The UK-based Fred Olsen Cruise Lines unveiled an updated Plain Sailing Guarantee to provide passengers with more flexibility around their bookings for 2021.
The updated Plain Sailing Guarantee allows passengers making a new booking for next year to move the deposit to any other sailing already on sale without any additional fees before they pay the final balance. Guests can also have the deposit refunded.
In addition, any passenger who is unable to sail due to a positive COVID test can move to any other voyage without any penalties or administration fees, right up to the day of departure, with up to twelve months to choose their new trip.
According to Clare Ward, Director of Product and Customer Service at Fred Olsen, they knew that so many of their guests were looking forward to cruising again and they could not wait "to get back in the water and welcome guests, both old and new," onboard their new look fleet from February.
“But we also know that we are all still adjusting to this ‘new normal’ that we have found ourselves in, and as a result we want to make our booking process as flexible as possible. We want people to look ahead to the cruise holidays and get excited about them, without the worry of their circumstances changing.
“Our updated Plain Sailing Guarantee allows guests to book a sailing for next year, knowing that they have the flexibility to change to another cruise – or even have their deposit refunded – before they make their final payment.
“With opportunities for travel limited in 2020, we have been working hard to make 2021 an incredibly exciting year, with a host of new itineraries as well as our two new ships, Bolette and Borealis. Creating flexibility and reassurance for our guests is a big part of that, too.”
Fred Olsen launched the original Plain Sailing Guarantee back in April in response to the pandemic.
In late August, the company confirmed their ‘Back in the Water’ plans, with Balmoral to set sail in February 2021, followed by Braemar and the two new vessels, Bolette and Borealis, in March and April, respectively.