COVID-19 has managed to ravage our world in ways we would have never thought possible in the 21st century. We at Cruise Ship Crayz, of course, are here to inform you on cruise industry news, which includes incredible happenings such as new cruise ships, innovations within the industry, new itineraries, and more.
Sadly this year, we have had to report the most upsetting and unsettling news from the industry, a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of what we reported since March 2020 included, global operations halt for all cruise lines, cancelations extensions that seem to be never-ending, cruise line bankruptcy, and new ship debut delays. All of this reporting is important to us here at Cruise Ship Crayz and you who come here and trust us to report the latest news.
As important as the cruise industry is to all of us, we want to point out what is most important to us as our world is recovering from this horrible virus. All the first responders who have and are still fighting and protecting us, friends, family members, and acquaintances who have lost someone, and every human life lost are just a few of the things more important to us. We love the cruise industry, which has always been our top priority, but our top concerns and priorities have currently changed. Human life and the world healing from this virus are far more critical, so we can all enjoy cruising in the future.
UPDATED 12/16/2021
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends suspension of global ship operations.
UPDATED 1/25/2021
Further cancellations and ship redeployment for Carnival.
UPDATED 1/22/2021
Carnival Cruise Line extends sailing suspension through April 2021.
UPDATED 1/22/2021
Royal Caribbean International cancels Quantum of the Seas 2021 Alaskan cruise season.
UPDATED 1/19/2021
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends global operations halt.
UPDATED 1/12/2021
Royal Caribbean Group extends sailing suspension through April 2021.
UPDATED 1/06/2021
Carnival, Princess, Holland America, and P&O extend operations halt.
UPDATED 12/30/2020
Norwegian Cruise Line cancels remaining March 2021 sailings.
UPDATED 12/9/2020
Virgin Voyages Extends operations halt until May 9, 2021
UPDATED 12/3/2020
Carnival Cruise Line announces a further delay to the highly anticipated Mardi Gras
UPDATED 12/2/2020
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Extends halt in sailing operations through February 2021
Royal Caribbean Group extends pause in operations through February 2021 with the Exception of Asian Market sailings.
UPDATED 11/20/2020
Holland America Line and Princess Cruises Prepare for a Year without Guests, Cancel All Sailings Through March 2021.
UPDATED 11/18/2020
Carnival Cruise Line Cancels all U.S. embarkations through January 2021 and some through March 2021.
UPDATED 11/1/2020
Carnival Corporation Cancels all remaining U.S. base 2020 cruises
Royal Caribbean Group Cancels all remaining U.S. based cruises for 2020
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings cancels all remaining 2020 cruises.
UPDATED 10/30/2020
CDC Set to end the ban on cruise ships in the U.S.
UPDATED 10/30/2020
Princess Cruises cancels Australian cruises until May 2021.
UPDATED 10/25/2020
UPDATED 10/5/2020
Norwegian Cruise Line extends sailing suspension through November 2020.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends suspension to all brands include Regent and Oceania.
UPDATED 10/1/2020
Carnival Cruise Line cancels all U.S. departures with the exception of sailing from Port Miami and Port Canaveral.
UPDATED 09/14/2020
Disney Cruise Line cancels sailings into December 2020. Disney Cruise Line announced today the further halt in sailings for all their cruise ships:
Disney Fantasy: All sailing cancelled through December 6, 2020
Disney Dream: All sailings cancelled through December 11, 2020
Disney Wonder: All sailings cancelled through December 11, 2020
Disney Magic: All sailings cancelled through December 12, 2020
Princess Cruises cancels Australian cruises until at least December 18, 2020.
UPDATED 09/06/2020
Costa Cruises begins sailing after a six month shut down.
UPDATED 08/24/2020
Cunard suspends operations until March 2021. Queen Elizabeth will resume sailings March 2021, Queen Elizabeth in April 2021, Queen Mary 2 in May 2021.
UPDATED 08/16/2020
MSC Grandiosa becomes the first cruise ship to sail from Italy in 5 months. On August 16, 2020, the MSC Grandiosa was granted clearance by the Italian government to resume sailing. With new protocols and rules in place to keep all onboard safe. One family was reported to have broken the new protocols and was promptly denied boarding in a port of call.
UPDATED 08/5/2020:
Royal Caribbean Group extends operations halt.
Carnival Cruise Line extends operation halt.
UPDATED 07/29/2020:
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends operations halt
UPDATED 07/6/2020:
Carnival Cruise Line announced Mardi Gras and Carnival Radiance delays, more cancellations, and ship redeploys.
UPDATED 06/30/2020:
Celestyal Cruises becomes the first cruise line to cease ship operations until March 2021.
Royal Caribbean International postponed the debuted of Odyssey of the Seas from November 5, 2020, to April 21, 2021.
