Due to staffing challenges, Princess Cruises canceled 11 cruise trips aboard its ship, DIAMOND PRINCESS. This marked a delay in the vessel’s return to service after the disruption caused due to the pandemic. Passengers affected by this are offered a replacement cruise or a refund.
The canceled cruises were from San Diego and were scheduled to embark from September 2nd through November 13th. The cruise line has stated that this would provide them with the time needed to overcome these labor shortages. Passengers are being offered either a complete refund or a switch to an equivalent cruise, with an added benefit of each passenger being offered $ 100 of credit, which they will be able to spend on board.
This is not the first time the parent company of Princess Cruises, Carnival Corporation, has been forced to cancel cruises. P&O Cruises, another subsidiary of Carnival, canceled cruises aboard its ship, ARCADIA, from April to July of 2022 due to labor shortages. Carnival Cruise line is also suspending amenities aboard its cruise ship to cope with the staffing problems, including the closure of Italian specialty restaurants, reduced menu options, and cancellation of activities such as grand tea and the chocolate buffet.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.