Cruise lines are bending over backwards responding to the Coronavirus issue and booked traveler concerns about it. Becoming an industry standard rather quickly: the ability to cancel very close to sailing with little or no penalty.

Today’s update:

Oceania Cruise Line

Guests and Travel Partners can now have total peace of mind knowing that should they need to cancel, for any reason, they will not lose a dollar. Guests may cancel up to 48 hours prior to cruise departure and will receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 100% of the cruise fare paid. Additionally, consumers and travel advisors can book with confidence knowing that up to day of sailing, should there be another applicable public promotion that offers a better value through amenities or price, they may take advantage of that promotional offer and/or price.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line has updated its previously announced embarkation and sailing date policy changes 

Please note that given the current situation, Disney Cruise Line is offering temporary adjustments to its cancellation policy to provide more flexibility for its guests. Travel agents with guests currently booked on European cruises through a July 25, 2020 departure date can change their guests’ reservation up until the day before the guests’ embarkation and the guests will receive a 100% cruise credit to be used for a future sailing within 15 months of their original sail date. The credit is non-refundable and standard prevailing rates will apply.

Alternatively, guests currently booked on the July 13, July 18 and July 25 European sailings in 2020 may delay their final payment to 30 days prior to the sailing.

Royal Caribbean International

As the situation with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, we fully understand the heightened travel concerns that follow and want to make the decision to vacation with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. that much easier for you and your clients.

To help our guests book and sail with confidence, we are introducing a temporary change to our cancellation guidelines which will allow for greater flexibility. All guests sailing on or before July 31, 2020 may now choose to cancel their reservation up to 48 hours prior to departure. Should a guest wish to cancel after their final payment deadline, a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) will be administered in the full amount of each guest’s applicable cancellation fees. FCC amounts will vary and are dependent upon the standard cancellation timeline. Guests can apply these credits to any future cruise of their choice departing on or before December 31, 2021.

Viking Cruises

Viking Cruises has temporarily modified its cancellation policy. Passengers can postpone their cruise at any time up until 24 hours before the planned departure, without no cancellation fees. Those wishing to postpone will be issued with a voucher for future travel valid for 24 months.

Windstar Cruises

Windstar Cruises new cancellation policy, called the Travel Assurance Booking Policy, enables passengers to cancel their cruise up to 15 days before the cruise departs without incurring a cancellation fee on any cruise departing on or after June 1, 2020.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line is warning passengers that some other passengers might be wearing masks, adding that in addition to usual procedures, they have implemented the following expanded protocols:

• All guests must comply with standard pre-boarding health reporting at time of check-in.
• Additional pre-cruise and in-terminal screenings and questionnaires will be administered, including pre-boarding medical evaluations, as needed.
• Crew members are following these same guidelines and are subject to additional screening measures prior to boarding.
• Enhanced on board and terminal sanitation measures with non-toxic materials are in place, in addition to our rigorous daily cleaning regimen.
• Our onboard Medical Centers are staffed to handle a wide variety of staff and crew medical situations.  
• Any guest or crew member who exhibits symptoms of influenza or upper respiratory infection with fever are subject to isolation.

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises is temporarily making some changes to their cancellation policy for cruises departing up to May 31, 2020.

The details vary by departure date. The following applies to new and existing bookings on cruises and cruisetours in all markets globally.

Date of Departure*	Benefit
April 3, 2020 or earlier	Cancel up to 72 hours before sailing to receive Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for 100% of cancellation fees
April 4, 2020 – May 31, 2020	Cancel by March 31 and receive Future Cruise Credit for 100% of cancellation fees
June 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020	Final Payment moves to 60 days prior to sailing

*Date of departure is from the start date of your cruise or cruisetour, whichever is earlier. Excludes charter cruises.

Guests who choose to keep their booking as currently scheduled for departures between March 9 and May 31 will receive the following Onboard Credit amounts:

• $100 USD / $150 AUD per stateroom for 3 and 4 day cruises
• $150 USD / $225 AUD per stateroom for 5 day cruises
• $200 USD / $300 AUD per stateroom for 6 day and longer cruises

Norwegian Cruise Line

Policies currently in place include:

• Guests and crew who have traveled from, visited or transited via airports in China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, Iran or any municipality in Italy under a quarantine order by the Italian Government, as designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at https://www.esteri.it/mae/en/ within 14 days of their voyage embarkation, regardless of nationality, will not be allowed to board any of our vessels.

• Enhanced pre-boarding health reporting and evaluation for all guests. This includes non-touch temperature screenings for all guests and any guests with a temperature detected at or above 100.4F / 38C will be denied boarding.
• Any guests who appear symptomatic are subject to pre-boarding medical evaluations including but not limited to temperature checks as deemed necessary.
• Any guest who exhibits symptoms of any respiratory illness while on board will be subject to additional screening at our onboard Medical Center and may be subject to potential quarantine and disembarkation.
• Also implemented: additional cleaning and disinfection protocols on board all voyages. These protocols will be enforced in addition to our already rigorous sanitization standards in place.
• Certain countries have put into place additional restrictions for port entry and passenger disembarkation. These often include denying entry to Chinese passport holders or requiring additional medical documentation or screenings. Guests who are on voyages impacted by port restrictions will be notified prior to sailing.

The above measures will remain in effect until further notice and are subject to change at any time as we evaluate the situation and continue to consult with local health authorities as well as the WHO and US CDC. 

Check back for more updates as they are released.