Norwegian Cruise Line hopes to be back in Australia and Asia in early 2022, according to Harry Sommer, President and CEO of the Norwegian Cruise Line brand.
While the governments of Australia and New Zealand have currently banned most cruises, Sommer said he was encouraged by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s plan to return to a sense of normalcy if the country could hit the 80 percent vaccination limit, which it is up to to reach the end of the year hopes.
“We hope to be able to cruise again in the Australian and New Zealand bubble in early February next year,” Sommer said at a press conference in Seattle before Norwegian Encore’s first cruise to Alaska.
“Asia is a bit more of a challenge because they are at different vaccination stages,” said Sommer, noting positive progress in Japan and Singapore. “We hope that we can cruise in this region at the end of January or February … we see a plan to start there (then).”
