The No Sail Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to expire on September 30, and as of now, no further updates have come from the organization.
By Liz Sharples and Kokho Jason Sit (*) – On Sunday the first major cruise ship to take to the Mediterranean in almost five months sailed out of the Italian city of Genoa. Passengers on the MSC Grandiosa were tested for coronavirus before stepping on board. The ship – which has brought in an array of strict measures to limit the spread of the virus – will stop at three Italian ports and the Maltese capital Valletta in a seven-day voyage. But will these measures be enough to help the sector survive the pandemic? A lot is riding on the success of this Italian cruise.
The novel coronavirus is becoming a financial and public-relations nightmare for the cruise industry, from failed quarantine attempts on ships to passenger lawsuits and a stream of cancellations.
Coronavirus concerns have pushed the US$ 45 billion cruise line industry to cancel trips and reroute ships as it struggles to contain the impact from fearful travellers. But experts say the industry will bounce back after the outbreak is contained.
On advice from the Cruise Lines International Association and health officials, Carnival Cruise Line has announced new restrictions due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This also comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency as the virus continues to spread not just in China but around the world and the numbers keep on going up.
Chilean cruise operators have sent a letter to the administrators of the port of San Antonio warning that if the intermittent service stoppages continue the companies they represent will have to take drastic measures. The current social turmoil and upheaval which has expanded to most of the country are distorting the normal functioning of the economy.
A succession plan for the CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line has been in the works for several years, said Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian’s parent company. It was announced on Tuesday that the current CEO, Andy Stuart, will be stepping down from his post at the end of this year.
Tucked away in the south-west of Singapore, at Sembcorp Marine’s Tuas shipyard, Royal Caribbean’s 15-deck Voyager of the Seas cruise ship is getting a US$97 million facelift.
Uruguay will be hosting at the end of the month, September 26/27, the VII edition of the Regional Encounter of the Cruise industry and Fluvial nautical tourism, organized by Uruguay's ministries of Transport and Tourism the Ports Administration and county governments from Maldonado, Montevideo and Colonia.
The Italian brand of Carnival Corporation & plc, this week officially took delivery of Costa Venezia, its first ship designed specifically to offer the best of Italy to the Chinese market. Costa Venezia is part of an expansion plan that includes a total of seven ships being delivered to the Costa Group by 2023.