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

[Rob Lightbody]

A Cunard update about where their ships are / are going to.

From https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/22640-cunard-line-fleet-update.html

Cunard Line has released the following fleet update on its three vessels.

The Queen Elizabeth has disembarked all guests and is currently anchored at the Port of Gladstone.

The Queen Mary 2 is crossing the Indian Ocean on passage back to Southampton, due to arrive April 11 and berth at the QEII terminal.

The Queen Victoria has sailed from Port Everglades and is on her way across the Atlantic back to Southampton, due to arrive March 26. She will berth at the QEII Terminal before relocating to anchorage at Portland.

[Ian Davies]

Cruise ships to the rescue

Report attached. American cruise ships could be sent offshore US cities to provide extra hospital space

https://nypost.com/2020/03/19/trump-says-carnival-offering-cruise-ships-to-help-in-coronavirus-crisis/

[Chris Thompson]

American cruise ships could be sent offshore US cities to provide extra hospital space

Considering the rapid spread of the Virus on the Diamond Princess is this really a good idea??
Also wonder what is going on with that ship, marine tracker still shows her in Yokohama, must be a miserable life for the crew as I'm sure they cannot go ashore....

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Considering the rapid spread of the Virus on the Diamond Princess is this really a good idea??
Also wonder what is going on with that ship, marine tracker still shows her in Yokohama, must be a miserable life for the crew as I'm sure they cannot go ashore....

As far as I know, Yokohama is the home port of the Diamond Princess, and again as far as I know the crew all disembarked quite a while ago. Although perhaps there are some basic crew on board to look after her while she is stranded, so to speak...

[Rob Lightbody]

Flabbergasted to read this this morning, and that the ship embarked passengers so recently.

Business Insider: Passengers, crew exhibit flu-like symptoms on Holland America cruise - Business Insider.

https://www.businessinsider.com/holland-america-cruise-zaandam-passengers-crew-flu-symptoms-2020-3

[skilly56]

It looks like Princess Cruises must have the least efficient testing, checking & reporting system as normal fit-out on all their ships.

When Ruby Princess was in NZ waters, many pax were taken ashore in Akaroa Harbour for scenic tours around Christchurch & Canterbury. The ship then cut the itinerary short and headed for Australia.

Just before arrival there it was reported they may have 3 or 4 'flu' cases on board. Princess Cruises went public the next day and claimed there were NO cases on board at all (which, in hindsight, is probably correct. The cases weren't 'flu' - they were coronavirus!).

Then today, we are told there have so far been around 26 cases of coronavirus confirmed from both passengers & crew, AFTER the 2,700 passengers were permitted to disembark, all untested! Today, 5 new coronavirus cases in ACT Canberra had been directly traced back to Ruby Princess. And it was also reported by 'The Guardian' that 158 cases of illness occurred on the ship before the pax disembarked!

When are the bumbling port and medical authorities around the world going to stop allowing un-tested people off these ships!

Thankfully, NZ is now going into lock down for four weeks (initially).

Skilly

[Rob Lightbody]

Much food for thought here

Don’t bail out the cruise industry
Trump said it’s a ‘prime candidate,’ but there are plenty of reasons not to

https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/23/21187076/cruise-line-industry-bailout-trump-coronavirus-us-companies-tax

Summary :-

They’re not really US companies.
They pay basically zero federal income tax
They’re bad corporate actors.
They pollute the air and oceans
They aren’t necessary.

[Rob Lightbody]

Coronavirus: How did Australia's Ruby Princess cruise debacle happen?

On Thursday, the Ruby Princess cruise ship docked in Sydney with dozens of undiagnosed coronavirus cases onboard.  Almost 2,700 passengers - some coughing and spluttering - were allowed to leave the ship at Sydney Harbour, catching trains, buses and even overseas flights to get home...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-51999845

[QE2forever]

Not really encouraging...

https://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/293104/cdc-coronavirus-survived-17-days-on-diamond-princess-cabin-surfaces/

Viral particle RNA "was found up to 17 days after passengers disembarked the Diamond Princess, but experts don't know if they are viable or not". More info here:

https://www.livescience.com/how-long-coronavirus-last-surfaces.html

[cunardqueen]

Don’t bail out the cruise industry   

As with the airlines, are the CEOs taking any pay cuts, have they halted any payout to the shareholders ? 
If the answer is No. Then Government handouts should in the meantime not perhaps be forthcoming.

A look at BA /IAG and their massive profits and payouts. The Big Boss of IAG has already flouted company policy by having "activities" outwith the office with a member of staff .  With CEOs when the going is good they get all the perks, alas when the going is bad , they should be first to give up the perks. The guy from BA has given up a token sum, but only after pressure.

Look how much some of the US airlines make in extra revenue. Southwest for their Earlybird check in, which l use every time at $15/$20 a flight  allows the system to check you into a early boarding position. They gathered in 2017 $315 million  . They havent released last years figures.  Granted 2 bags fly free so there is no regular baggage fees.     

[Rob Lightbody]

Hundreds of Australians stranded on Norwegian Jewel cruise ship land in Sydney

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/26/hundreds-of-australians-stranded-on-norwegian-jewel-cruise-ship-land-in-sydney

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

The Diamond Princess has been released from quarantine and will be refurbished so as to start service again, possibly, in mid-May :

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/03/26/national/diamond-princess-yokohama/?

[Chris Thompson]

And as for cruiseships locked down at anchor! Just checked a marine tracking site. A lot of ships at anchor off of Floridaand the bahamas, they are the green dots in the attached screen shots.

[Rob Lightbody]

Holland America's Zaandam surprisingly still sailing with unsurprising consequences

'Very scary': pleas for safe harbour from stranded cruise ship near Panama

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/28/very-scary-pleas-for-safe-harbour-from-stranded-cruise-ship-near-panama?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard

[Rob Lightbody]

Hurtigruten's Roald Amundsen caught up in it, even though no cases proven on board.  Countries don't want cruise ships visiting, they're seen as spreaders by the public.  Everyone says that the world will be different after this, and it's hard to argue, but the cruise industry will surely be unrecognisable.

Coronavirus ban: more than 100 Australian doctors and dentists stuck on cruise ship off Chile

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/17/coronavirus-covid-19-australian-doctors-dentists-stuck-cruise-ship-coast-chile?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard