In updating guidance today, they said: ‘The Foreign & Commonwealth Office advises against cruise ship travel at this time. This is due to the ongoing pandemic and is based on medical advice from Public Health England.

‘The government will continue to review its cruise ship travel advice based on the latest medical advice.

‘If you have future cruise travel plans, you should speak to your travel operator, or the travel company you booked with, for further advice.

‘The Foreign & Commonwealth Office continues to support the Department for Transport’s work with industry for the resumption of international cruise travel.’

Previous advice issued on March 12 had said that British nationals aged 70 and above, and those with underlying health conditions, should not travel on cruise ships.

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.’