A year without cruising? Princess becomes first major line to cancel into December
Say bon voyage to your dreams of cruising in the Caribbean in 2020 -- at least on a Princess ship.
The California-based line on Wednesday said Princess vessels that sail in the Caribbean and many other regions wouldn't sail again until nearly the end of the year.
Citing the "continued progression of COVID-19 and related decisions of various government, health authorities, and airlines regarding travel restrictions," Princess said it had canceled all departures to the Caribbean, California Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America and Antarctica, Asia and the South Pacific through at least Dec. 15.
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The 18-ship line also canceled voyages in and out of Australia on Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess and Sun Princess through Oct. 31.
Until today, Princess only had canceled sailings on some of the ships into September or October.
“We share in our guests’ disappointment in canceling these cruises,” Princess president Jan Swartz said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “We look forward to the days when we can return to travel and the happiness it brings to all who cruise.”
The cancellations come as coronavirus case counts in North America -- the biggest market for Princess sailings -- soar. The U.S. in recent days has been recording more than 60,000 new coronavirus cases a day -- three times the number of just a month ago.
The announcement also comes just days after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended its "no-sail" order for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters by more than two months. The no-sail order is now in effect through Sept. 30.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
In extending the order, the CDC suggested there was a danger to allowing cruising to resume while coronavirus remained widespread in society.
“On cruise ships, passengers and crew share spaces that are more crowded than most urban settings,” the CDC said in a statement accompanying the order. “Even when only essential crew are on board, ongoing spread of COVID-19 still occurs. If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, passengers and crew on board would be at increased risk of COVID-19 infection.”
The CDC also said that those who work or travel on cruise ships would put “substantial unnecessary risk” on healthcare workers, port personnel, Customs and Border Protection agents and U.S. Coast Guard staff. The people that cruisers come in contact with after returning home also would be put at unnecessary risk, the agency suggested.
Cruise lines around the world halted departures in March as the coronavirus outbreak grew, and many of the biggest lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line already have canceled all or most sailings through the end of September. But Princess is the first of the majors to cancel a wide swath of sailings into December.
Related: Another cruise line shuts down as COVID's impact on cruising grows
The Princess cancellations mean that cruising on many Princess ships is essentially done for 2020. After today, only a handful of 2020 voyages on Princess ships based in North America, Asia and South America will remain on the books.
Princess said passengers with bookings on the canceled trips who have paid in full will have the option of a full refund or future cruise credits in the amount of 125% of what they paid.
Passengers who have not yet paid in full can choose between a refund or a credit worth twice the amount of the deposit that they paid.
The credits must be used by May 1, 2022. Requests for refunds must be submitted by Aug. 31.
Related: Why you shouldn't take a voucher when your cruise is canceled
While many major lines have pushed back their return to operations until at least October, a few lines are hoping to resume sailings in select areas around the world earlier. Indeed, a handful of lines -- mostly river lines -- already have restarted sailings in Europe. For now, the trips only are available to local travelers from select European countries.
The restart to some cruising in Europe comes in the wake of a sharp drop in coronavirus case counts across the continent over the past few months. Germany this week has been recording fewer than 600 new confirmed cases a day -- a tiny fraction of the number recorded in the U.S.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
- When will cruising resume? A line-by-line guide
- Why you shouldn't expect bargain-basement cruise deals anytime soon
- How to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus
- Expecting a refund for a canceled cruise? Here's how long it will take
- Some of the year's hottest new ships could be delayed
- Stream these 13 movies, television shows to get your cruise ship fix
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- 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.