Princess Cruises cancels raft of cruise holidays until spring 2022

Princess Cruises due to sail in Australia and New Zealand have been cancelled until after the New Year in a blow for those hoping for some winter sun.

The news comes as P&O Cruises Australia also extended its pause in operations for cruises departing from Sydney and Brisbane by a further month until mid January next year.

Princess' pause extension affects cruise ships Coral Princess, Royal Princess and Sapphire Princess.

Coral Princess voyages through to January 27, 2022, are cancelled and Royal Princess and Sapphire Princess seasons through to March 2022 are axed.

The move from Princess follows "uncertainty around the return of cruising in the region," the company announced this morning.

Holidaymakers due to travel on the affected cruise holidays will be able to move to an equivalent cruise.

By rebooking, guests will have the added benefit of their fare being protected on the replacement cruise.

However, travellers can still request a refund if they simply wish to abandon the cruise altogether.

Princess customers can choose a future cruise credit (FCC) equivalent to 100 percent of the cruise fare paid plus an additional non-refundable bonus FCC equal to 10 percent of the cruise fare paid (minimum £25).

This credit can be used on any cruises booked by December 31, 2022, and sailing by April 30, 2023.

Alternatively, they can choose a full refund to the original form of payment.

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If you're impacted by the news, it's important to work out what your next step is soon.

If guests don't fill out the online form provided by Princess Cruises by October 31, 2021, guests will automatically receive the FCC option.

“It became apparent we would not be able to deliver planned deployment of Royal Princess and Sapphire Princess in Australia before they were due to start their published northern hemisphere voyages,” commented Deanna Austin, Princess Cruises Chief Commercial Officer, on Wednesday's announcement.

“We recognise that guests planning cruises over the popular summer and new year holiday period will be particularly disappointed with the changes, however, we wanted to give guests as much notice as possible so they could plan their holidays with certainty.”

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The most current information and instructions for booked guests affected by these cancellations, and more information on FCCs and refunds, can be found on Princess' website.

Despite the cancellations in the New World, Princess is back in full swing this side of the equator.

The cruise line is offering holidaymakers the chance to explore a wide range of stunning destinations such as Barcelona and Florence during its international cruise holiday season in October 2021.

Travellers can tailor their international explorations with the options to choose between four, five, seven, 10, 11 and 14-day cruises, sailing on cruise ships Regal Princess and Sky Princess.

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When stopping at port, you can now head ashore independently or join a Princess shore excursion, depending on what suits you best.

What's more, you can travel worry-free, as all guests need to be vaccinated and have proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken at the terminal.