German Carnival Corp brand AIDA Cruises has delayed its re-entry into the European market until September, having already frozen North American sailings until next year.
The owner of 13 vessels will hold off on intra-European travel through August since "conditions for safe travel do not yet exist in many destinations worldwide", it said Thursday.
AIDA said the suspension does not apply to ships 3,300-berth AIDAprima (built 2016), 3,300-berth AIDAperla (built 2017) and 2,050-berth AIDAdiva (built 2007) but would not explain why they were excluded.
"AIDA Cruises is in close and constant contact with all of the relevant authorities discussing the brand's interest in restarting cruise vacations, when the time is right, under adapted conditions and in full compliance with all sanitization and hygiene standards and protocols for physical distancing", the company said in a statement.
Michael Ungerer-led AIDA said it will give travel credits with a 10% bonus toward future voyages to passengers whose cruises were scheduled during August.
It will also give a 10% bonus to the travel agencies when those travel credits are cashed in on future cruises.
Cruise lines worldwide have taken their ships out of service since as early as mid-March amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Hong Kong-based Genting Cruise Lines plans to be the first owner to start sailing again by pulling up anchor on one of its vessels later this month.
Four-ship Dream Cruises plans to take its 2,800-berth Explorer Dream (built 1999) out of lay-up on 26 July with two-night and three-night “Taiwan Island-Hopping” itineraries, departing from Keelung and calling at Penghu, Matzu and Kinmen islands.
Meanwhile, eastern Mediterranean cruise operator Celestyal Cruises on Tuesday said it will keep its ships at anchor until 6 March 2021.
