One after another, various cruise lines have been suspending operation in light of the coronavirus global pandemic. Now, NCL is the first of the "big three" cruise lines has announced they're going to stops ailing all three brands - Norwegian Cruise Lines, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Update: Royal Caribbean Has Now Made a Similar Announcement
“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 effective immediately,” said Frank Del Rio, president and chief executive officer 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.”
Norwegian Cruise Lines Cancels Cruises
Earlier today we noticed a number of NCL sailings which had previously had plenty of occupancy suddenly show as "Sold Out". Now it's official, the contemporary cruise line and its two high-end brands, Oceania and Regent are canceling all sailings through April 11 2020. The lines decision comes as many ports are refusing entry to cruise ships, making delivering a cruise vacation quite difficult.
What to Do if You Were Booked on NCL
Guests on canceled voyages will receive a future cruise credit for 125% of the original fare - this can be applied to any sailing up to December 31, 2022. Alternatively, by requests, guests can instead opt for a 100% percent refund on the original payment method.
Important Information About Those Future Cruise Credits
Just last night we put out a video talking about how to make sure you understand and can take full advantage of price drops and future cruise credits (being issued by many lines) so that you're ready to vacation once cruise lines return to service. Check out this post, which includes the video and some high-level information and tips on these topics.