Last updated: 3/13/2020 – These policies are subject to the cruise line’s terms and conditions, they are ever-changing and restrictions may apply. Please contact your Vacation Specialist for complete details.
As we are all monitoring global developments related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), our priority is always our fabulous clients! We want you all to have an amazing vacation experience and we want to do everything that we can to make that happen! That means keeping you informed every step of the way and providing you with important information you should know before you go.
Cruise lines have updated their cancellation and payment policies providing you with greater confidence, flexibility and options for your cruise vacation.
Cruising with confidence also means that your Travel Agent is here for you before, during and after your vacation.
CRUISING IS ONE OF THE SAFEST WAYS TO TRAVEL
Every cruise line takes extreme precautions in sanitizing their ships to prevent contamination and the spread of an illness. Methods employed to keep crew and passengers healthy include:
~Thoroughly sanitizing the cruise ship terminal before and after every sailing
~Hand-sanitizing and washing stations located throughout the ship, including dining areas
~Signage encouraging passengers to wash their hands with regularity for the duration of their cruise
~Removal of self service options on a lot of the ships
~Screening of passengers and crew upon embarkation
~Medical experts (onboard & onshore) monitor, advise, and inform response procedures on an ongoing basis, and in coordination with global health authorities and local governments
~Adjusting itineraries as needed to ensure they are never putting their guests and crew at risk of being exposed to any virus or illness in specific destinations
~An emergency-preparedness plan, in the unlikely event of a widespread medical emergency
In addition, we know our customers have questions about their upcoming cruise and want to share the latest cruise line policy updates that provide options and flexibility should you want to reschedule your vacation. Check back for the latest Coronavirus Updates and Advisories as they become available.
Carnival Cruise Line
Guests who choose to keep your booking as currently scheduled for departures between March 6 and May 31 will receive the following Onboard Credit (OBC) amounts: (no action is needed to take advantage of this offer!)
- $100 per cabin for 3 and 4 day cruises
- $150 per cabin for 5 day cruises
- $200 per cabin for 6 day and longer cruises
- If you choose to continue to sail with us, we will automatically apply your onboard credit to your sail and sign. There is no need to call.
- For our guests booked on Carnival Radiance European itineraries, we are finalizing some itinerary changes and a special offer that we will be sharing soon
For guests who booked prior to March 6, 2020, if you decide to change vacation plans, we will allow those booked on sailings between now and May 31 to move their booking to a new date and receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) in the amount of the non-refundable cancellation.
Guests booked on sailings departing between March 9 and March 31 can move your booking to a future date up to 3 days before sailing.
Guests booked on sailings departing between April 1 and May 31 can move your booking to a future date by March 31.
The FCC must be used for a sailing by March 31, 2021.
Guests booked on or before March 10, 2020 who choose to keep their booking, as currently scheduled, for departures June through September, 2020, will receive the following onboard credit (OBC) amount
- US$50, per cabin, for 2 – 5 day sailings
- US$100, per cabin, for 6 day sailings and longer
- If you choose to continue to sail with us, we will automatically apply your onboard credit to your sail and sign. There is no need to call.
- Guests may also cancel up to 30 days prior to their scheduled departure date. Any cancelation charges will be held as a future cruise credit (FCC) to be redeemed on a cruise within one year of the original sailing.
Royal Caribbean International
All guests sailing on or before July 31, 2020 may now choose to cancel their reservation up to 48 hours prior to departure. Should a guest wish to cancel after their final payment deadline, a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be administered. Guests can apply these credits to any future cruise of their choice departing on or before December 31, 2021.
Celebrity Cruises
All guests sailing on or before July 31, 2020 may now choose to cancel their reservation up to 48 hours prior to departure. Should a guest wish to cancel after their final payment deadline, a 100% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be administered. Guests can apply these credits to any future cruise of their choice departing on or before December 31, 2021.
Norwegian Cruise Line
For all new and existing individual and group bookings that embark from March 10, 2020 through and including September 30, 2020:
- Guests can cancel up until 48 hours prior to vacation start date. Cancelled reservations that occur prior to 48 hours to vacation date will receive a 100% future cruise credit (FCC) to be used for ANY Norwegian sailing embarking on or before December 31, 2022.
- Vacation start date includes any pre-hotel or Cruisetour packages
- FCC will include all components of the reservation that have been paid, including but not limited to: shore excursions, beverage and dining packages (including associated gratuities), service charges and air or transfers pre purchased through Norwegian.
Holland America Line
For Existing Bookings: To give you peace of mind, Holland America Line is introducing a new Short Term Cancellation Policy on select cruises. For all departures between now and May 31, 2020, we are allowing guests the option of cancelling their booking no later than March 31, 2020, with a minimum of 72 hours in advance of their departure date. However, this new cancellation program will apply to sailings departing through and including March 9, 2020, which are now within the 72 hour window. Any cancellation will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the amount of their cancellation fee that can be used for another cruise in 2020 or 2021. The FCC must be booked by December 31, 2020. This applies to bookings on spring 2020 Land+Sea Journeys and cruises for all destinations. FCCs are nonrefundable, non-transferrable and do not have to be used on the same destination that was cancelled.
