Norwegian joins list of cruise lines extending cancellations into summer
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced Friday that it would extend its suspension of cruises through June 30.
The suspension covers its three brands: Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. Previously, the company suspended cruises through May 10.
The news follows a Thursday announcement by Cruise lines Cunard and P&O Cruises they are extending cancellations through the end of July.
Cunard and P&O are both owned by Miami-based Carnival Corporation. They join other Carnival Corp. brands: Carnival Cruise Line canceled U.S. cruises through June 26, and Princess Cruises and Seabourn canceled all cruises through June 30.
Royal Caribbean has canceled cruises through June 10.
The delays come after all major cruise companies agreed to suspend new cruises on March 13 for at least 30 days in response to the pandemic, following a March 8 CDC warning against cruising because of the increased risk of coronavirus infection on ships. On March 30, cruise companies canceled cruises into May.
On April 9, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new “no-sail” order that will stay in effect through July 24, or until the COVID-19 pandemic is declared over. The order also requires companies to tell the CDC how they sanitize ships, report the number of COVID-19 cases daily, test for COVID-19, staff ships with enough doctors and equipment, privately transport critically ill people and repatriate non-essential workers.
As of Thursday afternoon, MSC Cruises had not pushed back its suspension dates, which is May 29.
This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 4:38 PM.
