The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced that they will voluntarily suspend all U.S. cruise operations through October 31, 2020. Disney Cruise Line, which is a member of the CLIA, has responded by removing all October itineraries from their website.
As seen with previous cancellations, guests impacted will be eligible for either a full refund or a 125% credit good for a future cruise.
It’s worth noting that the CLIA decision does allow for some flexibility. The group will meet again closer to when the CDC’s guideline passes at the end of September and determine whether to extend or modify their plans. Should conditions improve, modified cruises could resume before the November 1, 2020 date. The group could also decide to extend their suspension further.
Below is the full CLIA statement:
Despite the valuable alignment between CLIA’s previous voluntary suspension to 15 September and the CDC’s current No-Sail Order date of 30 September, we believe it is prudent at this time to voluntarily extend the suspension of U.S. ocean-going cruise operations to 31 October. This is a difficult decision as we recognize the crushing impact that this pandemic has had on our community and every other industry. However, we believe this proactive action further demonstrates the cruise industry’s commitment to public health and willingness to voluntarily suspend operations in the interest of public health and safety, as has occurred twice prior. CLIA cruise line members will continue to monitor the situation with the understanding that we will revisit a possible further extension on or before 30 September 2020. At the same time, should conditions in the U.S. change and it becomes possible to consider short, modified sailings, we would consider an earlier restart.
