the carnival is closed for now
Major U.S. cruise line suspends travel from Galveston through end of year
Houstonians looking to cast off from Galveston on a Carnival Cruise will have to put their plans on hold. One of the nation’s largest cruise liners announced that it has canceled trips from all U.S. homeports, including Galveston — except from Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida — for November and December.
This course change follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) decision to extend its no-sail order for cruise operations due to coronavirus concerns, according to a company statement. On June 22, Carnival had announced that it would cancel all North American travel through September 30.
The company added that guests booked on affected cruises in November and December can receive a future cruise credit or a full refund. Those traveling out of Miami and Port Canaveral have the ability to voluntarily cancel their reservation and receive the same offer.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew and communities we serve remain the cornerstone of our plans and decisions,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, in a statement. “The patience and support of our guests and travel agent partners have been a huge motivation to our team as we have worked through this unprecedented situation and we are dedicated to getting back to operations when the time is right.”
As CultureMap previously reported, Carnival initiated a voluntary 30-day pause in operations on March 13, and has since paused operations multiple times due to the pandemic.
In the same statement, the company said that it continues to work on protocols and procedures that would allow for the resumption of cruise operations, designating Miami and Port Canaveral as the first two homeports for departures.
Texans love the beach. Photo courtesy of Sunflower Beach