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MSC MSC Cruises has suspended all sailings until May 29, 2020.

MSC Cruises UK & Ireland is o ering guests a ected by the cancellations a future cruise credit of 125 per cent to be used on a future cruise through to the end of 2021. Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania & Regent The three Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brands have suspended operations until May 10, 2020. “The safety, security and well-being of our guests and crew is our highest priority. With the Covid-19 coronavirus impacting communities around the globe, we have enacted a voluntary temporary suspension of cruise voyages across our brands e ective immediately,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive o cer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We understand the inconvenience that this disruption may cause our guests and travel partners during these quickly evolving and challenging times, and we appreciate their understanding as we partner with local, state, federal and global agencies to combat the spread of Covid-19.” Paul Gauguin Paul Gauguin has cancelled sailings up until the end of April. Paul Gauguin Cruises is o ering a future cruise credit valid for 18 months. Ponant Ponant has suspended cruises until May 7, 2020.

Princess Cruises

Riviera Travel

Saga In a statement, the line said: “New bookings made on sailings departing in 2020 will only require a 10 per cent deposit. Guests may cancel up to 30 days prior to departure without penalty. Additionally, for new bookings on 2020, 2021 and 2022 sailings, guests may cancel up to 90 days after confi rmation and receive a full refund or a future cruise credit. For existing bookings, fi nal payment is relaxed by 30 days. For example, if fi nal payment was due 60 days before departure, it is now due 30 days before.” Princess Cruises has suspended operations until May 10, 2020.

The line has extended its Cruise with Confi dence o er to departures up to July 31, 2020, allowing guests to cancel up to 48 hours before sailing. They will receive a future cruise credit to the value of the cancellation fee. The line has also extended their o er of a 60-day fi nal payment date. For cruises departing between August 1 and October 15, 2020, guests can cancel up to 30 days before sailing and receive a future cruise credit to the amount of their cancellation fee. Riviera has suspended all holidays until April 23, 2020.

In a statement, the company said: “If our mutual customers are departing before this date you will receive a email asking you to contact our reservations team on 01283 744370 to discuss their options. With the situation changing all the time we are monitoring it closely and will update further accordingly.” Saga has suspended its ocean cruises onboard Saga Sapphire and Spirit of Discovery until May 1, 2020.

Seabourn Guests booked during this period are being o ered a future cruise credit to the value of the cruise plus 25 per cent. This means that if passengers choose to amend a booking to a future date, they will receive the full amount paid for the cruise, plus an extra 25 per cent that will be transferred to that booking. Alternatively, they can receive a voucher for this amount to be redeemed against any future Saga cruise. This future cruise credit will last for a period of 24 months.If for any reason passengers are unable to use the future cruise credit, Saga will automatically issue a refund equal to the original amount paid for the cruise when the voucher expires. Alternatively, Saga can issue a refund in full, equal to the amount paid. Seabourn has cancelled all cruises due to depart up until May 14, 2020.

Seabourn guests on impacted voyages will receive a 125 per cent refund of the fare paid in the form of a future cruise credit, which can be applied toward any future cruise through December 31, 2021

Uniworld

Viking

Virgin

Windstar

Titan has suspended all tour and cruise departures until April 30, 2020 and has said it will provide “fl exibility” on departures in May and June.

The company said in a statement: “Under this new policy, all clients due to travel with Titan up to the end of June 2020 will be given the option to postpone their departure or transfer onto another holiday from September 2020 until December 2021, subject to availability, with no cancellation fee, land or airline penalties.” Uniworld has suspended all European itineraries until April 23, 2020, o ering booked guests the opportunity to move their reservation to another itinerary in 2020 or 2021. They also have the option to receive a future cruise credit, which is eligible for the next 24 months.

All Egypt itineraries have been suspended until May 1, 2020.

In a statement, Uniworld said: “If you have a booking on one of these suspended voyages, please know that you may rebook your travel dates to any 2020 or 2021 cruise or receive a future cruise credit eligible to be used during the next 24 months.” Viking has suspended all ocean and river cruises until June 30, 2020.

In a statement, the Tor Hagen, the company’s chairman said: “For those guests whose cruise falls within this window of suspended operations, we are o ering the choice of a future cruise voucher valued at 125 per cent of all monies paid to Viking or a refund equal to the amount paid.

