Ocean cruise fans eager to get out of their homes and onto the sea will have to wait a bit longer if they're planning to do so with Carnival (CCL +0.21%)(CUK 0.21%). In an operational update published Tuesday, the company said that it is canceling nearly all of its Carnival Cruise Line voyages through July 30.
Travelers with bookings on canceled cruises are eligible for credit for a future voyage and onboard credit or a full refund.
Image source: Carnival.
Carnival seemed to imply that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) coronavirus pandemic limitations were the main reason for the extension of the already-long hiatus.
"We continue to have constructive discussions with the CDC but still have many questions that remain unanswered," the company quoted Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy as saying. "We are working diligently to resume sailing in the U.S. and meet the CDC guidelines."
The company left open the possibility that several of its ships could resume cruises at the start of July. Specifically, it will try to restart sailings by Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze out of Galveston, Texas, and Carnival Horizon from Miami.
Also, wrote the company, "If Carnival can find a solution to allow cruise ships to visit Alaska, Carnival Miracle will assume some of Carnival Freedom's departures from Seattle."
Because it's still a question of whether any of these sailings will recommence in July, guests currently booked on them can cancel before May 31 without incurring a penalty. The company said they will receive a full refund.
While Carnival investors are a hardy bunch, having endured the shutdown of their company's operations during the pandemic, this is still discouraging news. Hopefully for them, the demand for cruises will come roaring back immediately and suddenly when the restarts finally kick in.
