Around this time last year, we ran a survey asking our readers when they expected to travel again. Europe, responded nearly 75 percent of river cruisers. On the oceans, Europe and the Mediterranean ranked first, with about 27 percent of the vote, followed by the Caribbean with 25 percent.
We figured this was a perfect time to run a similar survey, with Europe planning to open to vaccinated US travelers this summer and cruises starting back up in the Caribbean as soon as June. Here is what our readers had to say about their travel plans for 2021 and beyond.
Do you have a cruise booked this summer?
33 percent of river cruisers have a cruise booked for the summer, while just 16 percent of ocean cruisers have a cruise booked this summer. This makes sense, as 66 percent of our readers said last year that they would not feel comfortable traveling on a ship with more than 1,000 passengers. We anticipate a boom in small ship travel post-COVID.
Is your booked cruise in Europe?
Though it my seem surprising that 100 percent of ocean cruisers have cruises booked in Europe this summer, ocean cruises have not been able to resume as easily as river cruises have. Because of requirements put in place by the CDC, there have been capacity limits that have barred large ship cruising in US ports. Though the US hasn’t had many cruises over the past year, there have been large ship ocean cruises that have sailed successfully in Europe throughout the pandemic – most notably those run by MSC Cruises in the Mediterranean.
52 percent of river cruise will stay close to home this summer, likely opting to cruise the Mississippi or Columbia/Snake Rivers. American Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat Company have been sailing the Mississippi since the end of March. To see what sailing the Mississippi during COVID is like, see Live From American Countess: First Impressions.
Would you consider traveling to Europe this summer?
Almost a direct split, 48 percent of readers said that they would consider traveling to Europe this summer.
How do you feel about the vaccine requirement?
Vaccine mandates have been the subject of many controversies lately but our readers say these requirements will help them feel more comfortable when traveling. Small percentages of readers from both of our websites, 5 percent from River Cruise Advisor and 3 percent from Avid Cruiser, say that they will be less inclined to travel to Europe this summer because of the expected mandate.
What about us?
Both Ralph and I have been fully vaccinated for over a month now and we are slowly finding comfort in a new normal. (Very slowly for Ralph, he hugged me for the first time in over a year last week!) I hope to soon find the comfort of the new normal on board a cruise ship. More than that, I hope to start hearing about all of your travels again as you start to venture back out into the world.
George Jorn says
Viking Cruises just added more ocean cruises to Iceland and has openings on a Bermuda cruise. We just booked an ocean cruise with Viking that is too round trip out of Malta called Malta & Adriatic Jewels. There another round trip out of Malta that goes to Greece.
George Jorn says
Thanks for keeping us informed about cruising during these challenging times. We all look forward to receiving your emails, enjoy reading about your adventures and appreciate your advice. Glad to you hear that you are both vaccinated. Wishing you both safe adventurers in the future.
Jeanine Woolet says
Baby steps for traveling in the U.S. started for me a week ago. I wore a mask for 7 1/2 hours. I had a headache from the mask. Flying to Europe will be the same time plus the additional time in the airport. Mask mandates have to be an option.
T Paine says
Emerald Waterways has suspended Splendours 15 day river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest leaving July 10, 2021 thru July 24th. Was effected yesterday and they are in process of notifying passengers, etc.
Colleen Gentry says
We are in the blue segments on all the survey questions. However, I think it would be interesting to do the survey in 2 month chunks for fall and winter 2021. We are not ready to travel this summer, but we have an AmaWaterways Wine Cruise booked for late November 2021 and hope springs eternal that it will occur (and Europe will take us.) We are vaccinnated but with resurgences, just not ready to step into the breach yet.
I wonder if others are like us…. not this summer, but maybe Sept/Oct or Nov/Dec?
Colleen Gentry says
We are fine with Masking if that allows us to travel in Canada or Europe. And we are in our late 60’s….
Katharine Schendel says
We have booked AmaWaterways for December…3 nights at Lake Como and then cruise north on the Rhine from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam. Fingers crossed!
Geoff Went says
I have a booking with Viking for late October in Germany. Still wondering if this is to go ahead.
Vivienne & Ronald Kraus says
We are booked to go on your river cruise at the end of June/July, from Budapest through the Danube. It’s been transferred from last year due to the virus. We have both had two vaccines each. Still would like to go but also very concerned about as to whether it’s safe as people from other places may not be vaccinated. We are not in our late 70’s.
Vivienne & Ronald Kraus says
We are in our late 70’s. I tried to edit the comment in the above response.
Mike Donovan says
The vaccine isn’t an issue, the mask mandates are a deal killer. If there is a mask requirement we will cancel our November trip and will not reconsider until a mask requirement is a thing of the past.
John and theresa Davidsaver says
Planning a Rhine river cruise in October with Ama waterways and transatlantic crossing in late October on Holland America Rotterdam to Ft. L. We had planned on starting in Munich but alas, as you know, Octoberfest has been cancelled again this year. We have both been vaccinated several months ago and are hoping for a booster before the next trip. Looking forward to Happy sailing, theresa and john from Northern Ohio
George Jorn says
Viking Cruises just added more ocean cruises to Iceland and has openings on a Bermuda cruise. We just booked an ocean cruise with Viking that is too round trip out of Malta called Malta & Adriatic Jewels. There another round trip out of Malta that goes to Greece.