July 3 after a 16-month operational pause.

With the new Mardi Gras already in service, Carnival is now returning to the West Coast. Starting on August 21, the Carnival Panorama offers a series of seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera from Long Beach, California.

Region: North America – Bahamas, Caribbean, and West Coast

Ships currently in service:

  1. Carnival Vista
  2. Carnival Horizon
  3. Carnival Breeze
  4. Carnival Miracle
  5. Mardi Gras
  6. Carnival Magic
  7. Carnival Sunrise
  8. Carnival Panorama (from August 21)

MSC Cruises
After pioneering the European restart in August 2020, MSC Cruises currently has 10 ships back in service.

In August, the company expanded its service resumption to new destinations, with the MSC Bellissima welcoming the passengers in the Red Sea and the MSC Meraviglia in the Bahamas. The new MSC Seashore also entered service earlier in the month and is cruising in the Western Mediterranean.

Region: Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Red Sea, and the Bahamas

Ships currently in service:

  1. MSC Grandiosa
  2. MSC Seaside
  3. MSC Virtuosa
  4. MSC Orchestra
  5. MSC Splendida
  6. MSC Magnifica
  7. MSC Seaview
  8. MSC Bellissima
  9. MSC Seashore
  10. MSC Meraviglia

Norwegian Cruise Line
After a 500-day operational pause, Norwegian Cruise Line resumed service on July 25. Now, the brand has 3 vessels in revenue operation, sailing in three different destinations.

Norwegian’s newest and biggest vessel, the Norwegian Encore, is one of the ships back sailing, offering a week-long Alaska cruise from Seattle.

Region: Europe, Alaska, and Caribbean

Ships currently in service:

  1. Norwegian Jade
  2. Norwegian Encore
  3. Norwegian Gem

Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises is quickly reactivating its fleet. While the Celebrity Millennium became the first company vessel to welcome passengers back in June, a total of 8 vessels are currently in service in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, and Galapagos.

Region: Caribbean, Europe, Galapagos, and Alaska

Ships currently in service:

  1. Celebrity Summit
  2. Celebrity Apex
  3. Celebrity Edge
  4. Celebrity Silhouette
  5. Celebrity Flora
  6. Celebrity Millennium
  7. Celebrity Xpedition
  8. Celebrity Equinox

Princess Cruises
With 2 ships in North America and the United Kingdom, Princess Cruises resumed commercial operations in July. The Carnival-owned brand is now planning to add a 3rd ship into service, expanding its offering in the UK.

Region: Alaska and United Kingdom

Ships currently in service:

  1. Majestic Princess
  2. Regal Princess
  3. Sky Princess (from August 30)

Disney Cruise Line
After first reentering service in the United Kingdom, Disney Cruise Line is now sailing in North America as well, with 2 ships.  In August, the Disney Dream resumed operations, offering short cruises from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas.

Region: the United Kingdom and the Bahamas

Ships currently in service:

  1. Disney Magic
  2. Disney Dream

Costa Cruises
Costa Cruises welcomed passengers back on May 1, 2021, with the 5,200-guest Costa Smeralda. The Italian brand now has 4 vessels in service, including the new Costa Firenze, which departed on its inaugural cruise on July 4.

Region: Europe – Western and Eastern Mediterranean

Ships currently in service:

  1. Costa Smeralda
  2. Costa Luminosa
  3. Costa Deliziosa
  4. Costa Firenze

TUI Cruises
Now back in service for over a year, TUI Cruises has most of its 7 ship fleet in action. Currently, 6 vessels for the Germany-based brand are sailing, offering cruises in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Region: Europe – Greece, Mediterranean, and Germany

Ships currently in service:

  1. Mein Schiff 1
  2. Mein Schiff 2
  3. Mein Schiff 3
  4. Mein Schiff 4
  5. Mein Schiff 5
  6. Mein Schiff 6

Holland America Line
Holland America Line welcomed the guests back in July in Alaska with 2 shios and in August the 2nd vessel entered in service in Europe, offering Eastern Mediterranean itineraries.

Region: Alaska and Mediterranean

Ships currently in service:

  1. Nieuw Amsterdam
  2. Eurodam

AIDA Cruises
Another company with several ships back in service, AIDA is currently sailing to different destinations in Europe. By September, the Carnival-owned brand plans to have 7 ships back in service.

Region: Europe – Mediterranean, Greece, Baltic, and Northern Europe

Ships currently in service:

  1. AIDAperla
  2. AIDAsol
  3. AIDAblu
  4. AIDAprima
  5. AIDAmar
  6. AIDAstella

Other Brands Operating:

  1. Dream Cruises
  2. Virgin Voyages
  3. P&O Cruises
  4. Cunard
  5. Celestyal
  6. Phoenix Reisen
  7. Marella
  8. Bahamas Paradise
  9. Seabourn
  10. Viking
  11. Hapag-Lloyd
  12. Silversea
  13. Crystal
  14. Atlas Ocean
  15. SeaDream
  16. Ponant
  17. Scenic
  18. Saga
  19. Olsen
  20. Noble Caledonia
  21. Lindblad
  22. American Queen Steamboat
  23. American Cruise Lines
  24. UnCruise
  25. Alaskan Dream
  26. Lawrence
  27. Aranui
  28. Coral
  29. True North
  30. Metropolitan
  31. Variety
  32. Black Sea
  33. Club Med
  34. Hurtigruten
  35. Iceland ProCruises
  36. CroisiEurope
  37. Nicko
  38. Hebridean Island
  39. APT
  40. Tradewind
  41. Sea Cloud
  42. Viva Expeditions
  43. Mitsui OSK
  44. Asuka Cruise
  45. Venus Cruise
  46. Heritage Expeditions

An edited report from Cruise Industry news by John Alwyn-Jones, Crusie Editor, Global Travel Media, and Global Cruise News.