(TAN): Some of the world’s biggest cruise lines have cancelled most voyages this summer, some into fall, and others for the rest of this year, amid growing concerns over travel demand and restrictions caused by COVID-19.
American cruise lines Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, both subsidiaries of Florida-based Carnival Corporation, and Seabourn Cruise Line, said they will extend the “pause” of their operations through at least summer.
President of Seattle-based Holland America Line, Orlando Ashford, said the company will halt its services into the fall.
“As we continue to navigate through these unprecedented and challenging times, the best decision right now is to extend our pause in cruise operations into the fall,” President of Holland America Line, Orlando Ashford, said.
“While this is very disappointing and we never want to let our guests down, as soon as it makes sense we will be back cruising again, giving our guests the memorable travel experiences they continue to dream about,” he added.
Holland America’s cancelled cruises comprise Alaska, Europe and Canada/New England voyages scheduled for 2020, and a 79-day Grand Africa Voyage from Boston, set to depart on October 3.
Jan Swartz, President of California-based Princess Cruises said its services will be paused through the end of this summer amid limited availability of flights and closure of cruise ports.
“As the world is still preparing to resume travel, it is with much disappointment that we announce an extension of our pause of global ship operations and the cancellation of cruise vacations for our loyal guests,” Jan Swartz, President of Princess Cruises said.
“Among other disruptions, airlines have limited their flight availability and many popular cruise ports are closed. It saddens us to think about the impact on the livelihood of our teammates, business partners and the communities we visit,” he added.
The cancelled cruises include all Alaska cruises on Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess, all Europe and Transatlantic cruises on Enchanted Princess, Regal Princess, Sky Princess, Crown Princess and Island Princess, Summer Caribbean cruises and all Canada and New England cruises on Caribbean Princess and Sky Princess, cruises departing from Japan on Diamond Princess through fall, Australia-based cruises on Sapphire Princess and Sea Princess through August, cruises sailing from Taiwan on Majestic Princess in July, and cruises sailing to Hawaii and French Polynesia on Pacific Princess through November.
Seattle-based Seabourn Cruises, which had earlier paused operations until June 30, has now decided to extend the pause in operations of its five ships – Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation, into October and November.
“We know travelers, as well as our past guests, are thinking about and looking forward to traveling based on a lot of information we are seeing lately. With many cruise ports still closed, destinations opening in phases, and airline capacity limited, a continuation of our pause gives us additional time to prepare for our eventual return to service,” President of Seabourn, Rick Meadows, said.
“When we resume and social gathering is acceptable once again, we will do so with the health and safety of our guests, crew and the people in each of the destinations we visit as a priority, just as it has been throughout our history,” he added.
The cruise companies said they will provide refund or compensation in the form of future cruise credit to the guests affected by the cancellations.
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