Carnival suspends Princess Cruises for two months

Carnival said its Princess Cruises business would withdraw its 18 ships from operation for two months in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision will affect cruises due to depart from 12 March to 10 May, the FTSE 100 company said. Customers on a cruise ending in the next five days will sail as planned so that travel arrangements are not disrupted. Cruises due to end after 17 March will end at the most convenient location.

Princess's ships have been the scene for outbreaks of COVID-19 coronavirus that have left passengers stranded at sea. The Diamond Princess was quarantined in Japan in February. Eight people died and more than 700 were infected on what a passenger said was a "petri-dish. On 10 March the Grand Princess docked in Oakland, California, after being kept off the coast of San Francisco for five days with more than 3,000 people aboard.

Princess will offer customers the chance to transfer 100% of the money for a cancelled cruise to a future cruise with a "generous future cruise benefit" towards an additional trip departing on or before 1 May 2022.

Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, said: "It is widely known that we have been managing the implications of COVID-19 on two continents. By taking this bold action of voluntarily pausing the operations of our ships, it is our intention to reassure our loyal guests, team members and global stakeholders of our commitment to the health, safety and well-being of all who sail with us."

Carnival shares fell 22.5% to £12.13 at 13:06 GMT.