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

[Lynda Bradford]

Welcome home QM2 and well done to Cunard and the ship's crew who have kept QM2 virus free for the whole World Cruise.   

[Thomas Hypher]

Welcome home QM2! Very unusual to see her at City Cruise Terminal, which would offer a wonderful close up view from the neighbouring Mayflower Park! What a treat to those using the park for their quarantine exercise!

[Rob Lightbody]

This is a very moving piece, that aligns a real story with the timeline we've lived out in this topic from January.

'Nobody wants us to dock': how coronavirus wrecked one couple's dream cruise

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/14/nobody-wants-us-to-dock-how-coronavirus-wrecked-one-couples-dream-cruise

[Rob Lightbody]

Is the cruise industry finally out of its depth?

Accidents, pollution, exploitation… cruise firms were in murky waters even before Covid-19

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/19/is-the-cruise-industry-finally-out-of-its-depth

[Lynda Bradford]

Interesting article worth reading, especially about other issues, such as pollution the cruising industry is responsible for and the working conditions for crew. 

However, it is not just the cruise industry that will be under threat, but the whole tourism industry.  We are already reading about remote areas having signs posted for tourists to stay away and not spread the virus. 

Seeing cities that are normally tourist hotspots now empty because of the current Covid-19 lockdown, gives us food for thought about the protests that have been made about the number of tourists visiting cities (throughout the world).  Locals complain that apartments are being purchased and rented out instead of being available for local to purchase. In Edinburgh, it is busy to saturation point, not just at festival time but for most of the year. 

We enjoy our cruises/holidays - it may take time for the tourism industry to recover and perhaps it is the time to reconsider what benefits cruising companies give to the places they visit, the conditions on cruise ships and the hygiene of passengers e.g. sneezing into your hand is not acceptable. 

[Rob Lightbody]

This is a more upbeat article.

Coronavirus journey: The 'last cruise ship on Earth' finally comes home

The three last cruise ships still sailing with passengers will dock today - and one has had quite the odyssey.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-52350262

[Rob Lightbody]

Queen Mary 2 is on her way somewhere, doing 19 knots. Presumably it's a trip to nowhere to get out of the way?

https://twitter.com/towing_man/status/1252558433577992193

https://twitter.com/JasonSi83366536/status/1252613575971127297

https://twitter.com/RMSQueenMary2/status/1252610784888328192

[Thomas Hypher]

She is down to around 8 knots, passing the IoW off Ventnor. Probably just stretching her legs, as QV has been doing, before returning to Southampton.

[Twynkle]

Hi Thomas,
Isn’t she moving so as to try and keep her hull clear of barnacles.
Once growing, they slow down the ship, and cause a great deal of expense fuel-wise.

[Thomas Hypher]

Hi Thomas,
Isn’t she moving so as to try and keep her hull clear of barnacles.
Once growing, they slow down the ship, and cause a great deal of expense fuel-wise.

That could be one reason, although I'd imagine that would be more of an issue in warmer waters such as in Dubai (as evidenced by QE2's underwater hull, albeit in a static role).

[Andy Holloway]

Hi Thomas,
Isn’t she moving so as to try and keep her hull clear of barnacles.
Once growing, they slow down the ship, and cause a great deal of expense fuel-wise.

Having sailed half way around the world to get home, I'd expect that she would have shed far more rubbish off her hull than a few hours sailing up and down the Channel.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Cluster infection on the Costa Atlantica in Nagasaki.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200422_33/

She is undergoing repairs there and has 623 crew on board, but no passengers. 33 of the crew members have so far tested positive.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/22/national/nagasaki-coronavirus-cruise/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_23_04_2020)#.XqC4kS97H6A

Note also the last paragraph, mentioning the Diamond Princess going back into service...

Update on 26 April : More infections on board the Costa Atlantica.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/25/national/coronavirus-outbreak-cruise-ship-nagasaki/?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_26_04_2020)#.XqYhMy-w36A

[Rob Lightbody]

Watching Queen Mary 2 wandering around in the sunshine with no passengers is making me want to be on board more than anything.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I wonder whether the fact that crews are now usually of such mixed nationalities complicates matters too... In one of the cases mentioned above somewhere (apologies for not remembering where...), it became a real problem to help all of them make their way back home, when each country had different regulations about incoming air traffic and many airports were closed altogether.

Would it make things easier if crew members were mostly recruited from one country or a much smaller number of countries?

[June Ingram]

One particulate reference was to crew from India as the borders were closed.  I do not know if they are still closed.