UPDATED 06/23/2020:
UPDATED 06/21/2020:
Carnival Cruise Line extends halt in North American ship operations until September 30, 2020.
UPDATED 06/19/2020:
The Cruise Line International Association announces all members will not sail from a U.S. port until September 15, 2020.
UPDATED 06/18/2020:
Virgin Voyages inks plan regarding ship operations once sailing begins.
UPDATED 06/16/2020:
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends halt in operations through September.
UPDATED 06/2/2020:
Cunard extends sailing suspension for Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria up to and including November 1, 2020. Queen Elizabeth sailings suspended up to and including November 23, 2020.
UPDATED 06/8/2020:
Dinsey Cruise Line cancels Disney Magic sailing until October 2, Disney Wonder until September 14, Fantasy and Dream sailings suspended until July 27, 2020.
UPDATED 06/2/2020:
P & O extends operations halt until October 16, 2020.
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD cancels all Canda/ New England, Hawaii, and Alaskan cruises for 2020 as Canada extends the cruise ship ban. This is accurate for all RCCL's brands including:
Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and, Azamara Cruises.
UPDATED 06/1/2020:
Norwegian Cruise Line releases a contingency plan for when ships return to service. Including new air filtration and increased sanitation.
UPDATED 05/20/2020:
Royal Caribbean International extends ship operations halt for all regions, with the exception of the Asian market, until July 31, 2020. Other RCCL brands follow.
Norwegian Cruise Line extends global ship operation halt for all brands until July 31, 2020.
UPDATED 05/13/2020:
Disney Cruise Line extends suspension of global ship operations through July 27, 2020.
Royal Caribbean Gives more insight into company plans.
UPDATED 05/06/2020:
Princess Cruises Cancels Alaskan 2020 cruise season, New England/ Canada cruises, and remaining European cruises AND more.
Holland America Line cancels Alaskan, New England, and Europen cruises for the remainder of 2020.
UPDATED 05/05/2020:
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. expands its "Cruise With Confidence" program to allow guests to have peace of mind while booking a cruise through April 2022 . This program covers Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.
UPDATED 05/04/2020:
Carnival Cruise Line releases details on a phased plan to normal ship operations not before an extended pause in operations until August 1, 2020:
UPDATED 04/27/2020:
Disney Cruise Line extends its ship operation halt until June 18, 2020. In addition, all Disney Magic Sailings are canceled until July 2, 2020, and Vancouver departures are canceled until the end of June 2020.
UPDATED 04/23/2020:
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends their global ship operations halts until June 30, 2020.
UPDATED 04/23/2020:
Cunard extends global operation halt until July 31, 2020, in addition to a complete cancelation of Queen Elizabeth's Alaskan Season. Queen Elizabeth will not return to service until September 8, 2020.
P&O Cruises has extended its global ship operations halt until July 21, 2020.
UPDATED 04/14/2020:
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD, extends global ship operations for all Brands. This includes Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Silver Sea, and Pullmantur.
UPDATED 04/14/2020:
Princess Cruises extends ship operations halt until June 30, 2020, and drastically reduces Alaska Season, shuttering Princess Wilderness Lodges, trains, and busses for the 2020 Season.
Holland America Line extends ship operations temporary halt until June 30, 2020, with some ships returning later in the fall. Additionally, all Alaskan land tours are canceled for the 2020 season.
UPDATED 04/13/2020:
Carnival Cruise Line Extends ship operations halt to June 25, 2020, for most ships.
UPDATED 04/10/2020:
The United States Center of Disease Control (CDC) has announced the order that extends the operations of cruise ships departing from the United States to, AT MAX, 100 days from publication.
The CDC had this to say in a statement:
This Order shall continue in operation until the earliest of three situations. First, the expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency. Second, the CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations. Or third, 100 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.
UPDATED 04/01/2020:
Carnival Cruise Line sheds light on additional cancelations they have made.
Cancelations include:
ALL Alaska sailings through and including June 30, 2020
ALL San Francisco sailings through 2020
ALL Carnival Radiance sailings through and including November 1, 2020
ALL Carnival Legend sailings through and including October 30, 2020
UPDATED 03/30/2020:
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends Ship Operations Suspension until May 10, 2020.
UPDATED 03/25/2020:
Dream Cruises Cancels 2020-2021 Australia Program amidst Coronavirus concerns.
UPDATED 03/24/2020:
Carnival Cruise Line Delays Debut of Carnival Radiance as dry dock shutters operations. All European and Transatlantic cruises canceled.
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD extends Ship Operation Suspension to May 12, 2020.
UPDATED 03/23/2020
P&O Iona's interior building and sea trials will be delayed due to port closures due to COVID-19.
