Despite the fact that Canada has decided to ban all cruise vessels from sailing in Canadian waters for another full year, Royal Caribbean has just announced that it does not plan to cancel any of its Alaska cruises, including those with Canadian ports of call and those scheduled to embark or disembark in Canada.
According to Cruise Hive, the cruise line has said that it's working with the U.S. and Canadian governments, along with the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), to come up with alternative arrangements that would enable cruise ships to sail through the region as soon as it is deemed safe. Three ships-Ovation of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas-have Alaska sailings scheduled for 2021.
At this time, Royal Caribbean is encouraging guests booked on any Alaskan or Canadian cruises scheduled to set sail from May 2021 onward (the carrier has already voluntarily suspended operations through the end of April) to keep their bookings. The cruise line feels confident that it will be able to secure permission to sail by that time.
It has also compressed the window for final payment on these voyages to 45 days prior to sailing, giving customers more opportunity to wait and see whether Royal Caribbean is, indeed, able to sort out a way to sail as planned. Standard terms call for final payment to be made 75 days in advance of sailing on one- to four-night cruises, and 90 days ahead of time on voyages lasting five nights or longer.
However, if guests prefer to cancel their bookings outright in view of the uncertainty, Royal Caribbean is providing options to rebook at a later date or request a full refund. The options are:
-Rebook the same itinerary on a corresponding voyage for 2022, give or take one week.
-Receive a 125-percent Future Cruise Credit.
-Receive a 100-percent refund of monies paid, valid through June 30, 2021.
-Keep their current reservation, with the opportunity to reserve final payment until 45 days prior to sailing.
Royal Caribbean isn't alone in petitioning Canada's government to alter its blanket ban on cruising that's set to last until February 28, 2022. Last week, Alaskan officials spoke out against the 12-month extension of the ban, calling the move "unacceptable". Since cruising still hasn't resumed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary objection to Canada's decision is the ban's prolonged duration.
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