Cruise ships without passengers will be visiting the Port of Los Angeles in coming weeks in a step toward a future resumption of service by the industry, which has been shut down by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The visits for fuel, supplies and services are part of the cruise lines’ operations to reestablish the ships in U.S. waters as a prerequisite to meet federal regulations in order to resume cruising in the future,” the port said in a statement Monday.
Ships from Princess Cruises, Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line will periodically dock at the Los Angeles Cruise Terminal starting this week and through 2021. More than two dozen port calls are expected through early February.
Cruises have been suspended since March and a resumption of U.S. passenger sailings has not been scheduled.
The Port of Los Angeles had 93 cruise cancellations, amounting to more than 70% of total cruises, this year.
According to the port, the cancellations have amounted to loss of nearly $100 million in economic activity on the waterfront. Each cruise ship call contributes about $1 million to local businesses and the economy.