Norwegian Cruise Line Extends Suspension Through November and Select Cruises Through March 2021

Cruise Hive ^ | OCTOBER 5, 2020 | Robert McGillivray

[Capt. Tom]

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, the operator of such brands as Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, announced in a press release today that all cruises taking place between November 1 and November 30 have been canceled.

Not only that, but the company also announced it had suspended all voyages onboard Norwegian Star, Norwegian Spirit, and Norwegian Dawn through March 2021.

With a combined fleet of 28 ships with approximately 59,150 berths, Norwegian is the third largest cruise operator globally, behind Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean.

It comes as no surprise that Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has reacted in this manner. The extension from the CDC of a No-Sail Order last week brings the suspension to a minimum of October. Not only that, Dr. Robert Redfield, the CDC director, made it clear that he would rather see a suspension of cruising from U.S. ports until February.

Although the White House overruled the CDC Director on a five-month extension, the CDC is still free to add more extensions as it sees fit.

The hope was for the cruise lines to convince the White House, in a meeting last Friday, to open up the cruise industry in the United States. President Trump has always been an avid supporter of the cruise industry, and the cruise lines would have had a better chance with the President on their side.

However, since President Trump contracted COVID-19, it seems this meeting will come too late for a November start for any cruise line.

The cruise lines earlier stated that they would need at least 30 days to start operations. Bringing all crew members back to the ships will take much more time than usual due to the COVID-19 testing and quarantine periods that crew members will need to go through.

[Capt. Tom]

IMHO Norwegian is the big cruise line most likely to declare a bankruptcy and reorganize.

Constantly delaying a source of income certainly doesn't help NCL.

The events with the Covid virus are in charge now, and NCL didn't have much of a choice.

I was planning a trip on the NCL Gem ,Boston to Bermuda this month, but it got cancelled.

NCL also now just cancelled the November trip, but I wasn't going anyway because of the onerous covid-19 healh requirements for the cruise passengers.

It is going to be an economically interesting time for all cruise lines in the coming months , and the Covid 19 concerns and reactions to it in many ports around the world.

Time not cruising means idle ship expenses eating up the bottom line, and what do you do with all the employees?-Tom

[DugwayDuke]

Capt. Tom wrote: “NCL also now just cancelled the November trip, but I wasn’t going anyway because of the onerous covid-19 healh requirements for the cruise passengers.”

I’m amazed of the numbers of people who will accept these health requirements. I’m also amazed at those who are not afraid of boarding a ship but are afraid of traveling through Florida to get to the ship. So many are convinced that wearing a mask is more effective than a vaccine.

[Capt. Tom]

I’m amazed of the numbers of people who will accept these health requirements. I’m also amazed at those who are not afraid of boarding a ship but are afraid of traveling through Florida to get to the ship. So many are convinced that wearing a mask is more effective than a vaccine.

Just the other day I asked my son if he was interested in going to Bermuda in November if I got him and his wife a nice cabin, he thanked me, but said he would not get on any cruise ship with the present covid -19 requirements for passengers.

That attitude is widespread amongst cruisers and will slow down the recovery of the cruise lines.
Especially if you have organizations like the CDC, and the press beating the drums for more restrictions. -Tom

[libh8er]

I got a letter this morning. My January cruise is cancelled %^&^#$@@$#^^ !!!

[I Drive Too Fast]

We are scheduled for a cruise to Alaska in July. It sails out of Seattle. Even if they don’t cancel it, I will probably just get a refund since I am not interested in setting foot in Seattle.

[Capt. Tom]

We are scheduled for a cruise to Alaska in July. It sails out of Seattle. Even if they don’t cancel it, I will probably just get a refund since I am not interested in setting foot in Seattle.

The largest cruise ships might be able to make money at 60% occupancy because that is still 3,000 passengers.
The relative smaller cruise ships at 60% capacity will only have 1500 or less passengers and be borderline or lose money.
I believe that is a factor in some of these cancellations, along with the regulations of the different countries involved with the corona virus. -Tom

[mewzilla]

None of these companies had any kind of business interruption insurance??

[Capt. Tom]

None of these companies had any kind of business interruption insurance??

I am sure they do but collecting money from the Insurance companies while Cruise line ships are intact may be a problem. -Tom

______________________________________________________

Business interruption insurance, which replaces lost business income when a covered property loss causes a business to reduce or suspend its operations, may sound like the perfect solution, but it really isn’t.

Business interruption coverage is triggered when a covered peril causes damage to covered property. The damage must be sufficient to render the property unusable in its current state.

A standard policy, for example, would cover lost business income if operations are interrupted because the manufacturing facility is destroyed by fire.

Coronavirus-related claims are unlikely to cause the property damage needed to trigger business interruption coverage.

Even if facilities (offices, warehouses) or inventory (raw materials, fish, produce) are rendered unusable by COVID-19 contamination, business interruption coverage would be unlikely because standard policies typically contain exclusions for bacteria, viruses and other pollutants.

[Tennessee Nana]

I was suppose to leave this Wed for Europe to cruise on the Carnival Legend from Venice and then a TA home to Tampa...

Then when they were cancelled back in April we booked a cruise to Bermuda on the Pride on Oct 18 from Baltimore...

Then Oct got effected by the No Sail Ban ....

