President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House, Friday in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Royal Caribbean statement
“Today Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. announced that it is suspending cruising in the United States for 30 days.
“We understand the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the country. And this is our part to play. So, beginning at midnight tonight, we are pausing the fleet's US sailings for 30 days.
“We are reaching out to our guests to help them work through this disruption to their vacations, and we are truly sorry for their inconvenience. We are also communicating with our crew to work out the issues this decision presents for them. We know this adds great stress to our guests, employees and crew, and we are working to minimize the disruption.
“Our business is providing great vacations and creating great memories. We look forward to getting back to work as soon as we can.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that four major cruise ship companies have agreed to suspend trips from the U.S. for 30 days, effective at midnight.
Trump said that Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises all agreed to the suspensions. He said the cruise line industry is a "great and important industry – it will be kept that way!"
The U.S. State Department advised Sunday against any travel on cruise ships, particularly for those with underlying health conditions. The advisory said the CDC has noted an "increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment."
The cruise industry has taken a beating in the stock market since the coronavirus began to spread, and reports of people falling ill and being quarantined on ships surfaced.
Carnival had already suspended its Princess line of cruises for nearly two months. It said 18 ships that had cruises scheduled between March 12 and May 10 would be canceled.
Royal Caribbean announced the "voluntary" suspension earlier Friday, saying it would reach out to people who had already booked cruises.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., which operates the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, said it was suspending all cruise voyages embarking between March 13 and April 11.
MSC said it was canceling all its Caribbean cruises from Miami from March 14 through April 30.
Cruise industry leaders met over the weekend with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vice President Mike Pence and were asked to devise and fund ways to transport any passengers found to carry the virus. Cruise line heads agreed to enhance entry and exit screenings and establish shipboard testing, along with new quarantine standards. Some of the new protocols were expected to start taking effect early this week.
On Friday, shares of Carnival Corp. and Norwegian Cruise Lines posted double-digit gains. Still, Carnival's shares lost more than half their value and Norwegian shares a third of theirs over the course of the week. Their losses for the year to date are even steeper.
The cruise industry provided 1.2 million jobs and paid $50.24 billion in wages and salaries in 2018, providing an estimated $150 billion in global economic impact, according to Cruise Lines International Association, a Washington-based group that represents more than 95% of global cruise capacity.
Comments
TalRussell 4 years, 2 months ago
Comrade PopoulacesOrdinary at large are left get their coronoavirus updates by having to join the Facebook page of we Colony of Out Islands and Cays health minister. In the meantime, Jamaica's prime minister, has just this very moment - declared all of his Colony's likewise dependent upon tourism's Jamaica a disaster zone area amid the Coronavirus. The Jamaican prime minister, also added all travel from the UK to its list banned countries. Is it time to call for influential red shirts to step forward for an Intervention of the health minister? Not making this up. Just, can't.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 2 months ago
Sheer greed and complete disregard for human safety resulted in the cruise lines building bigger and bigger ships, to the point where they cannot both be operated profitably and properly cleaned between cruises. To be competitively profitable these monstrous floating hotels must spend a minimum number of days each year at sea loaded with as many passengers as possible. In other words, to continue profitably operating these gigantic ships they must remain as unclean as possible without detection of their filthiness by the human eye. And that's the conundrum the cruise lines now face as public health officials all over the world are coming to the realization that these grossly over-sized ships cannot possibly be profitably operated safely.
These monstrous floating hotels are doomed by their sheer size alone to always be the ideal breeding ground and transmission environment for harmful and/or deadly pathogens like Covid 19. Hopefully public health officials the world over will now put an end to this industry if the foolish patrons of these cruise lines up to now do not do so themselves. And to think Minnis and D'Aguilar have been working over-time since May 2017 to put all of our country's fragile economic eggs in this filthy and greedy industry's basket.
John 4 years, 2 months ago
And while they make billions in profits, The Bahamas and other host Caribbean countries continue to drown in debt
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
You seriously just sit at home looking for sh-t to make up hey? LOL...
bahamianson 4 years, 2 months ago
now, over due decisions must be made. Gucci or grocery, $9 movie or $15 movie, $1200 cellphone or $200 cellphone, expensive restaurant or wendy's . we can get through this, but logical decisions must be made from the public and the government whom seems to spend more than 10 times the amount of money they have.
observer2 4 years, 2 months ago
Excellent analysis Well muddo.
“The cruise ships currently pay $18 per passenger “head tax” to the Public Treasury, now that rebates ceased from June 30 last year, plus an estimated $3-$4 per head in docking fees. This takes the total levy imposed on them to around $21-$22 per passenger.“ The Tribune.
So the government gets $21 per passenger, the average passenger spends $15 in port. Total $36 per passenger x 10,000 x 365 days per year = $131,400,000 in loss taxes and retail business. Using an economic multiplier of 4 and considering the loss of hard currency to the Bahamas then the impact is $500,000,000.
Assuming a $10 billion economy this will equate to a 5% shrinkage in GDP.
As Well muddo says the business model of these sea monster is to pack as many ppl on each cruise, clean to the minimum standards and dump as much garbage in the ocean where no one is watching and there is zero penalties compared to the recycling.
I would be shocked if the CDC comes out even after CoVID 19 passes in a couple of months and says it is now safe to put 3,500 on a cramp dirty boat.
