Norwegian announces suspension of most cruises through March 2021

Norwegian Cruise Lines on Wednesday announced that it is extending its suspension of all cruises until at least the beginning of March 2021 amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The cruise line said in a statement that all voyages on Norwegian Cruise Line departing between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28 as well as “select voyages in March 2021” will be suspended. The suspension also includes voyages on Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises leaving between Jan. 1 and March 31 of next year. 

The company said it is continuing to work with public health authorities to protect its guests and crew members. It previously suspended its sailing through Dec. 31.

The move is among the longest suspensions by a major cruise operator. Carnival, the largest cruise company worldwide, as well as Royal Caribbean have suspended sailing at least through January.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in October that it would lift its “no sail” order to allow “simulation” cruises to sail in U.S. waters.

The initial phases of the order require ship operators to adhere to testing, quarantine, isolation and social distancing requirements to protect crew and employees during the coronavirus pandemic, as cruise lines built the laboratory capacity to test staff and potentially passengers.

The CDC first barred cruise sailing in U.S. waters in mid-March at the start of the pandemic. Cruise ships around the world faced widespread outbreaks before COVID-19 cases began spiking in the U.S.