Norwegian’s Andy Stuart on Turkey, Terrorism, and the Spread of Zika
Suspending its stops in Turkey was a “difficult decision to make” for Norwegian Cruise Line, but it was necessary to ensure guest safety, president and COO Andy Stuart told travel agents in a webinar this week.
“Our strong hope is that this situation improves and guest perception changes, and we can return to what is a wonderful destination,” he said. “It’s such a shame we won’t be calling [there].”
As far as Zika, meanwhile, Norwegian has implemented a new booking policy that allows pregnant women to reschedule cruises going to Zika-affected areas, based on the CDC recommendations.
“We focus very strongly on what the CDC had to say and what their guidelines are,” he said. “They recommend women who are pregnant are the only people who should reconsider their travel plans based on the Zika situation.”
Any agent with a pregnant client can contact Norwegian and receive a future cruise credit that is good for two years or the option to rebook on a different itinerary. In the end, though, Zika only affects “a very small number of our guests and our potential guests,” he said.
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