Three major cruise companies extend their pause in operations

Cruise Ship Sign

Three of the largest cruise line groups have extended their pause in operations until 31 December.

Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings have all extended their pause in sailings from 1 December to 31 December.

Carnival Corporation’s extension applies to its North American brands, with all Australian sailings still on hold until at least 8 February.

The new extension applies to Carnival Cruise Line, Cunard North America, Holland America Line, Princess cruises and Seabourne.

Royal Caribbean Group has extended its pause for sailings on all its lines excluding from Singapore.

Both Dream Cruises and Royal Caribbean received approval from the Singapore government to pilot cruises out of the country in November and December respectively to give travel starved residents a taste of the cruise experience without going anywhere.

Celebrity Cruises has already suspended their full 2020/21 Winter program in Australia and Asia while Azamara has suspended their 2020/21 Winter sailings throughout Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and South America.

Royal Caribbean Group includes Azamara, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea and Royal Caribbean.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which encompasses Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, will extend its suspension to include all voyages embarking between 1 December through to 31 December.

The extensions are in line with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)’s announcement that its members would maintain the ongoing voluntary suspension of cruise operations in the U.S. through December 31, 2020.

CLIA said its members will use the remainder of the year to prepare for the implementation of extensive measures to address COVID-19 safety with the guidance of outside public health experts and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC in the US released a strict framework for the resumption of cruising following the lifting of its No Sail Order on 31 October.

The framework calls for a phased approach to the resumption of operations alongside a stringent set of health and safety requirements including a series of “mock” voyages.


Featured image source: iStock/MCCAIG

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