Celebrity Cruises announced it’s canceling four upcoming cruises from the United States for the Celebrity Summit cruise ship. The vessel has been sailing successfully from St. Maarten in the Dutch Caribbean for about two months now and was all set to make its return to the States.
That return will have to wait, it seems, as the ship will need a quarantine period before being allowed to set sail again from U.S. ports. This is due to the rules and regulations set out in the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Four Celebrity Summit Cruises Canceled
Celebrity Cruises has made the difficult choice to cancel four voyages that were due to sail from Miami in August and September. Cruises on August 28, 2021, September 2, 2021, September 6, 2021, and September 11, 2021, to the Caribbean have been affected.
Although the cruise line does not need to follow the requirements from the CDC, the CSO, after all, has been made a recommendation instead of a requirement; it has voluntarily chosen to comply with the order.
Celebrity Cruises said the following in an email sent to guests:
“As we continue our return to service with sailings arriving and departing from the United States, we are also ensuring alignment with guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC has currently advised any ship returning to the US after having traveled in international waters may not sail with guests onboard for at least 14 days.”
The statement from the cruise line is somewhat confusing as many cruise ships sail from the United States to international waters daily. The CDC’s website does clarify it as to mean cruise ships that have not been in the United States since the CSO became operational. Celebrity Summit will need to go through the procedures and timelines for bringing it in line with the Conditional Sail Order.
As the vessel is planning to sail under the fully vaccinated pathway, meaning at least 95% of the guests and crew is fully vaccinated, this should not take longer than two weeks, including a two-week quarantine period for the crew onboard.
Guests Will Receive a Full Refund
Guests booked on the Caribbean cruises onboard Celebrity Summit have the opportunity to receive a full refund or to rebook their voyage to a later date. Guests who would like to rebook their voyage should do so before August 17 and can only book a voyage scheduled between September 16, 2021, and October 30, 2021.
Guests unable to rebook by August 17 will automatically receive a 100% refund. Those who have pre-booked shore excursions, beverage, internet, specialty dining, or other onboard packages through Celebrity Cruise Planner will also be refunded for these purchases.
Celebrity Cruises has not commented yet why these cruises were canceled on such a short timeline before departure; the CSO clearly describes the protocols for ships returning to the United States.
The 90,940 gross tons, 2,158 passenger Celebrity Summit will now start sailing from Miami on September 16. Her first voyage from the United States will be a 4-night Caribbean cruise calling in Cozumel, Mexico, with a day at sea at either end.
