Cruise ships: sailing in the Covid-19 storm
The cruise industry is weathering the worst storm in its history, battling the strong winds of a virus that halted the world’s largest shipping companies.
Firstly it was the Diamond Princess, last February, when it become the center of attention of all media. The largest outbreak of coronavirus on a cruise liner just happened there and as a worldwide novelty quarantine was applied for the first time. A mandatory quarantine of 14 days after 712 people were infected came into effect. The liner was turned into the paradigm of the spread of the virus in environments with high density of people and enclosed spaces. The cruise ship line had also faced the complex task of passengers repatriation to their countries.
Following the events of Diamond Princess, most of the cruise ship lines decided to voluntarily suspend all activity until autumn and with the activity halted, the industry started to face billion-dollar losses. It especially affected the US, a country that loves cruising and conducts from the port of Miami the operations of the the largest cruise companies worldwide. Here in Spain, the situation is also critical due to the cruise industry generates 4.500 millions of euros annually and creates more than 33.000 jobs, now all of them at stake.
Nowadays, coronavirus pandemic has caused an unprecedent impact in the cruise ship industry worldwide and with all ships halted, millions of dollars fall overboard every day. The blow was just too much for some of them and Pullmantur Cruises has filed for bankrupcy against the eventuality of insolvency. The company which was operating with three ships (Sovereign, Horizon and Monarch), made it public on July 22. Pullmantur enjoyed the best year in its history in 2019 but the covid crisis against all odds, destabilized the company.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused an unprecedent impact in the cruise ship industry worldwide and every day, with all ships halted, millions millions of dollars fall overboard.
Adjustment of the largest cruise ship liners
Although the sector has suffered major setbacks, luckily it looks like the storm is abaiting and there are already companies ready to retake their activity. MSC Cruises is today 16 of August slowly coming back into service and restarts his operations in the Mediterranean sea with the ship MSC Grandiosa. On August 29 it will be the turn for MSC Magnifica. These two ships are the first ones in implementing a new operational protocol designed to protect the health of passengers, crew and the ports of call the cruise will visit.
The protocol, obeys the necessary requeriments of the main authorities and follows the regulations established by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), allowing to travel with safety. Some of the new measures include carrying out activities by age group, use of mask in common areas, ventilation in all spaces of the ship and elimination of buffets.
Storms impair our way of working but they might also restructure the world and help to improve processes. It is high time to retake the activity, continue to be guided by healthcare directives and face the challenge of overcoming the storm. We set sail to a new cruise era and security for everyone is the first priority.
MSC Grandiosa inaugural season. Barcelona 2019.
