Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has unveiled its latest flexible booking policy, updating its Plain Sailing Guarantee to give guests most flexibility on 2021 cruise bookings.

The new and updated policy allows guests making a new booking for 2021 the opportunity to move their deposit to another cruise, without any additional fees, before they pay their final balance. Guests also have the opportunity to have their deposit refunded.

Along with being able to change cruises, Fred Olsen passengers who are unable to travel due to testing positive for Covid-19 can transfer their sailing to another cruise, free of charge and without any fees or penalties.

They can do this right up until the day of depature, and have up to 12 months to choose their new cruise.

Director of product and customer service at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Clare Ward, said: “We know that so many of our guests are looking forward to cruising again just as much as we are, and we can’t wait to get back in the water and welcome guests, both old and new, on board our new look fleet from February.

“But we also know that we are all still adjusting to this ‘new normal’ that we have found ourselves in, and as a result, we want to make our booking process as flexible as possible.

“We want people to look ahead to their cruise holidays and get excited about them, without the worry of their circumstances changing.

“Our updated Plain Sailing Guarantee allows guests to book a sailing for next year, knowing that they have the flexibility to change to another cruise – or even have their deposit refunded – before they make their final payment.

“With opportunities for travel limited in 2020, we have been working hard to make 2021 an incredibly exciting year, with a host of new itineraries as well as our two new ships, Bolette and Borealis. Creating flexibility and reassurance for our guests is a big part of that, too.”

The original Plain Sailing Guarantee was launched in April, in the first few weeks of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Looking to the future, Fred Olsen recently revealed that Balmoral will sail again in February, followed by Braemar and the line’s two new ships, Bolette and Borealis, in March and April.