UPDATED 03/19/2020
Pullmantur, a Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD brand, shutters global headquarters and implements remote work for employees.
Mickey Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation, has agreed to deploy ships to be used as additional hospital space during the Coronavirus Pandemic. Ships are said to be used for "non-COVID-19 Patients." No word on what ships or for how long.
Royal Caribbean International announced they are postponing the Amplification of both Allure of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas due to the shut down of both dry docks due to concerns regarding COVID-19.
UPDATED 03/14/2020
Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD. expands U.S. expansion to Global Ship Operation halt.
Carnival Corporation pulls the plug on U.S. ship operations for 30 days amidst COVID-19 concerns.
UPDATED 03/13/2020 Royal Caribbean LTD suspends all U.S. departures.
Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises halt global ship operations until April 2020.
UPDATED 03/13/2020 2:00 P.M.
AIDA Cruises suspends global ship operations. Aida is the fourth Carnival Corporation Brand to halt ship operations.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holding Halts Global Ship Operations for all Brands including Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas, and Oceania Cruises.
Royal Caribbean Cruise LTD. Suspends U.S. Ship Operation for All Brands. This suspension goes into effect at midnight on March 13, 2020, brands include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara Club Cruises.
UPDATED 03/12/2020 8:00 P.M.
Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises are now requiring any passengers 70 years or older to provide a doctor's note that states they are fit to sail.
UPDATED: 03/12/2020 1:00 P.M.
Virgin Voyages postpones the Scarlet Lady's Inaugural Season until July 15, 2020.
UPDATE 03/09/2020:
The U.S. State Department advisory:
"U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship," the State Department wrote in an alert posted to its website Sunday.
If you are cruising, what can you expect?
Screenings prior to embarkation.
Stricly enforced hand washing and sanitizing procedures.
The suspension of "self-serve." Areas such as the buffet, water station, and ice cream station might have crew assisting you.
Ports of Call cancellations. Due to the hysteria surrounding COVID-19 islands and countries have chosen to deny cruise ships to lower the risk of the virus spreading. Many cruise lines are now aware in advance of these cancellations and are modifying itineraries.
Cancelation policy temporary updates
Some Cruise Lines that have Temporarily Updated their Cancelation Policies include:
Royal Caribbean Cruise
Celebrity Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Carnival Cruises
Princess Cruises
Holland America Line
UPDATE 03/12/2020:
Princess Cruises, a Carnival Corporation brand, suspends global ship operation on all 18 of its ships.
"Princess Cruises is a global vacation company that serves more than 50,000 guests daily from 70 countries as part of our diverse business, and it is widely known that we have been managing the implications of COVID-19 on two continents," said Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises. "By taking this bold action of voluntarily pausing the operations of our ships, it is our intention to reassure our loyal guests, team members and global stakeholders of our commitment to the health, safety and well-being of all who sail with us, as well as those who do business with us, and the countries and communities we visit around the world,"
UPDATE 03/11/2020:
First, two Port calls have been canceled. The Port of Seattle has announced that it has canceled April 1, 2020, Grand Princess and April 5, 2020, Celebrity Equinox calls to the Port. "
“This region is in a public health emergency and we will cancel the first two sailings of our cruise season,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Peter Steinbrueck. “The health, safety, and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority.”
Viking Cruises, a privately held company, suspends ALL operations until May 1, 2020.
UPDATE 03/09/2020:
After the U.S. State Department announced that travelers should avoid cruise vacations, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases had this to say:
“If you are a healthy young person, there is no reason if you want to go on a cruise ship, go on a cruise ship.”
Taking extra precautions if you are a healthy individual such as avoiding being around the elderly, infants, and people with compromised immune systems is something to think about if you do return from a cruise and being proactive if you happen to develop symptoms after returning.
Remember: WE WILL BE BACK, the industry is not going away we are simply taking a break for the health and wellbeing of the world!
Should you cancel your cruise?
PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL, POSTPONE!
That is a decision that is 100% up to you. Much like the primary cruise line, Cruise S
Ship Crayz agrees that this needs to be 100% the travelers choice and the cruise lines have updated their cancelation policies for two significant reasons;
To allow passengers to make decisions without any financial concerns to impact the decision.
To ensure that guests who are feeling ill will be more likely to remain home and not assist the spread of COVID-19.
UPDATED 03/20/2020:
If your cruise is beyond the shutdown, Cruise Ship Crayz recommends not canceling and wait to see if the cruise line itself cancels the cruise. This way you will get a higher return if you wait such as a cruise credit plus future discounts if you rebook.
This is an ongoing article updates will be posted as more news breaks.
Final note: Don't forget to WASHY WASHY, regardless if you are on a cruise or not!
-Stay healthy