A US-based cruise line just announced fully vaccinated Bahamas-only cruises starting in July

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A US-based cruise line just announced fully vaccinated Bahamas-only cruises starting in July
Nassau, Bahamas.Pola Damonte/Getty Images
  • The Bahamas will be welcoming back cruises this summer with new sailings from July to October.
  • The country has partnered with Crystal Cruises for 32 trips around the Bahamas.
  • Guests sailing with Crystal must be vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days before a cruise.
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Eager cruisers will finally be able to cruise around the Bahamas this summer aboard Crystal Cruises' Crystal Serenity ship.

In total, Crystal Cruises will be offering 32 seven-night trips from July to October starting from Bahamas' Nassau or Bimini. The cruises will then shuttle passengers to five other destinations around the country: San Salvador, Long Island, Great Exuma, Harbour Island, and Bimini or Nassau, the latter depending on the sailing's starting point.

This impending cruising return is good news for parts of the country's "tourism-dependent" economy: like other travel hotspots, the coronavirus pandemic's pause on cruises "has been felt greatly" by the Bahamas, according to a press release.

Read more: For cruise lines, '2020 is a wasted year.' The CEO of Norwegian Cruise lays out when the industry could make money again.

"Crystal Cruises will go on record as the only cruise line offering Bahamas-only voyages … and the support that these cruises will bring to multiple communities within the country will be tremendous," Dionisio D'Aguilar, Bahamas' minister of tourism and aviation, said in a statement. The Crystal Serenity will also be the "first ocean ship to sail from the Americas" since the ongoing cruising pause first began in 2020, according to a blog post from the Bahamas.

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Bookings for the tropical cruises will open on March 18 starting at $2,000 per person. The sailings will also follow Crystal Cruises' "Crystal Clean+" measures, which include arrangements like contactless dining, mask-wearing on certain parts of the ship, and social distancing protocols.

All Crystal guests will also have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 14 days before the trip.

Crystal isn't the only cruise line using a COVID-19 vaccine mandate to safely usher in the return of cruising. Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean announced its first 'fully vaccinated' cruises on the Odyssey of the Seas departing from Israel.

Are you a cruise industry employee or have a cruise industry story to share? Contact this reporter at bchang@insider.com.

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