(CNN) – Royal Caribbean International announced on Friday that it has canceled voyages on four ships due to “ongoing COVID-related circumstances around the world”.
“With great caution, Royal Caribbean International is suspending operations on certain vessels,” the company said in a statement.
The cruise line said it went ahead with the cancellation despite its health and safety measures, including vaccination and testing requirements for guests and crew.
Royal Caribbean said that guests booked on canceled sailings will receive compensation options, including a full refund.
affected ship
• Sight of the sea: Its return to cruising has been postponed until March 7.
• Sea Tour: Its sale is canceled from 8 January to 5 March. It is returning after dry dock on 26 April.
• Jewel of the Seas: Its sale is canceled from 9 January to 12 February. It is returning on February 20th.
• Symphony of the Seas: Its sale is canceled from January 8 to January 22. It’s returning Jan 29th.
“We regret the cancellation of our guests’ long-awaited vacation and appreciate their loyalty and understanding,” the statement said. “Our top priority is always the well being of our guests, our crew and the communities we visit.”
A Tough Week for Cruising
The Norwegian Pearl returns to Miami on January 5, 2022. The cruise ship returned after only a day out at sea.
Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images
This latest wave of Covid-19 cases, driven by the highly communicable Omicron version of the coronavirus, has cruise companies scrambling again.
This week only the following happened:
What the CDC Says About Cruises Right Now
The agency raised the travel risk level for cruise travel from level 3 to level 4, indicating that the risk for COVID-19 is “very high.”
“This move reflects an increase in cases of cruise ships onboard since the identification of the Omicron variant,” the CDC website said.
One trade association, the Cruise Lines International Association, expressed dismay at the CDC’s elevated risk levels.
“The decision by the CDC to increase the level of travel for cruise is particularly puzzling given that cases identified on cruise ships consistently make up a very slim minority of the total population – much less than on land. — and the majority of those cases are “spontaneous or mild in nature, with little or no burden on onboard or onshore medical resources,” the CLIA said in a statement.
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