How to change or cancel cruise reservations as coronavirus ravages the industry

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How to change or cancel cruise reservations as coronavirus ravages the industry
princess diamond cruise ship coronavirus
  • Major cruise companies have started changing their cancellation, rebooking, and refunding policies amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
  • COVID-19 has been called one of the worst things to happen to the cruise industry in decades.
  • Here's how some cruise companies like Carnival and Princess Cruises have started updating their policies to accommodate the global spread of coronavirus.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Many major cruise line companies are changing their cancellation, rebooking, and refunding policies in the age of coronavirus.

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The experts are calling the current crisis the worst thing to happen to the cruise industry since the 1985 murder of a passenger on the Achille Lauro.

Since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic, several cruise ships have been the cause of the virus's spread. This includes the Diamond Princess, which has now claimed seven lives due to the quick trickling of the coronavirus throughout the cruise ship. In response, many cruise companies - including major players like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Princess Cruises - have halted voyages for the next several weeks amid growing concerns of the novel coronavirus.

The US Department of State has since advised against boarding cruise ship for vacations amid the global spread of coronavirus as several cruise ships have been denied port around the world. While some experts think the coronavirus pandemic will not affect the cruise ship industry long-term, several major cruise companies have needed to update its rebooking and refund policies to accommodate the increasing number of canceled cruise trips around the world.

Here is how some major cruise lines in the US are handling its uptick in cancellations and refunds:

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Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises has canceled all voyages for 60 days between March 12 and May 10, and the cruise line is now giving guests the option to transfer the money paid from a canceled cruise to a future cruise. This option will also come with further future cruise credits at either 125%, 100%, or 50% of money spent, depending on the date in which the cruise was originally to depart.

For those who don't want their refund to roll over into a future cruise, Princess is offering a cash refund option via an online form. This refund option will also come with future credit depending on the time that the cruise was originally set to sail. For example, guests who want their cash back and originally had their cruise trip set between March 12 and March 25 will receive 100% future cruise credit along with a full refund. This drops to 50% cruise credit for trips originally set to sail between March 26 and April 8, and 25% for trips between April 9 and May 10.

The cruise credits can be used on any trip departing before May 1, 2022.

Princess will also allow cancellations made 48 hours before a trip is set to depart between May 11 and July 31. Cruises between August 1 and October 15, and booked by April 30, can be canceled up to 30 days before the set departure date. Cruise credit will be given instead of a cancellation fee.

Carnival Cruises

Carnival Cruises

Carnival is also temporarily suspending cruises between March 14 and April 9.

Like its subsidiary Princess Cruises, Carnival is offering two refund options. The first is its "enhanced value" which comes with 100% future cruise credit and either $600 onboard credit per booked room for trips that were set to be at least six days long, or $300 onboard credit for cruises that were going to be five days or less. These onboard credits can only be used if the next cruise is booked by December 31 for a trip before December 31, 2022. The second option is the "what you paid", which will offer a total refund on the canceled trip.

Trips scheduled for April can be canceled by March 31, while cruises originally set for May and booked before March 5 can be canceled up to 30 days before the departure date, both for cruise credit that can be used within a year of the original sail date. However, those who plan on sticking with their trips instead of canceling will receive cruise credit in varying dollar amounts depending on the duration and destination of the trip.

Trips originally scheduled between June and September, and booked before March 10, can also be canceled up to 30 days prior to the trip's set departure date in exchange for future cruise credit as well. Customers who decide to stick to their vacation will receive onboard credit, but at a lower dollar amount than the trips set for May.

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Viking Cruises

Viking Cruises

Viking has suspended its cruises from March 11 to May 1.

Customers who were set to depart on a Viking cruise during those dates can choose to either get a full refund or receive a cruise credit voucher at 125% of what the customer originally paid. If the voucher isn't used in the next 24 months, Viking will automatically send a total refund.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is suspending cruises between March 15 and April 11. Like Viking, Royal Caribbean will be offering a 125% cruise credit back if a trip is rebooked and set to depart by December 31, 2021. Otherwise, Royal Caribbean will also be offering a full refund of the original amount.

