Rocky Mountaineer, the world's largest privately-owned luxury tourism train operator, today announced that, due to continued government travel- and health-related restrictions, it has been forced to suspend the remainder of its travel season to include departures through October 11, 2020.
"We are incredibly disappointed to announce the suspension of our rail operations through to the end of the 2020 season. Like so many in the tourism and hospitality industry, the pandemic has had an overwhelmingly negative impact on our business," said Steve Sammut, President and CEO of Rocky Mountaineer. "Despite the challenging environment, we remained hopeful we would be able to operate our trains at some point this season. However, given the continuing government travel and health restrictions, we have no choice but to postpone our rail tours until the scheduled start of our 2021 season."
For guests who have existing reservations aboard any of the affected rail tours, Rocky Mountaineer is emphasizing its commitment to delivering them an exceptional rail tour experience at a time when it becomes possible and appropriate to do so. Guests booked for a now-suspended departure will be issued a future travel credit valued at 110 percent of the amount they'd originally paid, which is valid through the end of the 2022 season.
Rail prices for the 2021 and 2022 seasons are also being frozen at 2020 pricing levels, so that guests won't find themselves faced with a rate increase for the rail portion of their tour when they go to rebook. Guests who will be rebooking a similar package for 2021 travel falling within a window of fourteen days on either side of their original departure date's anniversary will find that Rocky Mountaineer is guaranteeing they'll suffer no price increases on their rebooked packages.
When operations resume, Rocky Mountaineer is ready, having already implemented many operational modifications to align itself with government guidelines and industry best practices for preventing transmission of illnesses like COVID-19. These include pre-travel health screenings, modified boarding and seating protocols to provide adequate spacing between traveler groups, and the incorporation of enhanced sanitization throughout rail cars utilizing electrostatic disinfectant sprayers.
Superior ventilation systems supply its rail cars with constant fresh-air intake and circulation, and carriages are equipped with advanced air-filtration technology that captures 99.9 percent of airborne particles. A more in-depth overview of Rocky Mountaineer's updated health and safety measures and procedures, plus details on what to expect during each stage of the passenger journey, is available here.
"We know this has been an exceptionally challenging time for our guests, partners and team members, and we thank them for their patience and continued support," said Sammut. "In the coming months, we will work with our guests and travel partners to rebook their travels from this year, and then shift our focus to our 2021 season. When we do operate our trains, the health and safety of our guests and team members will be at the forefront, while still continuing to provide the superb service for which we are known."
Customers who are affected by the extended suspension should contact their travel advisor or Rocky Mountaineer prior to November 30, 2021, to choose their new travel date. Further COVID-19-related information, answers to FAQs and more can be found on the company's Customer Updates page.
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