CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE ANNOUNCES PLAN TO PHASE-IN SERVICE

MIAMI, May 4, 2020

Carnival Cruise Line just released a memo that says the following:

“Any resumption of cruise operations – whenever that may be – is fully dependent on our continued efforts in cooperation with federal, state, local and international government officials. In our continued support of public health efforts, any return to service will also include whatever enhanced operational protocols and social gathering guidelines that are in place at the time of the resumption of cruise operations. 

We are committed to supporting all public health efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation and will continue to keep our guests, travel agent partners and other stakeholders informed.”

Phase in Service:

Carnival Cruise Line advised guests and travel agents today of our plan to phase in a resumption in our North American service this summer, beginning on August 1 with a total of eight ships from Miami, Port Canaveral and Galveston.  In connection with this plan, our pause in operations will be extended in all other North American and Australian markets through August 31.

The key elements of this plan include:

• All North American cruises from June 27 to July 31 will be cancelled.

• Beginning August 1, we plan to resume cruises on the following ships:

  • Galveston:  Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Vista

  • Miami:  Carnival Horizon, Carnival Magic and Carnival Sensation

  • Port Canaveral:  Carnival Breeze and Carnival Elation.

• Other than the above referenced service from Galveston, Miami, and Port Canaveral, all other North American and Australian homeport cruises will be cancelled through August 31.

• All Carnival Spirit Alaskan cruises from Seattle will be cancelled, as well as the Carnival Spirit Vancouver-Honolulu cruise on September 25 and the Honolulu-Brisbane transpacific cruise on October 6.

• All Carnival Splendor cruises in Australia from June 19 to August 31 will be cancelled.

Impacted guests and their travel advisors are being notified by email, including options for a combined future cruise credit (FCC) and onboard credit (OBC) package, or a full refund.  Booked guests can make their selection online, alleviating the need to contact Carnival’s customer service center, which is still operating in a work-from-home status due to locally-imposed office closures in South Florida.

We are committed to supporting all public health efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation. We are taking a measured approach, focusing our return to service on a select number of homeports where we have more significant operations that are easily accessible by car for the majority of our guests. 

We will use this additional time to continue to engage experts, government officials and stakeholders on additional protocols and procedures to protect the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve.  We appreciate the understanding and support of our guests and travel agent partners and look forward to welcoming them on board as the environment for travel and tourism improves.

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The cruise industry has been hit especially hard due to COVID-19. There is even speculation if the cruise lines can weather through this storm and survive. Well I’m here to say Yes, they can, and in today’s video I am going to discuss why they can! With the changes and new standards to the industry that will become the “New Norm of cruising”.

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Carnival Cruise Line Utilizing Its Ships To Return Crew Members Home

Eighteen Carnival Cruise Line ships will rendezvous in The Bahamas over the next several days as the final plans are put in place to sail nine of the ships to repatriate more than 10,000 healthy crew members who remain on board due to restrictions limiting air travel to Asia, Africa, Europe, India and Latin America.   

The ships have been at various U.S. homeports provisioning supplies and bunkering fuel for their journeys.  Certain crew will join ships using water shuttles off the coast of The Bahamas.  Once completed, nine ships will sail to their destinations with crew members from North American-based ships on board.  The remaining nine ships will spend most of their time in anchorage positions in The Bahamas or Panama and eventually all ships will reduce their crew numbers to safe operational manning levels.

“The safety and well-being of our team members continues to be a top priority. Given the pause in our operations, we are committed to getting our crew members safely home to their families. We sincerely thank them for their hard work, patience and understanding during this process.  We would also like to thank the government of The Bahamas for their support of this operation, as well as the CDC, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and local port agencies,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

Crew members who will be returning home have undergone a health check and cleared fit for travel by Carnival’s medical team. The company has been working closely with immigration officials in arriving countries on an efficient debarkation process.  All crew members have their temperature taken daily and will do so again during the debarkation process, and follow enhanced operational protocols to ensure the health and safety of the crew.

