Popular Website Lists 23 Cruise Ships That Could Be Headed to the Scrap Yard

The coronavirus pandemic has caused widespread disruption in the travel industry and no subsector of the travel industry has been hit harder than cruises. The situation has gotten so dire that the major cruise lines have repeatedly postponed their planned dates to return to operations, with the latest information indicating that cruising will not resume before September 15. Additionally, the cruise landscape may have changed so drastically that cruise ships which were operational just months ago may now be sold for scrap.

Website ThePointsGuy.com has listed 23 cruise ships that could be sent to the scrapyard instead of returning to service. Below we will take a look at some of the notable names on the list.

Royal Caribbean Empress of the Seas
The Empress of the Seas was originally called the Nordic Empress when it first took to the seas in 1990. According to the report, Royal Caribbean removed this 30-year-old vessel from service in 2008 and it has seen limited action since 2016 as a dedicated cruise ship to Cuba. With newer ships on the horizon, the Empress of the Seas could be headed for scrap. 

Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas
The Grandeur of the Seas first sailed in 1996. The ship was going to be transferred to Spain-based Pullmantur, but that company has now announced that it is insolvent and will be reorganizing. It is unclear if Pullmantur will be able to continue operating and this uncertainty also puts the fate of the grandeur of the seas in doubt.

Carnival Fantasy
Like the Empress of the Seas, the Carnival Fantasy debuted in 1990. It is also the oldest ship in Carnival’s fleet and as was it built before the current era of mega cruise ships, the Fantasy is considerably smaller than other Carnival ships. In particularly ominous news, the report indicates that Carnival has not announced any sailings for the fantasy after January 2022, which could mean the end of its run.