Royal Caribbean Brands Suspend US Operations for 30 Days

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced March 13 that it is suspending cruising in the United States for 30 days. Its brands include Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea Cruises and Azamara.

“We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country. And this is our part to play. So, beginning at midnight tonight, we are pausing the fleet’s U.S. sailings for 30 days,” the company said in a statement. “We are reaching out to our guests to help them work through this disruption to their vacations, and we are truly sorry for their inconvenience. We are also communicating with our crew to work out the issues this decision presents for them. We know this adds great stress to our guests, employees and crew, and we are working to minimize the disruption.

“Our business is providing great vacations and creating great memories. We look forward to getting back to work as soon as we can.”

The move came shortly after RCCL Chairman Richard Fain released a video about the pandemic.