Viking Cruises canceled its voyages (ocean and river cruises) through the end of 2020, citing the ongoing uncertainty due to the pandemic.
In a letter to its customers Wednesday, August 12, Torstein Hagen (the company's Chairman) announced that Viking suspends its cruise shipping operations through December 31, 2020, "at which time we believe the world will be in a better position, and international travel will be less complicated."
In the letter, Hagen also cited the inability to travel freely across borders with a lot of countries limiting entry. He suggested that "the development of effective therapeutics and a vaccine" would be key to the resumption of operations.
On Tuesday, August 11, HAL-Holland America Line extended its pause in cruise operations through December 15.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) imposed a no-sail order on cruise ships in March after several Coronavirus outbreaks on cruise ships. In July, the no-sail order was extended through September 30.
Earlier in August, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a trade group, committed to resuming cruises no earlier than November 1.