Royal Caribbean and sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises have canceled their remaining 2020 seasons.
In a statement, Royal Caribbean said that “Global Sailings will be suspended through December 31, 2020, with some exceptions.”
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Royal Caribbean notified travel advisors and said the cancellations were necessary to prepare for restarting cruises.
“We are eager to welcome our guests back onboard while keeping their safety, as well as that of our crew members, our number one priority. We’re committed to taking the time needed to do things right,” the cruise line wrote.
The cruise line noted that they took this action for the health, safety and well-being of guests and crew around the world.
“We plan to utilize this time to thoroughly train our staff and crew on our new health and safety protocols, while also conducting a number of trial sailings to stress-test these measures in real-world conditions,” read the statement.
The exception to the cancelation is sailings from Singapore onboard Quantum of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean had already canceled sailings through November 30, 2020, and is essentially only extending this suspension for one extra month.
Guests have three options for canceled cruises. They can select the next year’s sailing of the same itinerary, choose a 125 percent future cruise credit or opt for a refund.
Celebrity Cruises has followed suit with its sister line and will also use the extra time to ensure that they embark on sailings in a healthy manner in line with CDC guidelines.
On Twitter, the cruise line said “As the world continues to confront the challenges from COVID-19, our goal continues to be a healthy return to service for our guests, crew and the communities we visit. We will be extending the suspension of global operations for all sailings departing on or before December 31, 2020.”
As the world continues to confront the challenges from COVID-19, our goal continues to be a healthy return to service for our guests, crew and the communities we visit. We will be extending the suspension of global operations for all sailings departing on or before Dec. 31, 2020. pic.twitter.com/BxBkGyWrVQ
— Celebrity Cruises (@CelebrityCruise) November 2, 2020
