Foreign Office tells ALL tourists not to go on cruises due to coronavirus risk

Britons have today been urged to avoid travelling on cruise ships due to coronavirus, despite blanket advice against all non-essential foreign travel being lifted.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has today issued a statement advising holidaymakers against embarking on cruise ships, over fears of the spread of Covid-19.

The government had previously urged over-70s today avoid sailings.

It also comes as the government's the blanket advice against all non-essential foreign travel was lifted for dozens of destinations on Saturday.

The FCO say the new position comes following advice from Public Health England.

It has promised to 'continue to review' its position and insisted it 'continues to support the Department for Transport's work with industry for the resumption of international cruise travel'.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has today issued a statement advising people against embarking on cruise ships, over fears of the spread of Covid-19. Pictured: The world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas, in Malaga Spain, 2018

The travel advice means many holidaymakers with future bookings risk having their trips cancelled.

Rory Boland, editor of consumer magazine Which? Travel, said: 'The FCO's advice against cruise ship travel will lead to most upcoming cruises being cancelled or postponed.

'Most cruise holiday customers should be legally entitled to a cash refund within 14 days under the package travel regulations, but as we've seen across the travel industry recently, operators facing a surge in refund claims are often taking longer to return customers' money to them.

'If refunds will be delayed, cruise companies must urgently let customers know and give a clear timetable for when money will be returned.

'The FCO should also extend its warning to include a definitive date, to give operators and customers clarity over when it will be safe to rebook.'

In March, the FCO advised Britons aged 70 and over, and those with some underlying health conditions, to avoid cruise ships.

The UK's biggest cruise line, P&O Cruises, has suspended all sailings until mid-October.