Sanctions against the Russians have been joined by several cruise giants – these are travel companies specializing in sea cruises – Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Costa Cruises. According to ATOR experts, they have stopped cooperating with the Russian market, including not making new reservations. However, tourists who have already bought a cruise, but promise that the trip will take place.
“Costa Cruises partners have received a notification from the operator that they will no longer accept applications for cruises from citizens living in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus, as well as in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine,” ATOR said. Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Holland America Line Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line have taken similar steps, but without loud official announcements.
However, Costa Cruises, which took care of the official announcement, directly said that the decision is related to the imposition of sanctions against Russia. “The company complies with the sanctions regime and export controls imposed in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but not limited to sanctions imposed by the United States, Britain and the European Union. We regret to inform you about the company’s decision to suspend the sale of cruises and new bookings to persons residing in Russia, Belarus, as well as in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine,” said Costa Cruises.
However, commenting on the situation for partners, the company Costa Cruises explained the refusal to sell tours to the Russians and the financial risk. A person with Russian citizenship but with a residence permit outside Russia, a bank account of another country that booked a trip to a foreign travel agency can go on a cruise. At the same time, according to experts, Russian contractors are disconnected from the reservation systems of many of these international cruise companies, so they do not have the opportunity to send tourists on cruise on their liners, making a reservation from Russia.
However, Costa Cruises claims that confirmed bookings will not be canceled. However, their implementation will also take into account some unexplained “features of the sanctions regime for payments, refunds and other issues that fall under the restrictions,” said representatives of the cruise company. According to tour operators, whether the tourists who paid for the tour will get on board is a moot point, but it was a fact that Costa Cruises has already refused to board Russian tourists who managed to buy cruises, although it affected only those tourists who bought cruises in early May.
It is unclear how long the “blockade” will last. It should be noted that not all companies supported it. Yes, MSC Cruises has no changes in working with the Russian market – this was stated by ATOR representatives of the tour operator PAC Group.
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