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Norwegian calls off voyages on 8 ships, marking first mass cruise cancellation due to omicron

 The Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl returns early to PortMiami on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, because crew members were infected by COVID-19.
PEDRO PORTAL PPORTAL@MIAMIHERALD.COM
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Miami Herald
The Norwegian Cruise Line Pearl returns early to PortMiami on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, because crew members were infected by COVID-19.

Norwegian Cruise Line canceled voyages on eight cruise ships, nearly half its fleet, after one of its ships on Wednesday returned early to Miami due to a COVID-19 outbreak among crew members.

It’s the first mass cancellation of cruises by a major global cruise line since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, when cruise lines abruptly halted and didn’t operate for over a year. The rapidly spreading omicron variant that emerged in the United States in late November has hammered the cruise industry, as well as many other business sectors. Norwegian said certain ships only will stop sailing the remainder of January, while others will suspend trips through late April. Miami-based

Norwegian, the world’s third-largest cruise line, operates 17 cruise ships. All booked passengers will get a full refund plus a certificate for a future voyage.

Read more from our news partner at The Miami Herald.

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Anna Jean Kaiser