Norwegian Cruise Line is reportedly canceling all Asia-bound sailings aboard Norwegian Spirit from April 15 through December 7, 2020 "due to growing concerns regarding coronavirus."
"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes," the cruise line said in a message to travel agents and affected passengers. "Please be advised that a full refund will be processed automatically to the form of payment provided at the time of booking."
Norwegian also said it will issue future cruise credit worth 10 percent toward a future booking, and the company will cover up to $300 per person for airfare change fees.
Norwegian Spirit is currently in the late stages of a $100 million-plus renovation. The 40-day drydock that began in Marseille, France last month has been extended due to labor strikes, with a preview sailing scheduled to begin from Civitavecchia, Italy on February 14.
The ongoing coronavirus outbreak has forced multiple cruise lines to adjust their schedules, cancel sailings and even ban some guests out of an abundance of caution.
Norwegian updated its travel alert regarding coronavirus procedures on Saturday. "Any guest that holds a Chinese, Hong Kong or Macau passport, will be unable to board any of our ships, regardless of residency," the cruise line stated in one of several new policies.
"At this time, we have made a number of itinerary changes and none of our vessels are currently calling to ports in mainland China. We also have the flexibility to alter our itineraries as needed to avoid areas of concern," Norwegian said, noting that it's consulting with The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "All itineraries that call in mainland China for the next six months are currently under review and we will communicate any itinerary revisions as soon as possible. As always, we will closely monitor the situation and take appropriate action as necessary."
Travelers are encouraged to contact their travel advisor or visit NCL.com for more information.
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