Prior to Carnival’s pause in operations on March 13, its fleet of 27 ships had nearly 29,000 crew members on board.  Since that time, Carnival has already repatriated more than 10,000 crew via flights and another 10,000 will be traveling on the nine voyages leaving this week.   Approximately 6,000 additional crew will be repatriated by air charters or three ships that already departed from Australia and Long Beach.  By the time all these movements are completed, the Carnival fleet will be down to approximately 3,000 crew members identified for safe operational manning, plus several hundred that will be repatriated as quickly as possible.

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Temporary Pause of Global Operations Extended through June 30

Princess Cruises Extends Temporary Pause of Global Operations Through June 30 Due to Global COVID-19 Outbreak

Cruise Line Also Announces Cancellation of Alaska Gulf Voyages, and Land and Sea program for First Time in Its History

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – In continued response to the impact of the COVID-19 global outbreak and the recent order from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Princess Cruises is canceling all voyages through June 30, 2020. The cruise line had previously announced a voluntary pause for two months (60 days), impacting voyages departing March 12 to May 10, 2020.

In addition, Princess Cruises can confirm modifications to the Alaska season, which includes the cancellation of all Princess Alaska Gulf cruise and cruisetours. The five wilderness lodges, trains and buses operated by Princess in Alaska will not open this summer. We will continue round-trip sailings from Seattle to Alaska on Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess.

"This global outbreak continues to challenge our world in unimaginable ways. We recognize how disappointing this is to our long-term business partners and thousands of employees, many of whom have been with us in Alaska for decades," said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. "We hope everyone impacted by these cancellations – especially our guests, travel advisor partners, teammates, and the communities we visit – understand our decision to do our part to protect the safety, health and well-being of our guests and team. We look forward to the brighter days and smooth seas ahead for all of us."

Each ship will have a unique return to service date, based on the previously published cruise itineraries, with some modifications, departing after July 1. Details about the canceled voyages can be found here.

Princess Cruises is offering two cancellation options. Guests currently booked on these canceled voyages, who have paid in full, will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) equivalent to 100% of the cruise fare paid and, as an added incentive, an additional 25% FCC. Guests must use their credits on a cruise that sails on or before May 1, 2022. No action is required for guests to receive this offer and they will be notified by e-mail once the credits have been issued.

Alternatively, guests can receive a full refund for all monies paid in full on their booking through this online form. Requests must be received by May 31, 2020, or they will receive the Future Cruise Credit option. Guests who have not yet paid in full will receive a refund of all monies paid.

Princess will protect travel advisor commissions on bookings for cancelled cruises that were paid in full, in recognition of the critical role travel advisors play in the cruise line’s business and success.

Princess asks guests to please delay in calling the Reservation Call Center due to high call volumes. Guests and their travel advisors will be sent communications on how to manage cancellations, rebook another voyage, or request a refund.

The most current information and instructions for booked guests affected by these cancellations can be found on Information on Impacted & Cancelled Cruises.

Information on Impacted & Cancelled Cruises

Updated April 14, 2020 1:00PM PT

Like so many facets of life, travel has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing our responsibility and commitment to the health, safety and well-being of our guests, our team members and the global community, Princess Cruises has made the extremely difficult decision to cancel some cruises and cruisetours. We know you were looking forward to sailing with us, and we apologize and share in your disappointment over these cancellations. You don’t need to take any action to receive the default compensation offer. You can find out details of your compensation by clicking the link that matches sail date below.

Summer 2020 Cruises & Cruisetours Departing May 11 – June 30, 2020 and Beyond
Select Australia Homeport Cruises for Sun & Sapphire Princess Departing June 23 – September 3, 2020

View Details & List of Affected Cruises (PDF)

Select Australia Homeport Cruises for Sea, Sun & Sapphire Princess
Departing May 8 – June 15, 2020

View Details & List of Affected Cruises (PDF)

All Destinations & Ships
Departing March 12 – May 10, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a Future Cruise Credit (FCC)?
   A Future Cruise Credit (FCC) is essentially a voucher for future travel. It has a monetary amount associated with it, and it is provided in lieu of a refund.