We also know that there are people with specific individual health situations that impact their ability to safely travel during these times. For those guests who are able to provide supporting documents from their health care provider, Holland America Line will issue them a Future Cruise Credit. For information on submitting a request with documentation under this “Compassion Policy,” please your Vacation Specialist. This offer is available for guests booked on any sailing, regardless of departure date.
As a thank you to currently booked guests who join us for their cruise as planned, up to and including departures through May 31, 2020, we will provide an Onboard Credit of US$200 per stateroom/US$100 per person for voyages longer than 7 days and US$100 per stateroom/US$50 per person for voyages less than 6 days. This credit will be automatically applied to each eligible booking so you do not need to take any action.
For New Bookings: Holland America Line has announced a new “Book with Confidence” program for 2020 cruises. On bookings made from March 1 through April 30, 2020, on sailings departing April 1 to October 15, 2020, you may cancel for any reason (up to 30 days before departure; additional restrictions apply) and receive a Future Cruise Credit in the amount of their full deposit and cancellation fees. In addition, this offer is combinable with all of our promotions, including the “Pack These Values” promotion, giving you even more reasons to book your next cruise vacation today.
MSC Cruises
Cruise Assurance program – temporary guest cancellation policy*:
- Guests sailing on or before July 31, 2020 have the option to cancel their reservation up to 48 hours prior to departure and receive a Future Cruise Credit for 100% of the original cruise fare paid. Any applicable prepaid items will be refunded to the original form of payment. This includes bookings within final payment and paid in full.
- Guests can apply their Future Cruise Credit to any future cruise of their choice departing on or before December 31, 2021.
*Should you wish not to participate in the Cruise Assurance program, normal payment and cancellation policies apply.
Princess Cruises
In a proactive response to the unpredictable circumstances evolving from the global spread of COVID-19 and in an abundance of caution, Princess Cruises announced that it will voluntarily pause global operations of its 18 cruise ships for two months (60 days), impacting ONLY voyages departing March 12 to May 10.
If you are currently due to sail on a Princess cruise between now and May 10th, we are pleased to offer two options – a generous Future Cruise Credit (with additional compensation for selecting this option) or a refund to your original form of payment. The future cruise credit applies for all guests who had bookings as of February 4, 2020. This can be used on any voyage through May 1, 2022.
Here are the details of the two options for guests booked through May 10th, 2020:
| Your Departure Date In 2020 | Option 1: Transfer money paid + Bonus Future Cruise Credit (higher value) | Option 2: Refund + Future Cruise Credit (lower value) |
|---|---|---|
| March 12 – March 25 |
225% future cruise credit | 100% refund + 100% future cruise credit |
| March 26 – April 8th |
175% future cruise credit | 100% refund + 50% future cruise credit |
| April 9th – May 10th |
150% future cruise credit | 100% refund + 25% future cruise credit |
To verify which option each guest wishes to choose, and to automate the process as much as possible to avoid long hold times, Princess has developed an easy-to-use online form. This form will be sent out to each guest booked, but your Vacation Specialist is happy to complete this form on your behalf.
Princess Cruises plans to be back in operation beginning with cruises departing May 11, 2020.
*Date of departure is from the start date of your cruise or cruisetour, whichever is earlier.
Please note that this applies to new and existing bookings on all cruises and cruisetours, excluding charters, inside final payment for all destinations.
Guests who choose to keep their booking as currently scheduled for departures between March 9 and May 31 will receive the following Onboard Credit amounts:
- $100 USD per cabin for 3 and 4 day cruises
- $150 USD per cabin for 5 day cruises
- $200 USD per cabin for 6 day and longer cruises
Future Cruise Credits are non-refundable and may be applied to any new or existing booking not yet paid in full on a Princess cruise departing on or before December 31, 2021. Additionally, the Future Cruise Credit does not
Viking Cruises
As of March 11, 2020, Viking is temporarily suspending operations of their river and ocean cruises, for embarkations taking place between March 12 to April 30, 2020. Viking believes they will be in a better place to provide the experiences our guests expect and deserve after this time and plan to resume operations on May 1, 2020, continuing all further sailings as originally planned.
When itinerary changes are required, Viking will communicate directly with us and you via Viking’s Customer Relations team. Please contact your Vacation Specialist for details regarding your specific voyage.
March 13, 2020 – 12:00 AM
In an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our guests and employees, Disney Cruise Line has decided to suspend all new departures beginning Saturday, March 14, 2020, through the end of the month. This precautionary measure applies to all four of Disney’s cruise ships.
While we know this decision may be disappointing, the health and wellbeing of our guests is of the greatest importance. We are equally committed to the wellbeing of our incredible crew members who live and work aboard our ships and on Castaway Cay. During the suspended operations, Disney Cruise Line will continue to compensate our Crew Members and shoreside Cast Members.
Disney Cruise Line will offer guests affected by this decision a future cruise credit or a full refund, the details of which will be provided directly to them. Given the higher than normal call volume at our Call Center, we ask that affected guests or their travel agent wait to contact us until after they receive an email from us.
CDC Warning – Level 3: Avoid Non-essential Travel to Europe. For more info please visit the CDC website.
We will be constantly monitoring this. Is there a supplier you don’t see? Please let us know. Land based travel also has some options, contact your Agent today for details.
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