Crystal’s recent announcement that it will begin cruising in the Bahamas in July has been followed by both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises, which say that they too will bypass the US to begin summer sailings in the Caribbean.

Notably, all three cruise lines will operate from homeports outside the US, which continues to prohibit cruise lines from sailing in its territorial waters, and by extension departing from ports like Miami or Fort Lauderdale.

Crystal knocked over the first domino with the news that it is bypassing the US to sail dedicated itineraries exclusively within the Bahamas from both Nassau and Bimini starting on July 3 and 4 respectively.

On Friday Royal Caribbean followed, stating it would also homeport in Nassau and sail seven-night journeys aboard the Adventure of the Seas in the Bahamas, but also to Cozumel, Mexico. Itineraries will include a stop at Grand Bahama and two days at Royal Caribbean’s private Bahamian island, Coco Cay. The cruises will start on June 12 and continue through August.

For those looking for a gateway other than the Bahamas, Royal Caribbean’s sister line Celebrity revealed that it will end its year-long pandemic hiatus when it launches cruises about the Celebrity Millennium from St. Maarten on June 5. Ports will include Aruba, Curacao, and Barbados on one cruise, and Tortola, St. Lucia, and Barbados on another.

Celebrity Cruises CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo said returning to the Caribbean “marks the measured beginning of the end of what has been a uniquely challenging time for everyone.”

Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will require passengers 18 and older to test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of getting on a ship, while Crystal is only accepting passengers vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus at least 14 days prior to sailing.

The move to Caribbean homeporting comes as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to hold up cruise ship operations in US waters – measures that have been in place since March 2020, although guidelines have been laid out for cruises to resume with conditional sailing certificates.

Recently, Jamaica’s director of tourism Donovan White told Travel Industry Today that it could soon be in the mix as a cruise line homeport later in the year as well, with discussions with several cruise lines currently ongoing.

By June, Canadians may be able to get to the respective islands again with a federal ban on airlines from this country flying to sun destinations through April 30 set to expire.