2. How long will it take to get my refund or Future Cruise Credit (FCC)?
   Given the volume of requests and the care being dedicated to ensure each one is handled accurately, it will take approximately 60 days for refunds and FCCs to be processed from the date we receive a guests preference. Please allow sufficient time for us to manage this process and know we are doing everything in our power to expedite where possible.

3. What if I cancelled a booking on a cruise that Princess is now cancelling?
   You can check the relevant cruise details on this page to see if you qualify for any additional compensation.

4. Can I use my FCC to pay for more than one cruise?
   Yes. If the amount of your credit is greater than the cruise fare of your new booking, you can apply the remaining FCC balance on additional future bookings up to the expiration date.

5. How will I know when my FCC is ready?
   We will automatically take care of it and email you when it’s done. You can also log into your My Princess Account on princess.com to see your FCC balance.

6. If I make a new booking on princess.com, how do I activate my FCC? Do I have to call into the Contact Center?
   Once your FCC has been built, the website automatically applies the FCCs available when you input your name and address. You don't even need to sign on. The website will pull these credits for all the eligible names provided during the booking process, including guests 2, 3, 4, and the balance summary will show the FCC as a line-item credit. If you do not want the FCC applied, you will need to call the Contact Center to have it removed.

7. How are FCCs distributed across the guests on my booking?
   FCCs are given per person based on the cancellation fee calculated from your individual cruise or cruisetour fare.

8. What if I incur extra out of pocket expenses, such as air change fees, as a result of these cancellations?
   We understand this change may cost you more than just the cancellation fee. We will reimburse air change fees, increased flight costs and non-refundable transportation expenses. Other expenses will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please complete and submit the Refund Request Guide & Form and any relevant receipts and documentation for review. Guests who purchased independent vacation travel insurance, should submit their claims through their carrier before submitting a reimbursement request.

9. What happens to my FCC if the booking I used it on cancels?
   The Future Cruise Credit will remain attached to your profile until it expires. If you cancel a booking where you used an FCC, it goes back to your profile, and you can re-use it before the expiration date. In the event the original FCC is expired, it will be reissued with a new expiration date.

10. If I have an onboard credit (OBC) from a Future Cruise Deposit (FCD) on a booking that is cancelled, will the OBC be honored on my next cruise?
    Ask Customer Relations, the group handling all such cases.

11. If I have used my Princess Cruises Gift Card to pay for my cruise and opted for a refund, how can I receive it? (North American Guests Only)
    If you have your original Princess Cruises Gift Card, a credit will be added back to that card, so always hold on to your gift cards even after you fully use them. If you do not have the original card, contact Princess Cruises Gift Card Customer Service at giftcardsupport@princesscruises.com or 1-855-426-0168, and a new Princess Cruises Gift Card will be sent to you.

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BREAKING NEWS CDC Extends NO SAIL ORDER For Cruise Lines The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today the extension of a No Sail Orde...

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Royal Caribbean Extends Global Suspension of Cruising 

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

MIAMI - Given global public health circumstances, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has decided to extend the suspension of sailings of our global fleet.

We are working with our guests to address this disruption to their vacations, and we are genuinely sorry for their inconvenience. We are also working with our crew to sort out the issues this decision presents for them.

We expect to return to service on May 12, 2020. Because of announced port closures, we expect to return to service for Alaska, Canada and New England sailings July 1, 2020.

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To assist guests' decisions regarding their upcoming cruise vacations during the evolving worldwide COVID-19 situation, Princess Cruises is temporarily making some changes to our cancellation policy for cruises and cruisetours departing between March 6 and May 31, 2020, and final payment terms for cruises and cruisetours sailing in June 2020.

Updated Cancellation Policy for cruises and cruisetours departing March 6, 2020 through May 31, 2020

The details vary by departure date. The following applies to new and existing bookings on cruises and cruisetours in all markets globally.

Date of Departure

Benefit

March 6 – 8, 2020 Cancel up to sailing date to automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for 100% of cancellation fees

March 9, 2020 - April 3, 2020Cancel up to 72 hours before sailing to automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for 100% of cancellation fees

April 4, 2020 - May 31, 2020Cancel by March 31 and automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit for 100% of cancellation fees

*Date of departure is from the start date of your cruise or cruisetour, whichever is earlier. Excludes charter cruises.

