Carnival extends North America pause to end of September

Carnival said on Monday that it is extending the operational pause of its cruises in North America until the end of September due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a letter sent to booked guests and travel agents, Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy said: "We have watched with great interest as commerce, travel and personal activities have begun to start back up, and once we do resume service, we will take all necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we bring our ships to in order to maintain public confidence in our business.

"Nevertheless, we apologise for disrupting your vacation plans and appreciate your patience as we work through these decisions."

This is the third time since March that Carnival has paused operations in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Guests wishing to move their booking to a later date will be given a rebooking offer that combines a future cruise credit and either a $300 or $600 onboard credit. They also have the option of a full refund.

The Cruise Lines International Association announced last Friday that cruise operators such as Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean had voluntarily extended the suspension of voyages out of US ports until 15 September.