Cruise Lines Hit Hard First In Pandemic May Have A Plan To Return

Cruise lines have been shut down, with some of the last ships finally being cleared to return to dock.

They weren’t the only ones hit, like airplanes, hotels, and resorts. No one was prepared for it or took it seriously. Due to their contained environment, the disease was contained but would easily spread to those uninfected, contained on the ship. Unlike a city where the general population can interact with someone, and then interact with an entirely different group, people on a cruise ship are locked in.

Cruise lines while being able to maintain their own vessels, do have a couple of issues. The first being the ports of call interactions, and the second being the influx of passengers when they arrive. If they can gauge properly safe initial entry from their passengers, they can keep passengers safe on ships until the first port.

Some of our suggestions that might help the industry:

Compartmentalize their ships guests into blocks.

Prevent cross contamination from guest groups.

Remove buffets from the event.

Pools should be closed down.

Adjusted destinations to those committed to preventing the spread.

Some companies have even been trying to provide deals for people to keep them as customers, or welcome them back.

People with cancelled cruises at Carnival Cruises get 100% future cruise credit, and $300 on board credit for 5 day or less cruises, and $600 on board credit for cruises longer then that.

People with cancelled cruises at Royal Caribbean can get 125% future cruise credit.

People with cancelled cruises at Princess Cruises can get 100% of the cruise fare paid plus an additional non-refundable bonus of 25% of the cruise fee to be spent on non-excursion based items.

All these companies of course put deadlines on when they must use the credit by, or give back full refunds if people would prefer.

In closing, the cruise industry will have to make a commitment to their guests, and the CDC and WHO. With their fluctuating stock market and the loss of customers, this could be the last step for the industry.