The cruise line is allowing customers to cancel up to 48 hours before the set sail date for cruises between now until July 31 in exchange for cruise credit that also needs to be used by December 31, 2021.

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Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises has suspended all cruise trips until April 11 like its parent Royal Caribbean.

Customers who were set to sail before then can either receive 125% in cruise credit that can be used through 2021 or get a full refund of the trip.

Customers set to embark on a Celebrity Cruise before July 31 have the option to change the trip date up to 48 hours before the trip for a refund or 100% cruise credit that can be used before December 31, 2021.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

All Norwegian cruises set to embark between now and April 11 have been canceled. Passengers that were set to sail between March 13 and March 17 will receive a 150% refund via cruise credits, while passengers originally set to travel between March 18 and April 11 will receive a 125% cruise credit refund. Customers can also opt to receive a full refund of the paid trip instead.

Customers for cruises set to embark between April 12 and September 30 can also cancel up to 48 hours in advance of the cruise in exchange for 100% cruise credit.

All of the cruise credits can be used on trips through December 31, 2022.

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MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises

MSC has canceled its Caribbean cruises set to embark between March 14 to April 30 out of Miami. It has also canceled select cruises to Yokohama, Japan, Dubai, Venice, and Genoa, Italy.

Some of its non-canceled cruises to Hamburg, Germany, and Genoa will instead have several itinerary changes, including a shift in the disembarkment locations.

Customers who have had their pre-April 30 cruises canceled can either receive a full refund or a 125% future cruise credit that can be used for any MSC cruise departing before December 31, 2021.

Those who have cruises booked between May 1 and July 31 can also cancel up to 48 hours before the cruise is set to sail and either reschedule the trip or receive future credit in the same amount that was paid for in the original booking, also to be used before December 31, 2021.

MSC Cruises customers who were set to board the canceled Emirates, Mediterranean, and South Caribbean trips will also receive future cruise and onboard credit that can both be used before December 31, 2021. Customers who were set to cruise up to six nights will receive an onboard credit of $100 per stateroom, and those set to sail over seven nights will receive $200 per stateroom.

Customers originally set to board the canceled MSC Bellissima Grand Voyage Dubai to Yokohama and MSC Lirica Grand Voyage Dubai to Venice will also receive the equivalent cruise credit and onboard credit of $400 per stateroom. The onboard credit will be refundable if it's not used in full during a new cruise trip set before December 31, 2021.

Holland America

Holland America

Holland America is suspending all trips through April 14.

Customers set to embark on Holland America cruises through October 15 can cancel and receive future cruise credit instead.

Passengers who have booked a cruise for any travel date before July 31 can cancel their reservations 48 hours before the trip is set to start and cruises set to take off between August 1 and October 15 can be exchanged for cruise credit if done within 30 days of departure. The future cruise credit must be used before December 31.

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Disney Cruises

Disney Cruises

Disney has suspended all cruises between March 14 and April 12. Customers affected by this decision can either receive future cruise credit or a full refund.

Passengers booked for a European trip through July 25, Disney Magic trip before May 8, and Disney Dream, Fantasy, and Wonder ships through May 31 can change the reservation up to 24 hours before the embarkation and receive 100% cruise credit that must be used within 15 months of the original travel date.

P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises

P&O Cruises has suspended cruise trips until April 11. Customers with canceled cruises will instead receive a 125% cruise credit that can be used anytime before March 2022 on cruises booked before December 31, 2021. Customers can also opt to receive a 100% refund instead.

If guests decide to cancel their trips set to embark before September 1, they will receive a 125% cruise credit for a travel date before March 31, 2022, with new reservations made before December 31, 2021.

Those who plan on keeping their existing trips departing before August 31 and booked before March 11 will receive onboard credit during their trip of varying dollar amounts, depending on the length of the trip. For example, passengers spending between eight and 14 nights will receive £400, about $489.71, in onboard credit. Alternatively, passengers can transfer their trip dates to a later time within 48 hours of the original set departure.

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