My next cruise isn’t until Jan from Tampa and who knows if we will be cruising then ???

and that one was a replacement for the cancelled Mardi Gras because it wont be here in the US until Feb if even then...

Between already established cruises and replacement cruises Ive had 8 cruises cancelled due to the Wu Hu Flu...

So what if I scored a nice heap of OBC ???

I NEED A CRUISE !!!!!!!

[DugwayDuke]

Capt. Tom wrote: “Just the other day I asked my son if he was interested in going to Bermuda in November if I got him and his wife a nice cabin, he thanked me, but said he would not get on any cruise ship with the present covid -19 requirements for passengers.”

“That attitude is widespread amongst cruisers and will slow down the recovery of the cruise lines.
Especially if you have organizations like the CDC, and the press beating the drums for more restrictions.”

I’m not so sure the blame for the restrictions rests with the press and the CDC. If you visit CruiseCritic.Com, by far those not in favor of those restrictions are in the minority. Those in favor fall into two categories. Either they’re terrified of CV or they feel that the cruise lines should do everything the CDC requests in order to resume cruising. Anyone who posts criticism of these restrictions is accused of being a science denier or someone who doesn’t care about others. Post criticism and you’re immediately confronted by rote repetition of the CDC/Politician/Media talking points. Right now, many are up in arms against Florida removing restrictions since they believe that will make it too unsafe to travel through Florida to get to the ports.

[Cronos]

I’ve never been on a cruise. What are the things that make you like it that wouldn’t be possible in another type of holiday? I’m just trying to understand cruise lovers

[Captain Walker]

I would think the bigger concern would be the concern about disembarking in the event of an outbreak on board.

Who wants to spend several weeks on board a ship looking for a port of call that will accept the passengers if the ship has reported an outbreak? I find it hard to believe that an international protocol hasn't been put in place for this.

[Magnum44]

I havent been on many, but the main attraction for me is the idea that you can have luxury accommodations and food (well great food anyway), good entertainment at night, and wake up in a new destination each day. I really enjoyed the Alaska inner channels cruise visiting small pacific coast towns and seeing the glaciers up close. Its travel without putting the miles on car and body.

Mrs Magnum and I were going to cruise the Greek islands this past August with the same thing in mind. Wake up each morning to explore a new island. But then came COVID...

[AC86UT89]

I’ve never been on a cruise. What are the things that make you like it that wouldn’t be possible in another type of holiday? I’m just trying to understand cruise lovers

****************************

10 reasons I love cruises, off the top of my head

1. good value for the money
2. meet lots of new and interesting people from all over the world
3. lots of interesting ports of call
4. don’t have to pack and re-pack in order to visit multiple interesting places in one vacation because you have the same room the whole time
5. great entertainment, of all kinds
6. variety of fun activities..
7. ..or just relax and not do anything - your choice!
8. great food and lots of it
9. friendly staff and crew, they wait on you hand and foot
10. on most lines, they clean and make up your cabin 2X per day, you always have clean towels and other amenities at all times

[entropy12]

Offer free 6 drinks a day, and a crowd is likely to show up.

[Tennessee Nana]

And free laundry that’s important on longer cruises or B2B...

and John Grisham books...I buy the paperbacks and save them for cruises and then leave them in the library...

[entropy12]

3 or 4 high quality meals every day, included.
Every evening a Vegas style show, included.
No driving, no parking the car, to go to dining or show or casino.
You can get a 15 drinks free every day included, on some cruise lines, and after getting wasted, you can stagger back to your cabin, and not wreck your car.
On my Mediterranean cruise, amazing tours of French Riviera, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon, and few others. It was 14 day round trip from English port of Southampton.
During Caribbean cruises the ship usually will have a stop at a private island with all day beach, lunch and exploring the island included.

But there is a bad/sad day on ship. The last day of cruise. Just thinking missing all that great food and having to clean bathroom and make my bed myself, makes me depressed.

[Crusher138]

None of these companies had any kind of business interruption insurance??

I thought I had business interruption insurance. Twelve years ago a power surge fried my printer making me unable to print shirts. I filed a claim. Denied. I couldn't "prove" it was a power surge that fried my printer.

COVID-19 hits and an insurance agent friend of mine suggests I file a business interruption claim. After three weeks of going back and forth - denied. It seems that a government order shutting me down is not covered.

So I asked, "What is covered?"

"If you had a fire and were unable to operate."

"Oh, so natural disasters?"

"No, a fire."

"But what if the fire was caused by a natural disaster?"

"You aren't covered."

"What about a riot?" Crickets...

I have requested several times for clarification on whether or not my business would be covered if looted during a riot.

They will not answer. This is Nationwide Insurance.

[Safetgiver]

Most insurance policies (home, business I have seen) say unless civil unrest, riots,etc. are involved the company is NOT responsible.

[usconservative]

We are scheduled for a cruise to Alaska in July. It sails out of Seattle. Even if they don’t cancel it, I will probably just get a refund since I am not interested in setting foot in Seattle.

Good luck getting a refund! My refund request for $2800 got denied. They're holding my money now "until cruising returns" whatever that means.

I used to be a BIG NCL fan. Now? NOPE. I'm contacting my lawyer tomorrow to see what can be done. If NCL declares bankruptcy we're all screwed out of money paid for cruises that aren't gonna happen.