Celestyal Cruises has suspended its operations until its 2021 season, which commences on 6 March 2021.

For guests impacted by the suspension, Celestyal Cruises is offering a future cruise credit (FCC) valued at 120 per cent of  the original booking value.

Guests will have until the end of December 2021 to redeem their FCC against any Celestyal itinerary through to the end of December 2022. The line will automatically send the FCC to guests or their travel agent.

Guests who choose not to redeem their FCC by the end of December 2021 will automatically receive a full refund equal to the original amount paid, upon the voucher’s expiration.

The line had previously suspended sailings until 30 July.

Celestyal Cruises chief commercial officer Leslie Peden said: “As the core of our season runs from spring through the autumn, we were optimistic that we would be able to resume our cruise operations later this summer.

“However, given the prevailing uncertainty regarding travel restrictions through the balance of our operating season from our largest international source markets, coupled with the continuing discussions at European Union level regarding the enhanced health protocols that will apply to EU cruise operations, we made the difficult but prudent decision to postpone resuming cruise operations until the scheduled start of our normal spring season next year.

“We felt that as a company, we have already put our travel partners and guests through enough date changes on when cruising could return safely.

“By voluntarily pausing operations until our scheduled departures next year, Celestyal will be better positioned to offer more clarity and certainty to our valued partners and guests, as well as peace of mind.

“We will now shift our full attention to developing both 2021 and 2022 business where we are seeing encouraging signs of pent-up demand and be well prepared to implement all enhanced health protocols that will ultimately be established by the EU and the countries where we operate.”