Princess cancels summer 2020 season

Princess Cruises will not resume sailing in the summer 2020 season, the line has revealed.

The decision was made because of reduced flight availability, the closure of ports and other factors that have come about because of the coronavirus pandemic. The line’s sister company, Holland America Line, has reached a similar decision.

All of the following have been affected:

• All remaining Alaska cruises on Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess
• All remaining Europe and Transatlantic cruises on Enchanted Princess, Regal Princess, Sky Princess, Crown Princess and Island Princess
• Summer Caribbean cruises and all Canada & New England cruises on Caribbean Princess and Sky Princess
• Summer to autumn cruises departing from Japan on Diamond Princess
• Australia-based cruises on Sapphire Princess and Sea Princess through August
• July cruises sailing from Taiwan on Majestic Princess
• Autumn cruises sailing to Hawaii and French Polynesia on Pacific Princess through November

Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said: “As the world is still preparing to resume travel, it is with much disappointment that we announce an extension of our pause of global ship operations and the cancellation of cruise holidays for our loyal guests. Among other disruptions, airlines have limited their flight availability and many popular cruise ports are closed. It saddens us to think about the impact on the livelihood of our teammates, business partners and the communities we visit.”

Guests booked on cancelled voyaged, who have paid their balance in full, will either receive a future cruise credit of 100 per cent of of the cruise fare paid plus 25 per cent additional bonus.

Those who have not paid in full will have their deposit doubled by Princess, providing a refundable future cruise credit for the money currently on deposit plus a matching bonus FCC that can be used on any voyage through May 1, 2022. The matching bonus future cruise credit will not exceed the base cruise fare amount of the currently booked cruise and will have a minimum value of £100 per person.

Princess will protect travel agent commissions on bookings for cancelled cruises that were paid in full.