“Guests will have 24 months to use their future cruise voucher to make a new reservation on any river, ocean or expedition cruise. For additional fl exibility, if you are unable to use your voucher, we will automatically send you a refund equal to the original amount paid to Viking after the voucher expires. These future cruise vouchers will also be fully transferable.” Virgin Voyages has delayed its showcase tour and inaugural season until July 15, 2020 with its maiden voyage taking place on August 7, 2020.

The company is o ering various options for those already booked – from full refunds and voyage credits to “extra special bonuses for those who book future sailings”. Windstar has temporarily suspended its operations. The pause begins with cruises embarking on March 14, 2020 and includes those through to April 30, 2020.

Guests on cancelled cruises receive the choice of a Future Cruise Credit valued at 125 per cent of all monies paid to Windstar Cruises or a refund equal to the amount paid on the Windstar booking. Guests have 24 months to book and embark on any available Windstar cruise using their future cruise credit. In addition, Windstar has launched a new Travel Assurance Booking Policy, which is applicable to new and existing cruises departing through December 31, 2021. Travellers who cancel a cruise booking up to 15 days prior to departure will receive a 100 per cent future cruise credit to be used on another Windstar departure within one year of the issue date of the credit. The o er is for cruise fares only.

LOOKOUT

Pictures from around the world of cruise

1. Princess Cruises lit up Sky Princess while off Great Isaac Cay in the Bahamas on March 16 with the message: We Will Be Back. The cruise line has paused all cruises for 60 days as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The suspension covers departures between March 12 to May 10 across the company’s 18-ship fleet.

Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said: “It is our intention to reassure our loyal guests, team members and global stakeholders of our commitment to the health, safety and well-being of all who sail with us, as well as those who do business with us, and the countries and communities we visit around the world.”

2-4. Two of Cruise & Maritime Voyages’s cruise ships, Columbus and Vasco da Gama undertook a “unique passenger transfer and repatriation operation involving 239 passengers” off the coast of Phuket, Thailand

In a statement the line said that “despite representations and last-ditch mercy pleas to the Thai authorities, the Port of Phuket remained closed to cruise ships along with all other ports in Southeast Asia and the wider Indian subcontinent rendering an air repatriation not an option. Permission had however been granted by the local port authorities to take on provisions and bunkers off the coast of Phuket before the ships’ onward voyages.” Columbus was operating a fourmonth Round the World cruise carrying 1,020 guests before its voyage curtailment in Semarang, Indonesia, while Vasco da Gama was operating a northbound voyage from Fremantle and Singapore via the Suez Canal to Tilbury carrying 839 guests before its voyage curtailment. CMV added

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“this unique repatriation operation was a huge logistical challenge for our officers and crew involving the transfer of over 500 pieces of luggage, 239 passengers and the transfer of provisions all undertaken by tender.”

5-6. P&O Cruises and Saga paid tribute to NHS staff with these light displays on Britannia and Spirit of Discovery as the nation came together on March 26 to celebrate nurses, doctors, cleaners and other frontline staff. The Saga ship is among those touted as possible floating hospitals. “We would be very happy to have a conversation with the government about the use of our ships if it would help expand the capabilities of our amazing NHS. There are, however, no current plans to use our ships in this way,” A few nights before P&O Cruises lit up Azura with the message ‘we’ll meet again’. The line’s president Paul Ludlow said: “A travel company is nothing without the loyalty of its customers and P&O Cruises is nothing without the loyalty of its guests, both guests who have been cruising with us for many years and guests who have yet to sail with us but have made the decision to book a holiday with us in the future.”

7. Marella Discovery 2 completed a TUI smile while carrying out routine manoeuvres before anchoring in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The smile measures at 12 nautical miles high, and 16 nautical miles wide. Captain of Marella Discovery 2, Jason Ikiadis, said: “Myself, first officer Cosmin and our bridge team worked together to trace the TUI smile as we wanted to do something that would make both our customers and teams smile as a thank you for supporting us during these unprecedented times. “We’ll be ready and waiting to set sail with our customers soon.”

Follow our coronavirus updates at cruise-adviser.com/ coronavirusliveupdates/