Carnival Cruise Line in Australia has announced a further extension on its pause of operations in Australia due to a further ban by the country.
Carnival Cruise Line Cancels More Sailings
The cruise industry down under is on hold for even longer now that the Australian Border Force has extended its ban on cruise ships until September 17, 2020. This has impacted several cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line’s Australian operations.
This now means even more cruises have been cancelled as the pause on operations is from March 15 through to September 17. It also includes the cancellation of the much anticipated Transpacific sailing from Honolulu to Brisbane departing on October 6, 2020.
The Border Agency in Australia stated:
On 15 May 2020, the Governor-General has extended the human biosecurity emergency period for an additional three months, from 17 June to 17 September 2020. This has enabled the Minister for Health to continue to exercise the emergency powers under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act to prevent or control the spread of COVID-19.
On 20 May 2020, the Minister for Health extended the determination, undersection 477(1) of the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Biosecurity Act) to prohibit the arrival at an Australian port of any international cruise ship that has left a foreign port. The restrictions included direct arrivals and Round Trip Cruises (RTC).
The cruise line has now cancelled a total of 29 cruises to or from Australia which mainly impacts the Carnival Splendor and Carnival Spirit. The rest of the fleet, the majority of ships will still remain on hold with only eight Carnival cruise ships resuming sailings in August in North America.
However, everything depends on when Caribbean cruise ports will re-open to cruise ships and travel restrictions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s “No-Sail Order.”
The cruise line is providing compensation to guests impacted by the cancelled sailings. There are options as part of its “Enhanced Value Option” and it does depend on the lenght of the cruise booked.
Those who booked 6 nights or more will receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit plus AUD$900 of onboard credit per stateroom if the new cruise is booked by December 31, 2020 and departing by December 31 2022. It’s the same for guests who have booked 5 nights or less but the onboard credit will be AUD$450 per stateroom.
Carnival has apologized and the ban really is out of its hands. P&O Cruises Australia which is also owned by Carnival has also updated its suspension on cruise operated due to the extended Australian ban.
