Disney is latest line to extend cruise cancellations
The magic at sea is now on hold until at least March.
Disney Cruise Line is joining Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises in canceling all sailings through at least the end of February due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The four-ship brand on Friday said two of its vessels, Disney Magic and Disney Dream, won't return to service until at least March 1. Disney Fantasy now is scheduled to restart operations on March 6. Disney Wonder's comeback is now set for March 12.
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Until Friday, Disney only had canceled departures through the end of December.
"Our team at Disney Cruise Line remains focused on the health and well-being of our guests and team members," Disney said in a statement accompanying the announcement. "We are continuing to carefully review the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are working toward resuming operations."
The CDC in late October issued a new road map for a return to cruising in U.S. waters that suggested it could be many months before cruising would be allowed to resume.
Related: The best credit cards for booking cruises
Issued as a “framework for conditional sailing” order, the road map includes a testing period for new anti-COVID protocols on ships that could extend well into January. After that, cruise operators can apply for what the CDC is calling a Conditional Sailing Certificate in a process that could take an additional 60 days.
Assuming the CDC sticks to the guidelines that it has laid out in the order, it could be March or April, at the earliest, before cruising resumes out of U.S. ports.
Disney in the winter typically operates all its ships out of U.S. ports.
Related: The ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line
The recent rounds of cancellations also come in the wake of a spike in COVID-19 case counts in both Europe and North America. The U.S. in recent days has been recording more than 150,000 new coronavirus cases per day, on average.
Disney's announcement came just a day after Carnival announced it was canceling all sailings through the end of February. Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises made similar announcements on Wednesday, and Royal Caribbean on Wednesday canceled nearly all its sailings through the end of February. Princess Cruises, Holland America, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have canceled sailings even further out, through the end of March.
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 that began in the late summer, and resulting lockdowns in some countries, has prompted many ocean and river lines operating there to shut back down.
Related: Royal Caribbean restarts sailings with one ship -- but there's a catch
Disney on Friday said passengers booked on newly canceled sailings who have paid for the trips in full will have the choice of a full refund or a credit for a future cruise.
Passengers who have not paid for the trips in full will automatically receive a refund of what they have paid so far. Disney said affected passengers and their travel agents, if they used one, will receive soon outlining details of the offer and next steps.
Disney said affected passengers who booked through a travel agent should contact the agent directly with any questions. Those who booked directly with Disney who have questions can call the line at 866-325-6685 or 407-566-7797.
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- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.