3 5 However, president of Albatros International Hans Lagerweij strikes a note of caution regarding the return to planned itineraries: “Of course it is a promising development, and we are excited to finally plan our operations again. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but a lot still needs to happen. Many source markets are still closed: China, Japan, Australia. Many destinations are still closed or have restricted access, leading to a lot of uncertainty. I think it will take into 2022 to see things ‘normalise’.” Different regions are restarting at different rates, says Franklin Braeckman, marketing and sales manager for Oceanwide Expeditions. “While the situation remains quite uncertain, especially for the unique character of expedition cruising, we are delighted to be able to restart our operations in North Norway,” he says: “After many months in lockdown, with all options being investigated for our Antarctic programme and multiple safety enhancements to our ships including the installation of quarantine cabins with independent ventilation systems, we are eager to start sailing again and can’t wait to have passengers onboard again.” “ Throughout the highs and lows, our common mantra was the same: we are in this together” Bret Bullock, American Cruise Lines Metropolitan Touring was one of the first to return to the Galapagos Islands to offer guests experiences such as dolphin watching American Cruise Lines’ ships are back in service on the USA’s Columbia & Snake Rivers
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