Although global travel seems to have reached a point of equilibrium, that’s not to say that travel restrictions have stopped altogether. The risk of canceled cruises remains ever-present, providing a good-enough reason for cruise lines to extend the flexible booking and payment terms introduced during the pandemic.
Holland America Line, the Seattle-based cruise line, has extended its Flexible Cancellation Plan book-by date to May 31, 2022. The cruise line previously expanded the eligibility to cruise departures through September 30, 2022.
Extending The Worry-Free Promise
Holland America has given guests even more time to take advantage of its Worry-Free Promise. The policy enables guests to cancel their cruise for any reason up to 30 days before their voyage, and up to the sailing date when testing positive for COVID-19.
The extension means that any booking made by May 31, 2022, for itineraries that depart on or before September 30, 2022, can cancel for any reason and receive a Future Cruise Credit in the amount of any cancellation fees that commonly would be incurred.
“We want our guests to confidently make their summer cruise vacation plans,” said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line’s senior vice president and chief commercial officer. “By extending the date our guests need to book their cruise under our Worry-Free Promise, it will allow them to take advantage of some great limited-time special offers with the peace of mind that if they change their plans they can still take a cruise at a later date.”
The policy includes a shorter final payment period for all 2022 Europe Cruise bookings. Instead of 75 or 90 days before the cruise, guests will only need to make their final payment 60 days before departure.
Cancelation Protection Program
The Cancellation Protection Program from Holland America offers even more reassurance for those who are not yet convinced. Guests can purchase this insurance for new cruise bookings or Alaska Cruisetour bookings, or existing bookings as long as they have been made before the date on which cancellation fees begin to accrue.
There are two plans to choose from, Standard or Platinum. Standard cancellations are permitted up to 24 hours before departure, while Platinum cancellations are permitted until cruise departure. The refunds guests receive will range between 80% and 90% of the paid amount.
The policies will certainly be good news for those who have been hesitant to book a cruise, and they will go a long way in reassuring guests that booking a cruise holds little risk. Holland Ameria had even more good news this week as it managed to confirm all cruises that call in Canadian ports this summer.
Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, and Zuiderdam will be operating from Vancouver and between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska, this summer. Eurodam and Westerdam will be sailing seven-day “Alaskan Explorer” cruises from Seattle. Nieuw Statendam and Zaandam sail between Montreal and Quebec City, Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts.
The confirmation that all these cruises will continue as planned comes from the new health requirements released by the Canadian government. Without these, the Alaska and New England cruises would have been under threat, showing how vital Holland America’s Worry-Free Promise is.
