Coronavirus: Royal Caribbean extends sailing suspension until May
Royal Caribbean group has extended the suspension of all its sailings until the middle of May due to the coronavirus.
Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Azamara and Silversea, all of which operate under the Royal Caribbean group umbrella, originally paused all global operations on 14 March until 11 April.
That date has now been changed with expected return to service on 12 May.
But Alaska, Canada and New England sailings will not resume until July 1 due to port closures.
In a statement, the company said: “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.”
Earlier in the year, the group has adopted a new Cruise with Confidence policy, allowing guests to cancel sailings up to 48 hours before departure in light of the coronavirus.
Passengers can cancel and receive full cruise credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing in 202o or 2021.
The policy applies to both new and existing cruise bookings.
Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean International vice-president EMEA Ben Bouldin told Cruise Trade News why community is now more important than ever and outlines how the industry can begin to overcome the challenges caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
To view the latest government advice visit gov.uk.
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