Princess Cruise extends pause in U.S. operations through December
The Princess cruise is docked in Oakland. March 10, 2020
SANTA CLARITA, Calif. - Princess Cruises on Wednesday announced it is extending its pause in cruise operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With the exception of cruises sailing in and out of Australia, all sailings in the United States, Asia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama, South America and elsewhere are paused through December 15, 2020.
"We share in our guests' disappointment in cancelling these cruises," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. "We look forward to the days when we can return to travel and the happiness it brings to all who cruise."
Australia cruises on Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, and Sun Princess are paused through October 31, 2020, the company says.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had put a "no sail order" in place which was set to expire on September 30.
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Guests currently booked on these cancelled voyages who have paid in full will have the option to receive a refundable Future Cruise Credit (FCC) equivalent to 100% of the cruise fare paid plus an additional non-refundable bonus FCC equal to 25% of the cruise fare, according to a news release.
For guests who have not paid in full, Princess says it will double the deposit, providing a refundable FCC for the money currently on deposit plus a matching bonus FCC that can be used on any voyage through May 1, 2022. The matching bonus FCC is non-refundable, will not exceed the base cruise fare amount of the currently booked cruise and will have a minimum value of $100 per person.
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To receive the above FCCs, no action is required by the guest or their travel advisor. Guests can request a full refund for all monies paid on their booking through an online form. Requests must be received by August 31, 2020, or guests will be registered for the Future Cruise Credit option.
The most current information and instructions for booked guests affected by these cancellations can be found online at Information on Impacted & Cancelled Cruises.