Amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the world's second-largest passenger shipping company (after Carnival Corporation) - RCCL-Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd suspended all voyages in the USA for 30 days, starting March 13 at midnight.
The suspension will affect RCI-Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises, both wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Miami-based RCCL. RCCL also partially owns Pullmantur, but the company will not be affected.
The RCCL press release Friday afternoon said:
"We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country. And this is our part to play."
Sailings departing from non-US ports are not affected. Voyages that depart US ports before midnight on March 13 are also not affected. USA-homeported liners that are already at sea will finish their voyages as scheduled.
The company, which carried over 6 million passengers in 2018, said in the release that it was "truly sorry" for passengers whose vacations are disrupted. Royal Caribbean is also working with its crew members to work out disruptions to their livelihood.
No information has been provided on whether those with canceled voyages would receive full refunds.
On Thursday, March 12, Royal Caribbean was forced to cancel sailings with Jewel of the Seas after two guests onboard tested positive for COVID-19. The company said it will refund all clients with planned sailings, and the ship is now docked at Port Dubai.
For Coronavirus updates on cruise ship quarantines (infected passengers and crew) and top-pandemic countries (COVID-19 cases and deaths, daily updated statistics) see at CruiseMapper's Norovirus page.