Disney Cruise Line and Cunard Announce Further Cruise Cancellations

As some cruise companies attempt to return to the seas as soon as possible, others are taking a more cautious approach and postponing their return until they can get a better handle on the impact that coronavirus is having on the cruise industry.

As we have been blogging for several weeks, Carnival Cruise Lines has announced that it will return to sailing on August 1 with ships sailing out of Texas and Florida. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines have also signaled that they are eager to get back to cruising sooner rather than later. But other lines such as Disney and Conard have signaled that they will take a more cautious approach.

USAToday.com reports that Disney Cruise Line has announced cancellations which will affect previously scheduled voyages as far in the future as October. The report cites a statement on Disney Cruise Line’s website which indicates that European departures are canceled through October 2, while departures from Canada are canceled through September 14.

Carnival subsidiary Cunard is also continuing to cancel voyages and has scrapped all sailings through November 1. The company’s president, Simon Palethorpe, blamed international travel restrictions for the cancellations, saying “With many differing restrictions across countries, people’s ability to move freely and safely across borders remains seemingly someway in the distance.”

Both cruise lines are offering guests the opportunity to either receive a refund or a future travel credit, usually worth more than the ticket price.

Meanwhile, thousands of people who paid for cruise voyages before the pandemic, voyages which were then cancelled due to the risks associated with coronavirus, are still waiting for their refunds.