Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has announced an extension of its suspension of voyages, cancelling all planned 2020 sailings.

The cruise corporation announced the news today (2 November), with the extension due to continued travel uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings operates three leading cruise brands – Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania Cruises and ultra-luxury Regent Seven Seas Cruises – all of which have had sailings suspended.

The cruise company’s suspension of voyages now includes all sailings embarking between 1 December through to 31 December 2020.

Cruise operations are now set to resume in 2021, a month after the planned restart date of 1 December 2020.

An official statement on NCL’s website read: “With Covid-19 continuing to impact communities and ports around the globe, we have extended our voluntary temporary suspension of all voyages through December 2020 and previously on cruises on Norwegian Star, Norwegian Spirit, and Norwegian Dawn through March 2021.”

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings will continue to work with global government and public health authorities, along with its Healthy Sail Panel, to take all necessary measures to protect passengers, crew and communities in ports of call.

The cruise company formed the Healthy Sail Panel in June with Royal Caribbean International – the world’s other leading cruise conglomerate responsible for brands like Royal Caribbean, Silversea, Azamara and Celebrity Cruises.

Guests who are booked onto a now-cancelled sailing are being asked to contact their travel advisor or cruise line for more information.

The latest suspension of operations comes as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, with travel conditions still uncertain and the world facing various country-wide lockdowns.

The announcement from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings comes just days after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) replaced its No Sail Order with a new ‘Framework for Conditional Sailing Order’.

The new framework will allow for the cruise industry to slowly resume passenger operations, with the order applying to cruise ships carrying at least 250 passengers in US waters.