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Two NCL ships cancel cruises, Regent world cruise altered

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From left, Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Getaway and Seven Seas Mariner
In last-minute changes due to the rapidly evolving Omicron variant, Norwegian Getaway's Jan. 5 cruise is canceled while Norwegian Pearl's current sailing is ending after just two days, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises' world voyage is significantly altered.

The changes are voluntary. All three ships are among the 94 currently designated 'yellow' in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's color-coded status, which means an investigation is triggered. A vessel may be determined to be 'yellow' if a threshold of 0.1% or more passengers have tested positive in the last seven days, or if even just one crew member tests positive.

Norwegian Pearl's 11-night cruise cut short

Norwegian Pearl, which embarked Monday at PortMiami on an 11-night Panama Canal cruise to Panama City, is turning around and due to arrive back in Miami Thursday. The ship has not called at any other ports. The rest of the voyage is canceled.

Norwegian Getaway's nine-night cruise canceled

And Norwegian Getaway, whose current cruise is due to end at Miami Wednesday as scheduled, will be sitting out its next sailing, a nine-night voyage to Curaçao, Aruba and the Dominican Republic. NCL today informed customers and travel partners of the 'difficult decision to cancel ...  due to COVID-related circumstances.' A full refund will be given (or, if paid with a future cruise credit, that will be automatically reapplied to the customer's account). In addition, NCL is offering several special discounts for new bookings.

Jan. 14 is the next scheduled departure date for both ships.

Seven Seas Mariner's world voyage changes

As for Regent's world cruise, Seven Seas Mariner passengers were notified today that the world cruise embarking Jan. 5 from San Francisco would be altered.

Regent is in the process of securing four new itinerary segments, all departing from Miami following the initial 18-night Panama Canal voyage from San Francisco to Miami.

Proposed new segments

The subsequent proposed segments are a 21-night grand Caribbean voyage round-trip Miami (Jan. 23), a 31-night grand Caribbean voyage round-trip Miami (Feb. 13), a 25-night Amazon sailing round-trip Miami (March 16) and a 25-night Panama Canal journey, Miami to San Francisco (April 10).

Regent provided a detailed draft of each segment for passengers' consideration and noted each is subject to change.

Travelers who choose to continue on the new 120-night itinerary will get a 30% refund. Those who shorten their voyage at the end of a cruise segment will get a refund for the nights not sailed plus a 15% refund. Those who cancel will get a full refund.

Seatrade Cruise News reached out to NCL and to Regent for additional information and clarification after-hours on Tuesday so it may be Wednesday before the lines are able to respond.