Holland America, Princess Cruises extend voluntary sailing suspension until April 2021
cruise industry is on an operational pause through the end of the year, a few cruise lines have begun to voluntarily extend their sailing suspensions past that date.
Holland America Line, a subsidiary of cruise giant Carnival Corp., has announced it will further suspend sailings from resuming across the globe until April 1, 2021.
“As Holland America Line continues to prepare and develop its plans to meet the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the company is extending its pause of cruise operations for all departures through March 31, 2021,” the cruise line said in the announcement.
The cruise line also canceled itineraries of eight days or longer that make port calls in the U.S. until Nov. 1, 2021. Some longer voyages in South America, Australia and New Zealand and Asia will also be canceled through mid-April 2021, according to the announcement with some rescheduled to similar dates in 2022.
Princess Cruises extended its operational pause on all cruises across the globe through March 31 of 2021 to “allow time” to meet safety standards and complete activities required by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “Conditional Sailing Order” to resume sailing in U.S. waters, the company announced in a statement Friday.
Diamond Princess and Grand Princess ships, both of which had COVID-19 outbreaks on board that forced the ships into quarantine. The company also announced the cancellation of cruises longer than seven days that are departing from the U.S. until November 1, 2021. Additionally, Princess canceled cruises in Japan through June 25, 2021. The Diamond Princess was quarantined in Japan in March.
Carnival canceled all of its planned sailings in U.S. waters until February and some sailings into March, the line said in a release provided by spokesperson Vance Gulliksen earlier this week.
Like Princess and Holland America, Carnival said it “continues to build and implement its plan to meet the requirements” of the CDC’s “Conditional Sailing Order,” which was issued Oct. 30.
“We are committed to meeting the CDC requirements and keeping our guests and business partners informed of our progress,” Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a statement.
All cruises from U.S. homeports between Jan.1 and Jan. 31 have been canceled. The line also canceled cruises from Baltimore; Charleston, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; Jacksonville, Florida; Long Beach, California; San Diego and New Orleans through Feb. 28 and all embarkations on Carnival Legend departing from Tampa, Florida, through March 26, according to the release.
Carnival also shared that it is in the process of creating a “gradual, phased in” approach that will begin with cruises departing from Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida, which will be followed by Galveston, Texas.
“Consistent with CDC protocols, Carnival Horizon arrives in Miami this week, and Carnival Breeze will be the next ship back to the U.S.,” Carnival added. “In total, 16 Carnival ships are currently following the CDC process for an eventual resumption of guest service in the U.S. in 2021, including Carnival Conquest, Dream, Ecstasy, Elation, Freedom, Glory, Liberty, Miracle, Panorama, Pride, Sensation, Sunrise, Sunshine and Vista. Mardi Gras, which is under construction in Finland, will also enter service in 2021.”
Carnival canceled previous sailings into the spring months on four ships in the U.S. and paused operations in Australia through March 2.
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