Here is this week cruise news and latest cruise promotions.
BOGO! Holland America Line has just announced a new promotion called Buy One, Gift One. Book a balcony cabin or suite, and a free interior stateroom on the same cruise departure will be your BOGO. Think about bringing along parents, children, or friends on the same cruise. This is your opportunity! Single or double occupancy is permitted and no single supplement charge. For those who want to upgrade the free interior cabin, it can be done by just paying the difference in fares between the interior and the desired stateroom category.
This rare promotion by Holland America runs from December 17, 2020 through January 5, 2021 and applies to select 2021 Alaska, Europe, Caribbean and Mexico cruises departing through December 18, 2021.
The Buy One, Gift One promotion can be combined with Holland America’s View & Verandah offer that includes free cabin upgrades, a beverage package, one free specialty dining meal, free or reduced fares for the 3rd and 4th guests in a cabin, and 10% off-shore excursions. This promotion must be booked by February 28, 2021.
But Wait………..book by January 5 and receive all of the above incentives plus free gratuities! If you are ready to travel within the next 18 months, you can’t beat this deal with six great perks and a free gratuity bonus.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has extended all Future Cruise Credits through April 30, 2022, regardless of when the sailing suspension occurred. The change is automatic and there is nothing extra guests have to do to extend. Guests can use their future cruise credits to pay their cruise fare, including deposits. They can not be used towards add-on purchases, like drink packages, shore excursions, port fees, or taxes.
Three Carnival Cruise Line ships recently have docked at Port of Miami, making a total of five vessels returning to the United States. Carnival’s Ecstasy, Liberty, and Freedom are all lined up near each other joining the Horizon and Breeze. Carnival Panorama started her journey from Panama City to Long Beach, California, making a total of six ships returning to the United States to await a lengthy certification process in conjunction with the CDC guidelines involving everything from increased health and safety protocols to so-called “test Sailings” during which those protocols can be tested. These simulated sailings will include a series of drills designed to replicate real-life emergencies, such as an outbreak onboard and quarantine procedures. Though there is no final word on the exact date they will resume sailing, but Carnival plans on March of 2021.
Viking Cruises 2021 New Health and Safety protocols include daily COVID-19 testing, new filtration systems, and disinfecting robots. They feel with daily testing of all guests and crew, the virus will be eliminated, with no spread onboard. The daily tests will be completed with a saliva sample in passengers’ staterooms and processed in either an onboard lab on ocean-going ships or a shoreside lab for river cruises. Viking built the first lab onboard a ship; its 930-passenger the Viking Star. In addition to testing, a new air purification system will be installed with all staterooms having their own independent air handling units. An online health questionnaire will be filled out by each passenger before leaving home and temperature checks will be performed upon check-in. Boarding will be staggered based on flight arrivals. Robots with UV-C light will be used to disinfect public areas, medical facilities have been upgraded with specialized equipment, and will feature a 24/7 hotline to talk to a doctor for passengers on river cruises. Shore excursions will include audio headsets to facilitate social distancing.
Christmas in July! Bring back the holiday spirit with Uniworld’s “Christmas in July” for 2021. Many travelers are looking for a chance to do-over their canceled holiday travel plans and Uniworld River Cruise Collection is helping the situation with two Christmas sailings in July. Seven nights on the Danube River with holiday decorations and onboard replications of Europe’s famous Christmas Markets will include holiday-themed activities throughout the week. Included in this festive occasion will be cocktail mixology classes, gingerbread house decorating and ornament making. Holiday movies will be shown in the onboard cinema and guests will have the opportunity to get a 2021 holiday card photo with Santa in front of the tree. The Christmas in July itineraries will sail July 11 and 18 between Budapest, Hungary and Passau, Germany aboard the luxurious S.S. Maria Theresa.
Seabourn cruises had originally scheduled 10 and 11 day Alaska sailings for 2021, but to comply with CDC regulations, all itineraries are now seven days. According to the CDC, once a ship is certified to sail, cruises are restricted to seven days or fewer. That requirement may be shortened or Lengthened based on public health considerations. Seabourn will offer 18 seven-day sailings on the Seabourn Odyssey for the Alaska season from May to September in 2021. They will operate one way between Vancouver and Juneau, Alaska and back. The Alaska and Canada Inside Passage cruises will feature a mix of Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and Tracy/Endicott Arm. The Seabourn Odysseys first cruise is currently scheduled to depart Vancouver on May 28th, with the last cruise departing Juneau on September 10th.
Princess Cruises‘ new “Book with Confidence” slogan expands for more flexible and worry-free booking. The new Princess Promise reaffirms commitment to exceptional onboard service and guest satisfaction. Over the years, Princess guests have enjoyed gracious service in an atmosphere of comfortable elegance. The Princess team strives to provide exceptional service and with the new Medallion Class, a more personalized experience. The princess Promise reassures guests that Princess will “make it right” for any onboard service that did not meet expectations. This may include but is not limited to onboard credits, future cruise credits or refunds.
Princess is also expanding its Book with Confidence policy which now allows guests the flexibility to change their vacation plans 30 days prior to departure, receiving cancellation fees as future cruise credits.
