Last week, the Canadian government announced a ban on cruise ships that carry at least 100 passengers until at least February 28, 2022. This has profoundly affected Disney Cruise Line and other cruise operators sailing to Alaska.
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The official announcement says, in part:
Today, the Minister of Transport, Honorable Omar Alghabra, announced two new Provisional Orders, which prohibit recreational vessels in Canadian Arctic waters and cruise ships in all Canadian waters until February 28, 2022. This means:
- Leisure vessels in search of adventure are still prohibited from entering Arctic waters.
- Passenger ships carrying more than 12 people are still prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast.
- Cruise ships with more than 100 people are still prohibited from operating in Canadian waters.
All cruise ships in the Disney Cruise Line fleet – Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic, and Disney Wonderful – each carries well over 100 passengers.
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Today, Inside the Magic confirmed with the Disney Cruise Line customer relationship line that reservations for all upcoming Alaska cruises have been suspended at this time.
Passengers who have booked 2021 Alaska cruise staterooms have not yet been notified of itinerary cancellations, but no new reservations are currently available. Disney is aware of Canada’s new restrictions and is currently monitoring how it will affect the Disney Cruise Line’s Vancouver port and several Alaskan ports of call.
Due to this new ban on cruises in Canada, Disney is likely to have to cancel the entire 2021 Alaska sailing season, which runs from May to September annually. The popular cruise season was also canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cruise industry was devastated by the pandemic and the cruise division of The Walt Disney Company is no exception.
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This means that Disney Cruise Line will not be able to offer an Alaskan shipping itinerary until at least May 2022, marking three years without visiting Alaska. Disney last sailed to Alaska in 2019 due to the cancellation of the 2020 season.
What is the current status of Disney Cruise Line?
Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) canceled their “Sailing Prohibition Order” on October 31, 2020, Disney Cruise Line has not yet returned to the high seas – and may not be able to for a long time.
Related: VIDEO: Disney Cruise Line adapts to pandemic
As part of the CDC’s navigation structure, all cruise lines are required to obtain conditional navigation certificates for all ships in their fleets. This means that a variety of pandemic health and safety protocols must be in place and test cruises must take place before paying passengers are officially allowed to board.
At the moment, none of the Disney ships has returned to normal operations. If you are interested in changing an existing cruise reservation for a later date or learning more about credit offers on future cruises, please contact Disney Cruise Line directly.
Disney’s first Triton-class ship, the Disney Wish, is still scheduled to make its maiden voyage in the summer of 2022.
Stay tuned to Inside the Magic for the latest news from Disney Cruise Line and tell us what you think about three years without DCL Alaska cruises in the comments!
If you’re interested in booking a Disney Cruise Line vacation, let the Academy Travel team of experts help you plan every magical detail. Whether you want to visit Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, in the Bahamas, or if you’re planning an epic European adventure inspired by Frozen, they can help you every step of the way.