6 major cruise lines cancel December sailings in wake of CDC order
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
You’ll now have to wait until at least January to take a cruise with Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Silversea. Ditto for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The parent companies of the six brands, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, on Monday said they would extend their seven-month-long halts to cruise operations at the lines through at least Dec. 31.
Until today, the companies only had canceled sailings for the lines through the end of November.
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s new cruise newsletter.
Also canceling most sailings through the end of the year on Monday was MSC Cruises.
The cancellations for Royal Caribbean were for all sailings worldwide except a handful of voyages scheduled out of Singapore in December aimed at locals.
The announcements come just three days after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted its longstanding “no-sail” order for cruise ships sailing in U.S. waters — a seemingly positive sign for the cruise industry. But the CDC replaced the no-sail order with a new “framework for conditional sailing” order that will require lines to jump through a number of hoops before they can resume sailing.
Among the requirements of the new order is that cruise lines apply for what the CDC is calling a Conditional Sailing Certificate at least 60 days before they want to resume sailing. That means that even if a cruise line applies for a certificate today, it wouldn’t be able to resume sailing in U.S. waters until at least Jan. 1 at the very earliest.
There are a number of other requirements in the new order that could push back the resumption of cruising for some lines even further in a best-case scenario.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
The announcements also come as COVID-19 case counts in both Europe and North America are soaring. The U.S. in recent days has been recording more than 80,000 new coronavirus cases per day, on average.
Cruising has resumed in a very limited way in recent months in parts of Europe, led by Europe-based lines such as MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises and TUI Cruises. A handful of lines in other parts of the world including French Polynesia also have resumed limited sailings.
But a surge of COVID cases in Europe in recent days, and resulting lockdowns in some countries, is prompting a growing number of ocean and river lines operating there to shut back down.
Germany-based AIDA Cruises last week canceled all sailings through the end of November just days after restarting limited operations in Europe. Costa Cruises last week also canceled a significant number of cruises and scaled back plans to expand voyages in the coming months. River cruising across Europe in recent days has essentially ground to a halt.
Related: A preview of new COVID-related cruise restrictions
The CDC’s new order on Friday suggested that the epidemiologists at the CDC continue to see cruise ships as places that are inherently more likely to be hotspots for COVID-19 transmission than other settings.
“Current scientific evidence suggests that, absent mitigation measures of the type needed to prevent further transmission, cruise ships would continue to pose a greater risk of COVID-19 transmission than other settings,” the order said.
Related: These 9 cruise lines have resumed limited sailings
All cruise lines around the world halted departures in March as the coronavirus outbreak grew and many have yet to restart operations. Norwegian, Oceania, Regent, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea are among the lines that haven’t operated a single departure since March.
Due to the CDC’s “no-sail” order, there has been no cruising since March in North America.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
- The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
- The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
- A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
- 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
- 15 ways cruisers waste money
- 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
- What to pack for your first cruise
Featured image courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membership. Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 5,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months.
- Plus, earn up to $100 back in statement credits for eligible purchases at US restaurants with your card within the first 3 months of membership.
- Accelerate your path to Medallion Status, with Status Boost®. Plus, in 2021 you can earn even more bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) to help you reach Medallion Status.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.