For guests that have already cancelled a March 6-May 31, 2020 cruise or cruisetour on or after January 20, 2020, they will automatically receive Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for 100% of cancellation fees; no need to call Princess.

Future Cruise Credits (FCC) are non-refundable and non-transferrable. They may be applied to any new or existing booking not yet paid in full on a Princess cruise or cruisetour departing on or before December 31, 2021. The FCC does not have to be used on the same itinerary that was cancelled.

Future Cruise Credits will automatically be applied to each guest’s Captain Circle account after they have cancelled. FCCs will not be available instantly and may take up to 10 business days to be processed; no need to call to Princess before this time.

Special Offer for Guests Who Choose to Keep Bookings on March 6 through May 31, 2020 Departures

Guests who choose to keep their booking on cruises or cruisetours as currently scheduled for departures between March 6, 2020 and May 31, 2020 will automatically receive the following Onboard Credit amounts:

• $100 USD / $150 AUD per stateroom for 3 and 4 day cruises

• $150 USD / $225 AUD per stateroom for 5 day cruises

• $200 USD / $300 AUD per stateroom for 6 day and longer cruises

Guests will automatically receive their onboard credit amount on their folio, which may take up to several days after the ship has embarked.

Revised Final Payment Timing on June 2020 Departures

Additionally, we are amending Final Payment on cruises and cruisetours sailing June 1 through June 30, 2020.

Date of Departure*BenefitJune 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020Final Payment moves to 60 days prior to sailing

*Date of departure is from the start date of your cruise or cruisetour, whichever is earlier. Excludes charter cruises.

To ensure we cover guests who already made final payment, the revised final payment date means no cancellation fees will be assessed until 60 days prior to sailing.

To review our complete Cancellation Policy for all departures, please refer to the Passage Contract.

For further information please visit: Cancellation & Final Payment Updates

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Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, the leading luxury ocean cruise line, today announced a new temporary change to its cancellation policy to give luxury travelers additional time, if needed, to feel confident in their decision to sail on a currently booked Regent voyage or to sail on a future one.

Regent Reassurance includes all Regent voyages embarking March 10, 2020 through September 30, 2020. Guests who have paid in full on any of these voyages now have the option to cancel their voyage up to 48 hours prior to sailing and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit, which can be applied to any new reservation within one year on any Regent voyage sailing between today and December 31, 2022.

Regent Reassurance is applicable to all existing and new reservations made by April 30, 2020.

“At Regent, our extended family of guests is always at the center of everything we do. With so much information coming from around the world very quickly regarding the global health environment, we understand our guests may feel uneasy about traveling,” said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “Regent Reassurance is designed to provide our guests with maximum flexibility and give them the confidence to take a Regent voyage on the most luxurious fleet in the cruise industry.”

For further information please visit: Regent Reassurance 

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The “Cruise With Confidence” policy allows guests on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea to cancel up to 48 hours before a sailing. Guests will receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of the guest’s choice in 2020 or 2021. The policy applies to both new and existing cruise bookings.

“Our previous policy set earlier deadlines for guests to cancel their cruises, and that added unnecessary stress,” said Richard Fain, the company’s chairman and CEO. “Trying to guess a month or more in advance where areas of concern about coronavirus might be is challenging for medical experts, much less a family preparing for vacation.”

“When circumstances are as fast-changing as they have been recently, it’s good to know you have the option to take a rain check,” Fain said. “We think putting more control in our guests’ hands helps them make informed decisions about whether to keep their existing vacation plans or trade out for a more convenient time or itinerary.”  

In addition to easing concerns for booked guests, Fain said the policy would also give consumers more confidence in making new bookings, knowing that they could later adjust their plans without penalty.

The policy applies to all cruises with a sailing date on or before July 31, 2020 and will be offered by the company’s global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea. Full details of the “Cruise with Confidence” policy can be found at the respective brand websites.

For further information please visit: Royal Caribbean Cruise with Confidence

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