Major cruise ship operators that sail to Bermuda have extended the suspension of fleet voyages into November and December, and some sailings have been pushed back until April.

Cruise ship companies around the world stopped cruise operations in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and many have not resumed voyages.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, yesterday said it is extending a halt on its cruise operations until at least December, with some ships not expected to sail until April. Previously, Norwegian had cancelled sailings until the end of this month.

The company said: “We continue to closely monitor the Covid-19 coronavirus situation and the global health environment. With Covid-19 continuing to impact communities and ports around the globe, we have extended our voluntary temporary suspension of all voyages through November and cruises on Norwegian Star, Norwegian Spirit, and Norwegian Dawn through March 2021.”

Meanwhile, Carnival Corporation, which operates Carnival Cruise Line, has cancelled most of its cruise voyages until January, although it hopes to operate a few sailings in November and December.

And Royal Caribbean, which operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises, has cancelled all sailings up to the end of this month.

A “no sail” order for cruise ships in US waters has been extended to November 1 by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. It said recent outbreaks on cruise ships overseas provided evidence that cruise ship travel continues to transmit and amplify the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19, even when ships sail at reduced passenger capacities.

The CDC also said: “Cruise ship travel markedly increases the risk and impact of the Covid-19 disease epidemic within the United States.

“If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, infected and exposed persons disembarking cruise ships would place federal partners, healthcare workers, port personnel and communities at substantial unnecessary risk.”