Cruise Lines Suspend Operations, New Ship Infected, Ports Closed, Shipbuilding Halted Due to the Coronavirus.

Latest Impacts of Coronavirus on the Cruise Industry

Here is the latest round of impacts to the cruise industry due to the Coronavirus.

Here are the happenings of the last 24 hours. 

• As expected, Carnival Cruises has announced a temporary suspension of their US cruise operations effective 3/14/2020.  Cruises are currently expected to resume on April 10, 2020.
• Luxury cruise line, Seabourn Cruise Line has also temporarily suspended operations.
• Cunard Line (A Carnival Brand) WILL continue to sail as planned since their ships are not currently departing from the United States.
• Fred Olsen Cruise’s Braemar is now a ships without a country. The ship has 5 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus. The ship, filled with British cruise passengers, has not found a port that will let the ship enter. The ship, which is registered in the Bahamas, attempted to call at Freeport in the Bahamas but was denied entry. Freeport allowed the ship to remain offshore and to load food and medical supplies but was prohibited from docking. The Braemar is currently sailing north of Nassau toward Florida. With the number of sick people on board -  it is impossible for  the ship can head back to England for a 6-8 day transatlantic voyage.  We will continue to follow the Braemar  as this story develops.
• Unconfirmed reports indicate that there are 3 other cruise ships where passengers are reporting symptoms of the coronavirus and are being tested. It is believed that these ships may be carrying South American and European Passengers and sailing in those regions.
• Carnival Cruises' Carnival Pride, returning from an Eastern Caribbean & Bahamas cruise, is heading  toward the Port of Baltimore, which is closed due to a state of emergency in Maryland. The closure is  due to the coronavirus. It is unclear whether passengers will be able to disembark upon arrival.
• A number of ships pulled into the Port of Miami on Saturday morning unloading their passengers. After disembarking, it is appearing that the ships are heading to Freeport in the Bahamas for layup for 30-60 days.  The ships departed Miami in order to make way for the full complement of cruise ship expected to arrive Sunday AM.  The only ship remaining in Miami is the MSC Seaside on Saturday evening.
• Meanwhile in Cape Canaveral many ships are spending the night tied up pier side. Ships spending the night include the Carnival Breeze, Disney Fantasy, Norwegian Sun, and Norwegian Breakaway.
• On Friday, just 20 minutes before sailing, guests already on board Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sun, were notified that the ship would NOT be sailing and that everyone needed to disembark immediately.  Passengers were given a letter that said the cruise line would reimburse them – after the fact – for money spent in support of lodging for 2 nights.
• Virgin Voyage’s  Scarlet Lady is spending the night docked in Bimini in the Bahamas.
• The MSC Meraviglia is docked at MSC’s Private Island – Ocean Cay Reserve.
•  Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic Is heading toward Gorda Cay – their private island.
• Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Sky is heading toward Jacksonville, Florida for layup.
• Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess remains dockside in Yokohama, Japan;   the Grand Princess remains dockside in San Francisco, California and the Caribbean Princess remains sailing in circles off of Port Everglades.
• Italian Shipbuilder Fincantieri has suspended its shipbuilding activities for 2 weeks. Construction of new cruise ships has been placed on hold temporarily from March 16 to March 29, 2020.

Concerning Ports of Call –

• Spain is under a state of emergency and has closed their ports to all cruise ships.  This has significant impact to the cruise industry, since Barcelona is a major cruise embarkation port. The only cruise ship dockside in Barcelona is the Allure of the Seas.
• President Trump has now added the United Kingdom and Ireland to the list of European Countries.

Come back frequently to get the facts and not the drama.

See prior posts to learn about the prior impacts of theCoronavirus on the Cruise Industry.

 

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