Costa Cruises released the latest update of the fleet restart with adjusted departure dates. According to the announcement, 5 Costa ships will set sail in August, starting with Costa Pacifica scheduled to depart from Genoa on August 21. Most of the new departure dates are adjusted by a day or two from the previously announced, as the company makes final preparations for the fleet restart.

MSC Cruises announced that the company received approval by Italian authorities to restart with limited voyages in the Mediterranean this August aboard MSC Grandiosa and MSC Magnifica.

The cruise ship Orient Queen, owned by the Lebanese cruise line Abu Merhi Cruises, sank in the port of Beirut after being hit by one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in human history. The ship which was about 300 meters from the explosion site was badly damaged and all efforts to save it were in vain. Expressing their deepest condolences Abu Merhi Cruises said the deadly explosion killed one crew member and one is still missing.

The Lebanese capital was shaken by a huge explosion at the port of Beirut on Tuesday evening, killing more than 100 people, injuring thousands, and causing massive damage to the city and the nation.

The Norwegian cruise line Hurtigruten Cruises, announced today the company is temporarily suspending all expedition voyages on 3 ships including MS Roald Amundsen, MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Spitsbergen.

Two Aida cruise ships AIDAmar and AIDAblu, set sail from the port of Rostock on Friday for test voyages with only crew on board. These test voyages are part of the company’s plan to familiarize the crew with the new set of health and safety rules and regulations and put them into practice before ships sail regular cruises with guests. In order to be able to successfully carry out the short trips, the employees must be fully prepared for the new health measures.

The Mauritius national public broadcaster MBC, reports that 230 Mauritian crew members, called to resume service on cruise ships at the port of Genova in Italy, left Mauritius on a charter flight on Wednesday, July 29.

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), with guidance from the Philippines Department of Transportation (DOTr), has issued the new detailed procedures including health and safety protocols for the repatriation and the conduct of crew change, in authorized domestic and international ports in the Republic of the Philippines.

The Greek Tourism Minister, Haris Theoharis, announced today that after four months of lockdown due to the global pandemic, cruise ships will be allowed to operate in Greek ports starting from August 1, 2020.

Saga Cruises announced that the company has completed the sale of it’s cruise ship Saga Sapphire to the Turkish tour operator Anex Tour. The ship will reenter service in 2021 under the name Blue Sapphire operating for the new cruise line Anex Tour in the Eastern Mediterranean. The sale was revealed by Saga Cruises in 2019 after Anex Tour announced it would acquire the vessel.