Some niche European brands return to cruising – Cruise Industry News

Cruise lines are planning multi-phased restarts in 2021, including a number of smaller, niche European brands.
Here is the last one:
Black sea cruises
First navigation: In service
Boat: Prince Vladimir
Region: Black Sea
Black Sea Cruises resumed operations on June 13, as Prince Vladimir left Sochi, Russia on his first post-pandemic cruise.
The Rosmorport-led operation offers seven-night itineraries in the Black Sea, with stops in Novorossiysk, Yalta and Sevastopol.
Club Med
First navigation: July 10, 2021
Ships: Club Med 2
Regions: Mediterranean
Club Med is currently considering a resumption of service in July, with the re-entry of the Club Med 2 service in the Mediterranean.
From July 10, the ship will offer three new French coastal itineraries, as well as cruises to Greece and the western Mediterranean.
Celestial cruises
First navigation: In service
Ships: Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia (from June 28)
Regions: The greek islands
Celestyal Cruises resumed successful operations on June 12, with its idyllic seven-night Aegean itinerary on the Celestyal Crystal.
Offering cruises to the Greek islands, the company plans to add a second ship, the Celestyal Olympia, in service on June 28.
Marella Cruises
First navigation: June 25, 2021
Ships: Marella Explorer and Marella Explorer 2
Region: UK
Marella will restart the service with domestic routes within the UK. The company plans to add two vessels in service, starting June 25.
The Marella Explorer will be the first return to welcome guests, departing from Southampton. The Marella Explorer 2, the cruise line’s adults-only ship, will offer cruises from Newcastle starting July 10.
Cloud Sea
First navigation: August 6, 2021
Ships: Sea Cloud, Sea Cloud II and Sea Cloud Spirit
Region: Mediterranean
According to its website, Sea Cloud intends to operate its entire fleet in the Mediterranean by September.
The first ship to resume service is the Sea Cloud, which is due to leave Piraeus on a Greek Island route on August 6, 2021. On September 14, the new Sea Cloud Spirit is due to depart Civitavecchia for its maiden voyage.
Ponant
First navigation: In service
Boat: Le Bougainville, Le Lyrial, Le Dumont-D’Urville, Le Champlain and Le Bellot
Region: Mediterranean, Iceland and France
Le Ponant resumed operations on June 16, 2021, with more than 50 departures to Iceland, the Mediterranean and France this summer.
Highlights include a new partnership with the Louvre, new itineraries and stopovers, and a stopover in the brand’s eponymous islands, the Ponant Islands.
Saga
First navigation: June 27, 2021
Boat: Spirit of discovery and spirit of adventure
Region: UK
Saga Cruises is offering a new UK summer 2021 program aboard its two ships, the Spirit of Adventure and the Spirit of Discovery.
Both ships will be based in Tilbury, with the first cruise scheduled for June 27, 2021.