SOUTHAMPTON, England,
Aug. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In
an acknowledgement of Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
guidance, P&O Cruises has extended its pause in operations
until November 12, 2020, and also
cancelled two long itineraries due to depart in January 2021.
In the company's latest video, P&O Cruises President
Paul Ludlow said: "It is clear that
whilst the guidance is in place, it is not advisable for us to
resume operations.
"As well as cancelling all cruises up until November 12, 2020, we will, sadly, also be
cancelling Aurora's Caribbean and
South America Adventure and Arcadia's World Cruise. Given long-term
planning, combined with the complexity and length of these
long-haul itineraries and evolving border restrictions, we need to
ensure that we adhere to the guidance as it stands. I know that
these January cruises, in particular, are holidays of a lifetime
and we are so sorry for the disappointment that these cancellations
will cause.
"We continue to work in partnership with public health agencies
at the highest level as well as Department for Transport; EU
Healthy Gateways and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA),
the world's largest cruise industry association. We will follow all
applicable guidelines to enhance our already stringent measures to
keep our guests and crew healthy and well and we will not resume
sailing until this approved framework is in place. Fundamentally,
we will be adopting best practice within the travel industry.
"The good news is that confidence in cruising is strong and we
are seeing increasing and significant demand from our guests. We
know that the FCO guidance is under constant review and we are
hopeful that, as they are aware of the work the industry is doing,
this will change before too long."
Guests booked on the cancelled cruises will automatically
receive an enhanced 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) or
alternatively can fill in the website form for a 100% refund.
Ludlow continued: "We have invested significantly in new systems
and technology to speed up the refund process and to date we have
refunded tens of thousands of guests, although it is heartening to
see that the majority of our guests have opted for the FCC so they
have a holiday to look forward to in the future."
He also confirmed that the company will take delivery of much
anticipated new ship Iona "before the autumn."
For more information
see https://www.pocruises.com/travel-health-advisories or
to book, call P&O Cruises on 03453 555 111, visit
www.pocruises.com or visit a travel agent.
About P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is Britain's
favourite cruise line, welcoming guests to experience the good life
and enjoy a blend of discovery, relaxation and exceptional service
catered towards British tastes. P&O Cruises fleet of
premium ships combine genuine service, a sense of occasion and
attention to detail, ensuring guests have the holiday of a
lifetime, every time.
In 2020, P&O Cruises will launch Iona. The new
LNG-powered ship, with 5,200-guest capacity, will be the largest
ship built to serve the UK market. Iona will feature
enhancements to already successful brand signature venues from the
existing fleet, as well as features newly developed for
Iona. These include a breathtaking three deck atrium in the
heart of the ship as well as SkyDome – an exclusively designed
glass dome by award-winning British engineers Eckersley
O'Callaghan. This will be a world first at sea and offer a unique
space for both relaxing in all weathers and providing
entertainment, featuring aerial performers and a wealth of live
acts.
P&O Cruises visits over 200 destinations worldwide and
offers itineraries generally ranging from two to 17 days as well as
longer cruises. P&O Cruises sails to Australia & New
Zealand, Baltic, the British Isles, Canada, the Spain, Portugal & the Canary Islands, the
Caribbean, Central America, the Far East &
Asia, the Indian Ocean, the
Mediterranean, Scandinavia, South
America, the South Pacific, the
United States and Western
Europe.
The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE:
CCL; NYSE:CUK).
View original
content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/po-cruises-extends-pause-to-mid-november-and-cancels-long-cruises-following-fco-guidance-301109586.html
SOURCE P&O Cruises