More and More Cruise Cancellations and Delays

As the pandemic continues to grow in some nations, so too does the number of cruise lines that are cancelling their operations throughout the summer. We don’t fault you if you’re a bit confused with the different No Sail Orders and travel restrictions around the world, as it can be pretty hard to keep up with. In an effort to make things as clear as possible, let’s take a look at some specific cruise lines and their most recent cancellations.

Costa

While the situation in the United States is a bit more pressing than it is in Europe, not all European cruise lines are completely prepared to start sailing again. In fact, Costa is planning on taking it slowly. They have extended their operations pause until at least August 15th. Additionally, all of their cruises that were slated to go to northern Europe will be cancelled throughout the rest of the summer. It’s sad to hear, but it will give them more time to perfect their health protocols to ensure the safety of their guests, which is always a good thing.

Viking

Viking’s position is pretty similar to Costa. While they are aware of the fact that things are becoming more open in Europe, they do not feel fully ready. In a statement, the cruise line said, “While restrictions related to COVID-19 are beginning to ease in some countries, travel remains particularly challenging in other regions of the world.” This led them to cancel all cruises up through September. On a lighter note, they added that they are “encouraged by the scientific advancements being made around the world to overcome COVID-19.” Hey, we are too!

Carnival

Carnival won’t be sailing for a while, but this isn’t entirely related to that. Instead, the latest news out of this cruise line is that their cutting-edge new ship, the Carnival Mardi Gras, is being delayed. While it was expected to be sailing by fall of this year, it will instead not be debuted until early 2021, with its first itinerary planned for early February. The company said, “While we had hoped to make up construction time on Mardi Gras over the summer, it’s clear we will need extra time to complete this magnificent ship.” Slow and steady wins the race. We were excited about this one, but hey, we can practice a little patience. We’ve been getting some good practice on that recently.

Of course, these cancellations and delays don’t mean that the cruise industry is still at a stand-still everywhere on earth. In fact, a few other cruise lines are looking at opening back up pretty soon, so go check that out if you need to be cheered up a bit!