London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

International cruises from England to restart

International cruises from England to restart

International cruises will be able to start again from England from Monday 2 August after a 16-month break.

People arriving at UK ports who have been fully vaccinated in the US and the EU will also not have to quarantine, the UK government said.

It's part of a plan to relax isolation rules for US and EU arrivals in the UK.

An industry body said travel agencies, hotels, tour guides, port operators and other firms would benefit from cruises restarting.

Domestic cruises have been allowed to run from May but international cruises have been prohibited.

The government said that international cruise travel advice "will be amended to encourage travellers to understand the risks associated with cruise travel and take personal responsibility for their own safety abroad".

Cruise ships have been moored up around the world, waiting out the pandemic

Under the new rules, from 04:00 BST on Monday 2 August, fully vaccinated US and EU travellers arriving from amber countries will not need to quarantine or take a test on day eight of their arrival.

However, they will still need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on the second day after they arrive.

And travellers from France are not exempt.

Arrivals will also still need to complete a Passenger Locator Form.

Under-18s will be exempt from isolation, and some will not have to test, depending on their age.

The UK government said the rule changes would help to reunite family and friends whose loved ones live abroad.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said the reopening of travel was "progress we can all enjoy".

However, international cruises are unlikely to be available from Monday.

On its website, P&O Cruises said following their UK summer staycations, its Britannia ship will begin planned western Mediterranean itineraries on 25 September, while its Iona vessel will launch on the same date.

It said due to the current traffic light system, a "number of itineraries have had to be cancelled".

Cruises on Ventura have been paused until 3 October 2021, while cruises on its Azura ship have been halted up until 10 December 2021. Some others have been delayed until 2022.

Cunard's first UK cruise will sail on August 13 with international cruises beginning in October.

Both firms are part of US giant Carnival cruises, which is one of the world's biggest cruise companies.

The hugely profitable business was brought to its knees by Covid after regulators around the world stopped ships from sailing to try and limit outbreaks.

There were outbreaks on various cruise liners, including some owned by Carnival.

Richard Ballantyne, chief executive at the British Ports Association (BPA), said UK domestic cruises had demonstrated how ports and cruise lines could "ensure the health and safety of passengers, crew and destinations".

He added that the organisation is "hopeful that the devolved administrations will follow suit shortly" in allowing international cruises.

The British Ports Association, which represents more than 400 ports, terminal operators and port facilities, said it was "disappointed" that arrivals from France still need to quarantine on arrival into England for ten days.

The MSC Virtuosa was the first cruise ship to take passengers in UK waters in more than a year

The global cruise line industry has been one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2019, it contributed more than $154bn (£110bn) to the global economy, according to the trade body Cruise Lines International Association, before the shops were all anchored due to the lockdown.

Carnival, which made a profit of $3bn in 2019, reported a loss of $10bn in 2020 after its revenues plunged 73%.

There is an increased risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases on ships due to passengers and crew mixing from different parts of the world, according to experts.

In 2020 there were major outbreaks on cruise ships, including the Carnival-owned Diamond Princess.

According to the most recent statistics on data site Worldometer, 22 countries have still had fewer Covid cases than were found on the Diamond Princess, and 27 countries have had fewer than its 13 deaths.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×