The Port of San Diego said it is expecting five technical stops by ships from Holland America Line and Princess Cruises in the next few weeks.
The port said it would prioritize public health, and with extra precautions in place to minimize community spread of and exposure to COVID-19.
As part of these efforts, five Holland America Line (HAL) ships and one Princess Cruises ship are scheduled to arrive this week and through the new year, periodically docking at the B Street Cruise Terminal for fuel, food, supplies, and/or services.
The current first arrival schedule is as follows (schedule and vessels are subject to change based on operational needs and/or cruise line plans):
- Holland America Koningsdam – December 23
- Princess Cruises Emerald Princess – December 24
- Holland America Westerdam – December 28
- Holland America Zuiderdam – January 8
- Holland America Noordam – January 11
Time spent docked in San Diego will be limited, the port said.. Each ship is scheduled to dock at B Street the morning of their scheduled arrival date and depart that evening.
At this time, the ships are scheduled to remain in the San Diego area and may be visible off the coast, with some periodically positioning in the outer anchorage just outside of San Diego Bay off the coast of Coronado. After their initial arrival, each HAL ship plans to periodically return to the B Street Cruise Terminal to refuel and/or to resupply or receive services.
The Emerald Princess is scheduled to go to Los Angeles after its December 24 visit. As with all maritime operations, vessel schedules may change.
Crew members aboard the vessels will not be allowed off unless as part of crew changes with plans and procedures reviewed and approved by the CDC, Coast Guard, CBP, and County HHS. All crew members will be regularly tested for COVID-19 and health procedures will be followed in the event of an infection.
San Diego said that the COVID-19 pandemic had cancelled 119 cruises calls for the port since March.
“This represents a loss of roughly $200 million in regional economic activity, impacting local businesses and government. The Port’s cruise industry supports jobs including in retail, restaurant and lodging; transportation, trucking and warehousing; ship agents and stevedoring; and security and manpower services,” the port said. “All future sailings are pending approval by the CDC, the Coast Guard, CBP, and County HHS.”
