The cruise shipping industry is experiencing difficulties with hiring crew which hindered several operations, leaving some passengers with fewer onboard dining options or even canceled sailings.
A lack of available cruise ship crew has begun affecting onboard amenities and itineraries.
The staffing problem is one of the reasons HAL-Holland America Line has decided to "pace its restart over the year." The company doesn't expect it will be canceling any future itineraries.
However, tourists with CCL-Carnival Cruise Line will be spared from itinerary changes but the company will temporarily close 2 restaurants fleetwide and will also limit the number of passengers on some of its ships due to crew shortages.
Similarly, NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line's Hawaii-based ship Pride of America, which typically operates with 900+ crew, is currently accommodating under 550 staff. As a result, NCL has reduced the vessel's max passenger capacity (which is 2630). Some guests sailing on overbooked vessels will have to be rebooked on different itineraries.
Cunard UK has also limited the number of passengers and canceled sailings aboard Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria, blaming the "wider impact of COVID" on its difficulties with hiring. According to the UK-based company, the "necessary" cancellations/capacity issues will be "short term."