Given ongoing global public health circumstances, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has announced that it has extended the suspension of most sailings across its cruise brands through 31 July 2020.

This is with the exception of sailings from China, which will be suspended through the end of June.

Speaking at Royal Caribbean’s first ‘Cafe Royal’ trade webinar a few weeks ago, the cruise line’s vice president of EMEA Ben Bouldin had said that the company was looking closely at its China business and the opportunities there as the country slowly returns to a ‘new normal’ following the coronavirus outbreak.

He said: “We are looking very closely at our China business. China is getting back to a new normal and this new normal is not so massively different from old normal.”

Royal Caribbean International chief executive Michael Bayley told Travel Weekly that it was logical that China and Asia are “emerging” from the coronavirus crisis first having gone through it first and they will be followed by different markets at “different paces”.

“It’s a very different story in different markets,” he said. “Every country is on its own journey. China and Asia went through this first, and so it’s logical that they are emerging from this first. And then the same for Europe.

“We are aware of different landscapes and you will see different markets coming back at different paces.”

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which owns cruise brands Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea, previously announced that it would once again be extending its pause of operations until 12 June.

This marks the fourth time the cruise company has extended its resume date, the original date proposed being 11 April, before that date was put back until 12 May on 24 March.

In a statement, the cruise line said: “We are working with our guests and travel partners to address this disruption to their vacations, and we are genuinely sorry for their inconvenience.

“We expect to return to service on August 1.”

The news comes after Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced that it would also be extending its suspension of sailings across its cruise brands’ fleet until the end of July.

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