Royal Caribbean voluntarily suspends cruise operations through October 31, 2020

by
Dear valued Travel Partners,

The health and safety of our guests remains our key focus at Royal Caribbean. Due to the current global environment, we’ve made the tough decision to voluntarily suspend cruise operations through October 31, 2020 (excluding Australia sailings). Additionally, the remainder of the 2020 Europe season and the fall Transatlantic sailings have also been cancelled, along with an additional pause in our China itineraries through September 13, 2020. This will allot additional time to solidify our safety measures as we work to welcome you back onboard. We are thoughtfully analyzing every aspect of the cruise experience and, as you can imagine, this takes time but we are steadily making progress.

Through our healthy return to service program, we are not only reinforcing current standards, but setting new ones at every turn. This new program will focus on four key aspects of the cruise experience — upgraded screening prior to boarding, enhanced processes onboard, focused approach on the destinations we visit, and heightened procedures for managing any reports of exceptions.

Through it all, we understand the disappointment that comes with interruptions to your clients’ travel plans. Those guests currently confirmed on the aforementioned sailings, and not previously canceled under our Cruise with Confidence offer, will have the option to select from the below options.
OPTION #1 OPTION #2 OPTION #3
LIFT & SHIFT FUTURE
CRUISE CREDIT		 REFUND
OFFER On or before August 20, 2020, move to a qualifying cruise next year and your cruise fare/promotion is protected. 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) when booking on or before December 31, 2021 and sailing by April 2022. 100% refund of amount paid
valid through
December 31, 2020.
ACTION
ITEMS		 Access the easy-to-use Lift & Shift tool on CruisingPower.com to submit the desired future ship/sailing and we’ll handle the rest. It’s simple — no action needed from you. The FCC is automatically issued to all impacted guests. To request a refund on your client’s behalf, submit the request via the “Cruise with Confidence” tab on CruisingPower.com under “Brand Programs & News”.
CRUISE
PLANNER PURCHASES		 Opt-in to convert all Cruise Planner purchases to an Onboard Credit valued at 125% of the total amount paid. Take advantage of this offer before it expires on August 20, 2020.
LIFT & SHIFT

  • Our Lift & Shift option is ideal for guests who simply wish to move their existing reservation to next year, all while protecting their original cruise fare and promotion. Select next year’s sailing on the same itinerary type, sailing length, stateroom category, and within the same 4-week window of the original cruise date and you are all set. Act now — option expires on August 20, 2020!

125% Future Cruise Credit

  • To compensate for the disruption to your vacation plans, guests are eligible for an elevated 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that is based on the total cruise fare paid at the guest-level, which will be automatically issued on or before September 14, 2020 — if no other option is selected. Taxes and fees, as well as any pre-purchased amenities or onboard packages, will be automatically refunded to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date.If you previously opted to take advantage of our Cruise with Confidence policy, the 100% FCC will stand, and this new option will not be available to them. Additionally, if you redeemed your Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit on a sailing that is now cancelled, their original FCC will be reinstated, plus 125% of any amount paid by the guest on the cancelled reservation.

REFUND

  • If you would simply like a refund, we are happy to return the funds paid per guest when requesting this option on or before December 31, 2020. Once your travel agent requests your refund, you can expect your refund to the original form of payment within 45 days from the cancellation date. To ensure you’re making the best possible choice for your vacation option, there is no need to rush on deciding — the 125% Future Cruise Credit will remain active until the refund request is submitted, at which time it will be deactivated.If you redeemed a Cruise with Confidence Future Cruise Credit on an impacted sailing and would now prefer a refund instead, we will process this request in the amount of any new funds paid above the original certificate and, in turn, will reinstate the Cruise with Confidence FCC for future use.

What a journey the last few months have been. While our circumstances may vary from one person, one state, one industry or one country to the next, we have all been navigating the effects of COVID-19. There is still a ways to go, but we are looking forward to getting through this together.

Stay healthy and safe!

The next time you’re looking to book a trip, no matter what the Destination, 

Contact Destinations with Character Travel and Leave The Booking To Us!

www.destinationswithcharacter.com

Email: info@destinationswithcharacter.com

Don Korta
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