Coronavirus : general discussion focussed on the impact on the cruise industry

[Rob Lightbody]

First cruise ship to retire early?

Marella Cruises is making capacity adjustments and will retire the 1984-built Celebration, according to a company statement.

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22850-marella-to-retire-celebration.html

[Rob Lightbody]

Revealed: 100,000 crew never made it off cruise ships amid coronavirus crisis

Around the world, more than 100,000 crew workers are still trapped on cruise ships, at least 50 of which have Covid-19 infections, a Guardian investigation has found. They are shut out of ports and banned from air travel that would allow them to return to their homes.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/30/no-end-in-sight-100000-crew-on-cruise-ships-stranded-at-sea-coronavirus

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Around the world, more than 100,000 crew workers are still trapped on cruise ships, at least 50 of which have Covid-19 infections, a Guardian investigation has found. They are shut out of ports and banned from air travel that would allow them to return to their homes.

This is extremely sad. Particularly as so many of the crew are the main breadwinners for their families, whom they leave behind in order to help them towards a better future... and if they have caught the virus, they need medical care, which may not be available on the cruise ships...

Most of their home countries probably cannot organise repatriation flights... and in any case, they would need to be able to reach an airport first!

[June Ingram]

At present, the US will not allow any crew of any ship back into the country even though they are citizens.

[Andy Holloway]

I have a friend with HAL and apparently, they [HAL] have moved crew between ships and are now sailing a lot back to their home countries.
HAL are reducing their crews to very essential ones only, hence an awful lot of non essential crew will stop being paid soon.

For obvious reasons that is all i am going to say.

[QE2forever]

First to go?

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/norwegian-cruise-gets-us-400-million-but-isn-t-sure-it-can-survive-1.1431653

[Rod]

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33338/satellite-images-show-armadas-of-vacant-cruise-ships-huddling-together-out-at-sea

[Rob Lightbody]

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33338/satellite-images-show-armadas-of-vacant-cruise-ships-huddling-together-out-at-sea

My goodness - what incredible photos.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

If you tune into NHK Japan World right now (in about 2 minutes) :

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/live/

You can see an hour-long documentary about the Diamond Princess. I am watching!

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

If you tune into NHK Japan World right now (in about 2 minutes) :

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/live/

You can see an hour-long documentary about the Diamond Princess. I am watching!

It was an excellent documentary, well worth watching. Lots of interesting conclusions that will apply elsewhere too.

It will be repeated tomorrow (Monday) at 19.50 GMT (i.e. 20.50 British Summertime) at the same link.

After that, it might stay available as a video on demand for a very short time (a week or so), and I shall post a link if this happens.

[Clydebuilt1971]

There is a plan afoot by the owner of Greenock Ocean Terminal to layup up to 12 cruise ships on the Clyde.

This has met with opposition from the local government as per the article below.

The main issue is the landing of their crew at Greenock to be repatriated but I would have thought that they would be bussed to the nearest mainline rail station or to the airport etc?

All four of Fred Olsen's vessels are currently at anchor in the Forth and have visited port at least once during this period with no issues that I am aware of.
Surely this should be about getting the crew off the ships and home?

Cruise Ship Layups - River Clyde

Gav

[cunardqueen]

Given some of the media reports, the crew might be safer staying on board, rather than setting any feet ashore right now in that area.

God forbid we ever be in that position, but with the option stay onboard and be safe, or set foot ashore with the risks in the area...   

[Clydebuilt1971]

Given some of the media reports, the crew might be safer staying on board, rather than setting any feet ashore right now in that area.

God forbid we ever be in that position, but with the option stay onboard and be safe, or set foot ashore with the risks in the area...

Given I live in this area it is probably prudent for me to point out that sadly most of the deaths in Inverclyde can be attributed to Care Homes which is actually in line with the rest of the country in that respect.
I would suggest that otherwise Greenock/ Gourock / Port Glasgow are faring no worse or better than other towns in Scotland with respect to COVID 19.

Gav

[Rob Lightbody]

If you tune into NHK Japan World right now (in about 2 minutes) :

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/live/

You can see an hour-long documentary about the Diamond Princess. I am watching!

Thanks, will try to catch it!  Enjoy watching NHK fairly regularly, once I discovered we have it!

[Rob Lightbody]

There is a plan afoot by the owner of Greenock Ocean Terminal to layup up to 12 cruise ships on the Clyde.

This has met with opposition from the local government as per the article below.

The main issue is the landing of their crew at Greenock to be repatriated but I would have thought that they would be bussed to the nearest mainline rail station or to the airport etc?

All four of Fred Olsen's vessels are currently at anchor in the Forth and have visited port at least once during this period with no issues that I am aware of.
Surely this should be about getting the crew off the ships and home?

Cruise Ship Layups - River Clyde

Gav

I would have thought, that allowing this would be beneficial for the good times, cruise lines would appreciate the help. 

I don't know how much benefit cruise ships are to the area normally, but they're certainly beneficial to the port, which presumably is a fairly big employer?

Also, after all this, cruising closer to home might be more popular than it was previously.

[Clydebuilt1971]

Hi Rob,

Peel Ports are currently in the middle of a £15m upgrade to Greenock Ocean Terminal which includes a purpose built terminal building and an extension of the quayside to accommodate two large cruise vessels or two large container vessels or a mix of the two.

Work has been stopped for obvious reasons just now.

It is questionable how much Inverclyde itself gains from the cruise industry as a lot of pax are bussed off on excursions but we do see a lot of pax walking up our street (GOT is at the bottom of our street) and in our local bar.

What the effects of COVID19 mean for Greenock and also for the cruise industries as a whole remains to be seen I guess.

Gav

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Thanks, will try to catch it!  Enjoy watching NHK fairly regularly, once I discovered we have it!

It has just appeared as a Documentary on Demand, here :

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/documentary/20200509/4001358/

and should be available to watch until 9 August, so just choose the time that suits you best!

[Rob Lightbody]

It has just appeared as a Documentary on Demand, here :

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/documentary/20200509/4001358/

and should be available to watch until 9 August, so just choose the time that suits you best!

Awesome, thank you.

[Rob Lightbody]

I've watched the first half, but am falling asleep so will continue tomorrow!  It's really superb, I'm learning lots, and there's lots to think about there.  The experiment with the people in the pretend buffet is fascinating

[Olivia]

P&O Ferries are making 1,100 people redundant... 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-52625025