Norwegian Cruise Line Cancels Five South Africa Sailings

Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled at least five sailings in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in South Africa.

A spokesperson confirmed that the cruise line has canceled a handful of Norwegian Jade cruises that were scheduled to depart from or disembark in South Africa between December 3, 2021, and January 26, 2022.

“The safety of our guests, crew and communities we visit remains our highest priority,” the spokesperson said. “Accordingly, we continue to closely monitor the evolving global public health environment and are ready to adapt as needed.”

The news comes on the heels of the U.S. and other countries enacting travel bans and restrictions on South Africa in an effort to contain the new variant. The U.S. State Department responded by issuing a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for the country over the weekend.

Other cruise lines that were planning to launch South Africa sailings in early 2022, including Azamara, Crystal Cruises and Silversea, continue to monitor the situation, according to Travel Weekly.