YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 19: The Diamond Princess cruise ship which is anchored at Daikoku Pier of the Yokohama Port is seen prior to quarantined passengers disembark on February 19, 2020 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. Only passengers who had tested negative and showed no symptoms of infection, such as fever or coughs, were allowed to leave. Among the 3,711 passengers and crew, 542 people were found to be infected with the new coronavirus as of February 18, although nearly half of them displayed no symptoms. Authorities said 2,404 people took the virus test and that 25 people are in serious condition. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
YOKOHAMA, JAPAN - FEBRUARY 19: The Diamond Princess cruise ship which is anchored at Daikoku Pier of the Yokohama Port is seen prior to quarantined passengers disembark on February 19, 2020 in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. Only passengers who had tested negative and showed no symptoms of infection, such as fever or coughs, were allowed to leave. Among the 3,711 passengers and crew, 542 people were found to be infected with the new coronavirus as of February 18, although nearly half of them displayed no symptoms. Authorities said 2,404 people took the virus test and that 25 people are in serious condition. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)
The Asahi Shimbun/Getty Images
CNN  — 

The Covid-19 pandemic continues to hit the travel industry hard – especially cruise ship operators.

Case in point: Princess Cruises has announced it is canceling all its sailings worldwide until mid-December with only one notable exception.

All sailings in Asia, the Caribbean, California, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, South America. Antarctica, Japan, and Tahiti/South Pacific will stay on pause, the company said in a news release Monday.

“We share in our guests’ disappointment in canceling these cruises,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president, in the news release. “We look forward to the days when we can return to travel and the happiness it brings to all who cruise.”

CDC’s no-sail order in the US

These dates go far past the no-sail order date set by the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, which expires on September 30.

That order, extended on July 16, suspends “passenger operations on cruise ships with the capacity to carry at least 250 passengers in waters subject to US jurisdiction. It was originally set to expire on Friday.

The exception

There’s one country in the Princess line-up that’s been scheduled an earlier reprieve: Australia.

The cruise line said all trips in and out of Australia on their ships Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess and Sun Princess can resume on October 31.

What happens when cruise ships retire

Refunds

Princess announced a refund policy for people who had already booked a cruise with them.

Your options depend on whether you’ve paid in full or put down a partial deposit. Princess is offering financial incentives to rebook at later date, or you can request a full refund at this link.

You must send in requests for a full refund by August 31 or you’ll automatically be registered for what Princess calls the “Future Cruise Credit” option.