Carnival Cruise Line cancels cruises - when will international sailings resume?

Carnival Cruise Line axed the sailings as "many questions... remain unanswered" while the cruise line attempts to meet CDC (The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) "guidelines."

Customers of the US company were notified today of the cancellations.

Guests whose cruises are cancelled are eligible for a future cruise credit (FCC) and onboard credit (OBC) or a full refund.

Last week, Carnival notified cruisers that Carnival Splendor’s pause out of Sydney was extended for another month, with sailings cancelled from August 19 to September 17.

Nevertheless, some Carnival cruises will continue as planned.

Carnival hopes to begin operating sailings on three ships from Florida and Texas.

These include Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze from Galveston, and Carnival Horizon from Miami.

Alaska sailings are still in the balance but if they can go ahead Carnival Miracle will assume some of Carnival Freedom’s departures from Seattle, said the cruise line.

However, Carnival acknowledged there is still "some uncertainty in our ability to operate these cruises."

Therefore, guests booked on the above sailings may cancel without penalty by May 31 and receive a full refund.

Carnival cancelled cruises

Carnival Conquest & Sunrise (Miami)

Dream (Galveston)

Ecstasy (Jacksonville)

Glory (New Orleans)

Elation, Liberty & Mardi Gras (Port Canaveral)

Panorama (Long Beach)

Pride (Baltimore)

Sensation (Mobile)

Sunshine (Charleston).

So when will UK cruise fans be able to travel on the waterways of the world once again?

International holidays remain off the cards for Britons until May 17, after which countries will be subject to a traffic light system.

Domestic cruises will also be allowed to go ahead from Monday.

As for international cruises, the Government states: "The UK government will restart international cruises alongside the wider restart of international travel, in line with the 'traffic light' system."

The Department of Transport's Global Travel Taskforce report detailed that the return of cruising "will be subject to continued satisfactory evidence from domestic restart as well as successful cruise operations elsewhere in the world.

"This will be considered at each of the Checkpoint reviews," it said.

The three “checkpoints” will be held on June 28, July 31 and October 1 to review measures, with all legal limits on social contact set to be lifted on June 21.

A CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) spokesperson told World of Cruising: "The Global Travel Taskforce has stated it will restart international cruises alongside wider international travel. We welcome this approach and are actively engaging with government and other authorities to determine a safe and successful restart."

The Global Travel Taskforce report added: "This is also subject to the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the UK government and industry covering the cost and liabilities of repatriation."

It continued: "Cruise operators will be required to work closely with Port Operators, Port Health Authorities and wider health protection boards within local authorities to agree arrangements for the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers.

"Operators will align with the rules of the domestic roadmap, including capacity limits.

"Port calls with embarkation and disembarkation will be managed through controlled tour excursions, supporting passengers to remain in ‘bubbles’ to minimise risk to communities."