COVID-19 travel restrictions cause nightmare for Coral Princess cruise passengers
Passengers remain stuck on the cruise ship docked in Miami after over a dozen test positive for coronavirus; Phil Keating reports from Miami.
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Carnival Cruise Line has extended the suspension of all cruises through at least June 26, and canceled others through the end of 2020 altogether.
The cruise line announced its latest cancellations on Monday in a “Health and Sailing Update” shared in response to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
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In addition to the cancellation of all sailings through June 26, Carnival confirmed the cancellation of any voyages planned for the Carnival Sunrise through Oct. 19; any voyages planned for the Carnival Legend through Oct. 30; and any voyages for the Carnival Radiance through Nov. 1. All San Francisco sailings, scheduled on any ship, have also been canceled through the end of 2020.
The announcement comes just days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended its “No Sail Order” for all cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction. The CDC initially issued the directive on March 14, after which dozens of cruise lines agreed to suspend operations for a period of at least 30 days, through April 13.
On March 30, the Carnival Corporation — which not only owns Carnival, but Princess Cruise and Costa Cruises, among several others — voluntarily agreed to extend the suspension of operations through May 11.
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Now that sailings have been suspended through June 26, Carnival is extending its refund/voucher offer to guests scheduled to sail on the canceled cruises, including the option to receive a 100-percent refund, or credits and bonus onboard credits toward future sailings.
Carnival Cruise Line has extended the suspension of all sailings through at least June 26, with some canceled through the end of 2020. (iStock)
The CDC’s latest No Sail Order, which was issued on April 9, urged all cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction to cease operations until the coronavirus pandemic was declassified as a public health emergency, or until the CDC rescinds its directive.
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In response, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), an industry trade association with dozens of members including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian, had said it would continue to work toward the best interest of passengers and crew, but stopped just short of committing to mandating further suspensions for its members. (Members, meanwhile, may choose to extend suspensions themselves.)
"We value our relationship with the U.S. authorities, and will continue to work with these important agencies in our shared commitment and priority for the health and safety of passengers and crew," the CLIA's statement read.
"We are, however, concerned about the unintended consequences of the order in its singling out an industry that has been proactive in its escalation of health and sanitation protocols, including the aforementioned proposals, as well as transparent in its reporting despite numerous challenges beyond the industry’s control," it added.
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The CLIA claimed that, potentially, the further suspension of the cruise industry could cost the U.S. economy “$51 billion and 343,000 lost jobs in the first year alone.”
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