While the Canadian government is determined to ban all cruise ships from its shores, Royal Caribbean has now announced that it will not cancel any trips. This includes cruises departing from Canadian ports and cruises that include Canadian ports of call.
Cruise Line says it is exploring options with the Canadian and U.S. governments and the International Cruise Association (CLIA). The announcement comes after Alaska government officials called the travel ban “unacceptable.”
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Royal Caribbean is asking all customers who have currently booked a cruise to Alaska and Canada to hold their reservations. The cruise line believes it can offer an alternative itinerary for these cruises.
The airline has also extended the payment deadlines for these flights by 45 days before the departure date to give customers more freedom and to await any agreements from Royal Caribbean.
Standard payment terms are 75 days before departure for cruises of 1 to 4 nights and 90 days before departure for cruises of 5 nights or more.
Photo credit: Royal Caribbean International
However, if customers decide to cancel their trip, the cruise line offers them several options to either postpone their trip to a later date or receive a full refund:
- Option 1: Shift the trip to the same trip next year ± 1 week
- Option 2: Receive 125% of the credit for future cruise
- Option 3: You will receive a refund of 100% of the amounts paid, valid until June 30, 2021.
- Option 4: Keep the same reservation and have the option to pay 45 days before departure.
Royal Caribbean had planned to send four ships to Alaska in 2021. Quantum of the Seas had previously been canceled due to her stay in Singapore, where it currently sails.
For Ovation of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Radiana of the Seas, Royal Caribbean Cruises is looking for affordable options to keep the ships running on schedule.
Also read: IDEAL company in Ketchikan, Alaska
Canada’s decision to ban cruise ships in Canadian waters unacceptable
Royal Caribbean’s announcement comes just days after U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, all from Alaska, issued the following statement
“As a state with the longest common border with Canada, the Alaska delegation has worked in good faith to compromise on the restrictions on border crossings resulting from COWID-19, while keeping in mind the health and safety of Alaskans and Canadians. Canada’s announcement to ban all cruises of 100 or more people in Canadian waters without such a polite conversation with the Alaska delegation is not only unexpected, but also unacceptable.”
Photo credit: Vladimir Kirilyuk / Shutterstock.com
Although relations between Canadian and U.S. officials are generally cordial, they appear to have cooled considerably since Canada instituted and extended the cruise ban. The Canadians’ decision to extend the ban for a year has been particularly poorly received:
“Upon hearing the announcement, we immediately contacted Canadian and U.S. officials to try to understand the reasoning behind the decision – in particular, the length of the ban,” he said. “We are exploring all possible avenues, including amending existing laws, to ensure that the cruise industry resumes operations in Alaska as soon as it can safely do so. We will fight to find a solution.
The options for Alaska cruises this year are not yet clear. Amending the Passenger Vessel Services Act appears to be an option if Canada refuses to move forward.
Another possibility is the electronic clearance of vessels in Canadian ports, as is now the norm in many ports, without any contact between people on board and ashore.
On topic: Cruise lines surprised and disappointed by Canada’s one-year ban.
However, the chances of a cruise are slim because no ships are stationed in the United States. If the U.S. government, the cruise lines and the CLIA achieve a breakthrough, it would be a small but necessary victory for a battered industry.
Main photo credit : EB Adventure Photography / Shutterstock.com
Frequently asked questions
Will my Royal Caribbean cruise be cancelled?
After further consultation with our partners at Cruise Lines International and in conjunction with the CDC, we have decided to extend the navigation closure for our global fleet to April 30, 2021 – with the exception of navigation aboard Quantum of the Seas in Singapore and Spectrum of the Seas …
Will there be cruises to Alaska in 2020?
She has now canceled all flights to Alaska in 2020 In early April, Carnival Cruise Line had also canceled its voyages to Alaska aboard the Carnival Miracle. And on May 4, Carnival confirmed that all voyages aboard its sister ship Carnival Spirit would be canceled, meaning Carnival has canceled the entire 2020 Alaska season.
Has Canada banned cruise ships?
(CNN) – Those hoping to cruise the waters of northern North America this summer will have to put their travel dreams in dry dock for the time being. As the Covida 19 pandemic deepens, Canada has extended its ban on cruise ships until February 2022.
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