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

[Clydebuilt1971]

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

I know it isnt an option but wouldnt it be good to get QM2 out into open water and "give her the beans"?
See what she can do 17yrs after her original trials!

Just dreaming - sorry

Gav

[cunardqueen]

So what can they now do with the 3 ships, Tie them up and turn the engines off, deep clean them ? or just what do you do with ships with no passengers?

   

[skilly56]

The Ruby Princess has just departed Port Kembla (Aussie) with over 200 'mild' cases of the virus on board, heading for Manila, where there are already 6 large cruise ships anchored (including 3 Princess ships and Queen Elizabeth). Queen Elizabeth's Alaskan cruises have just been cancelled - we were doing that one in July, but cancelled 5 weeks back. P&O Australia are refunding our dollars in 4 weeks (so they say).

I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be closer to the end of the year or even next before cruising slowly starts getting underway again - all very well to fill a ship with healthy passengers and go sailing off on a cruise, but what happens if some passengers unknowingly contract the virus in the first port of call and bring it back aboard? And the world suddenly has another 'Ruby Princess' on it's hands? The cruise company would have some serious explaining to do. It is nice being retired, but I don't want to become just another statistic!

About three years ago I was on a ship with 60 crew. One flew in from Europe to join, and unknowingly bought the measles with him. He was quickly isolated, and the next morning the remainder of his department turned too with red felt-tip dots plastered all over their faces! We had to feel sorry for him, but had to laugh as well - we weren't dealing with a possible fatality.
We were at sea for 6 weeks (seismic ship) and he spent the entire time locked in his cabins - when he had spent a week in one, we then put him in the cabin next door, then incinerated all his bedding from the first one. Fortunately, we had lots of bedding!

Skilly

[Thomas Hypher]

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.

In follow up to this, I have seen on social media that at least some of the cruise ships are leaving port or their anchorages in order to make fresh water, which of course has several vital uses onboard. I would imagine this is what QM2 has done on her brief foray besides "stretching her legs" so to speak.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

The Ruby Princess has just departed Port Kembla (Aussie) with over 200 'mild' cases of the virus on board, heading for Manila, where there are already 6 large cruise ships anchored (including 3 Princess ships and Queen Elizabeth).

The plight of a musician stuck on board the Ruby Princess...

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/irish-musician-stuck-on-cruise-ship-in-sydney-feels-forgotten-1.4232525?

[Rod]

https://apnews.com/1534addd5ef237377acd1b46ffa81e95
Well done to the teenagers!

[Rob Lightbody]

https://apnews.com/1534addd5ef237377acd1b46ffa81e95
Well done to the teenagers!

Wow! They'll not forget that in a hurry!

[Rob Lightbody]

A Cruise Liner Captain’s Perspective on Recent Events

Commodore Christopher Rynd (retired) is the Chairman of The Nautical Institute, SE Australia.

https://www.maritime-executive.com/editorials/a-cruise-liner-captain-s-perspective-on-recent-events

[Twynkle]

In follow up to this, I have seen on social media that at least some of the cruise ships are leaving port or their anchorages in order to make fresh water, which of course has several vital uses onboard. I would imagine this is what QM2 has done on her brief foray besides "stretching her legs" so to speak.

Hi Thomas

Just as a matter of interest - as well as increasing the water supply, don't the ships also need to sail so that the hull is kept free from barnacles etc?
Anything stuck to the hull can slow the speed and cost more in fuel as well as time...
See you soon!
Rosie

[Thomas Hypher]

Hi Thomas

Just as a matter of interest - as well as increasing the water supply, don't the ships also need to sail so that the hull is kept free from barnacles etc?
Anything stuck to the hull can slow the speed and cost more in fuel as well as time...
See you soon!
Rosie

Probably, but as Andy mentioned above a short jaunt out to sea mostly tootling about at low speed likely won't be as effective as sailing at the usual passage speeds for 100s or 1000s of nautical miles, but it would be better than nothing I'd imagine.

[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.