After more than a year of waiting it appears that more waiting is still on the horizon for cruise lovers. Several cruise lines extended their suspensions through June 30, 2021.
Elizabeth Carey from AAA says cruising unfortunately is still on hold. Disney just extended their cancellation. They are going to pause it a little longer.
When the COVID-19 pandemic dropped anchor on the cruise industry in 2020, many travelers who had their cruises cancelled were given future cruise credits instead of refunds and it appears those unused credits are now burning holes in traveler’s pockets. Even though cruises remain suspended, AAA says that’s not stopping people from booking trips with the hope that the big ships will set sail again soon.
There are a lot of deals out there right now says Carey. For instance, Royal Caribbean is offering buy one get one 60% off and there are also deals where you can bring a second passenger, and special rates for children.
Alaskan cruises are a big destination for Western New Yorkers. Carey says Canada announced a few weeks back that they were not going to let cruise ships through Canadian waters so that really impacts the Alaskan cruise season. She says the Alaska cruise season is huge for Western New Yorkers every summer. It is a bucket list destination; it’s a limited time period to travel. It is only a few months out of the year and people flock to Alaska to see the glaciers and the final frontier. So, she says, the cruise lines are working with the Canadian government to come up with some type of solution.
While that is happening, it appears other industries are cashing in. Carey says companies like AMTRAK vacations are saying we have some great opportunities for you to travel to Alaska. You can fly to Anchorage and then take a train tour all throughout Alaska and see so much there is to offer on the land side.
If you haven’t used your credits yet but are seriously considering setting up your next cruise now, AAA recommends you book a trip with a flexible cancellation policy. That way if you feel ill or you just don’t feel comfortable you do have the option to cancel.
For more information you can go to westerncentralny.aaa.com by clicking here.
