Norwegian Cruise Line is hoping 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 Australia and New Zealand governments have currently banned most cruises, Sommer said he was encouraged by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s plan to return to a sense of normality if the country could hit an 80 percent vaccination threshold, which it hopes to by the end of the year.

“We hope we can start cruising again in the Australia and New Zealand bubble in early February of next year,” said Sommer, speaking at a press conference in Seattle ahead of the Norwegian Encore’s first cruise to Alaska.

“Asia is a more little challenging because they are in different phases of vaccinations,” said Sommer, noting positive progress in Japan and Singapore. “We are hoping we can cruise in that region at the end of January or February as well … we do see a plan to start there (then).”