Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises cancelled all sailings in Australia and New Zealand for the rest of 2020.
The cancellation of local voyages goes beyond the decision of the Federal Government to ban all international cruise vessels visiting Australian ports until December 17. This means thousands of cruisers who have booked vacations to spend Christmas and New Year at sea onboard Royal Caribbean and Celebrity liners, will have to make alternative plans.
Royal Caribbean Group apologized to passengers for any inconvenience the cancellations might cause.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit is our top priority and we are working closely with local health and government authorities towards this shared goal.
“Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have extended our suspension of sailings, beyond that of the Australian Government’s, to include sailings departing Australia and New Zealand on or before 31 December 2020.
“This is to allow guests booked on Christmas and New Year sailings to make alternative holiday arrangements.
“We will be reaching out to our guests and travel partners to share further details and address any questions or concerns. We are sorry for any inconvenience these cancellations may cause.”
Passengers who cancel up to 48 hours prior to the sail date can get an FCC (future cruise credit) valid for 12+ months, provided bookings were made before September 30, 2020.
Globally, Royal Caribbean Group suspended all sailings due to the pandemic through to October 31, 2020. The goal is to resume operations on November 1, 2020.