If these monsters stop operation it will put a dent in sea pollution and global warming.
newcitizen 4 years, 2 months ago
After corona passes (months from now), no one will be getting on cruise ships. The cruise industry will not recover for many years. That part of our economy is gone for a long time to come. Flights are also coming in close to empty now. The stop over passengers are going to be gone for a long time too. This is going to be an economic catastrophe for the Bahamas. Prepare for some dark times.
observer2 4 years, 2 months ago
I agree Newcitizen. This will be an "economic catastrophe" bigger than Dorian for the Bahamas.
As usual, our leaders are not addressing the fast moving events nor have they diversified the economy away for big box tourism projects...which are now "dead in the water". With Dorian knocking out Abaco and Grand Bahama and CoVID 19 knocking out Nassau is this the black swan we were praying never comes?
Some statistics about tourism found on the www.tourismtoday.com website:
1.Just under 50% of all persons in The Bahamas are directly employed in tourism.
If you add those who are indirectly employed in tourism, the percentage increases to 70%.
Tourism provides foreign exchange (US dollars) which allows the government to pay bills
Approximately 1.5 million stopover visitors and 3.5 million cruise visitors per annum. (Canada has advised its citizens to stop non essential travel abroad and to self quarantine for 14 days when you return).
bogart 4 years, 2 months ago
Added to this is the CRITICAL part.commonly known...4. Par value of Bahamian dollar with US is the Bahamian having to keep US reserves kept to maintain stable interuse. 5. Addid is the Bahamian use of US currency to transact merchants purchases of US goods etc. 6. Banking customer transactions medical, school fees etcetc...
John 4 years, 2 months ago
SERIOUSLY??? Being questioned by Wolf Blizer, the governor for Ohio was ask how come they only had 1,000 test kits for such a large population like Ohio. The response was, ‘We believe that there is going to be so many cases of Corona, eventually we will have to stop testing and focus on treatments.’ Wow! Currently the number of cases worldwide doubles every six days.
killemwitdakno 4 years, 2 months ago
You can't expect test kits for a new disease as it's already widespread. You know if you're sick with flu-like symptoms where you'd be doing the same thing anyway.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
Wow. If the shipyard had all three docks operating Freeport would be raking in the dough right now. All these cruise lines will be taking this opportunity to dry dock as many ships as they can during this stoppage.... Damn man. GB just can't catch an effin break....
TheMadHatter 4 years, 2 months ago
The Bahamas as a whole can't catch a break because we have turned our back on God and embraced Voodoo practitioners. As long as they are elevated, Bahamians will go down. Down and down to the very pits of Hell we go, shouting "Equality !!!" all the way.
Porcupine 4 years, 2 months ago
Sorry. Disagree. We have too many praying and not enough thinking. Sometimes they are mutually exclusive. Like now.
TheMadHatter 4 years, 2 months ago
Fine for you to disagree. You have that right. As the country continues to expand the practice of Voodoo, God will send us more hints and more hints such that eventually even the D-Average will understand. Maybe He will send us an earthquake like he sent to them? Does He have the power to do that? We have the power to issue passports and voters cards, while we doubt His power.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
weird post bro. Sorry I don't believe in fairy tales...
TalRussell 4 years, 2 months ago
Word has it that the 7 imported republican strategists and sister Erica - operating out of the PMO are planning the beginning April as the official launch date for the holding of Out Islands wide pre general election campaign rallies for the Imperialists red shirts governing party's House MP's and aspiring election candidates to be introduced to rally the {troops} behind the government's river of nonsense {response} to the new coronoavirus. Uniformed Immigration officers needs sprungs surprise call on PMO? This is just too serious a health and mystery issuance surrounding 7 Work Permits to be making Fake News stuff up. Just, shouldn't.
sheeprunner12 4 years, 2 months ago
For 70 years ……….. we put all our eggs in ONE basket ……… Now, it's time to find some other (straw) baskets.
bogart 4 years, 2 months ago
Good thinking sheeprunner. The reasons among many... is that there are not many other businesses here is that 1. Many politicians look at the nationalist issues and dont want foreigners 2. Some dont seems to want the othet political side to bring in companies that would not benefit their political echlons and cronies. 3. Some gets through and brings in companies with knowingly dertimental effects. 4. Foreign investments are just plain to jump through impossible hoops. 5. Investors dealing with highest costs living in worlds sixth most expensive nation. 6. crime (actually time ago had friend whose house got entered burgulars just short of bedroom door iron door and next day wife told him they are moving and left country and company wound up and closed) 7. Lack seems of seeking possible clients with concerns to diverse economy 8. and on and on...classic non investors example to have some 25% of Mayaguana and almost all the island's beaches and was reversed by following political party
John 4 years, 2 months ago
Coronavirus Live Updates: Trump Says He’s Been Tested and Extends Travel Ban to Britain and Ireland, and France Closes Businesses
New York reported its first death from the virus, and a cruise that departed Florida is hunting for a port after two passengers test positive.
RIGHT NOWFrance will close restaurants, bars and cafés at midnight on Saturday as the number of cases in the country nears 4,500.’
observer2 4 years, 2 months ago
Also, Spain just closed it boarders.
Catholic Church in New York cancelled mass tomorrow.
TalRussell 4 years, 2 months ago
Let's be serious, okay? The memories of we comrades helplessly watching as the rolls toilet papers go flying off store's shelves, and right before we very eyes, just as we're about's reach out grab that last 24 or 48 rolls Jumbo package toilet tissues will become interrupted by a whole new set ordeals to come to we Colony of Out Islands and Cays. Just Pray as this ordeal too shall passes?
John 4 years, 2 months ago
So is that why America is closing shop and hunkering down? China is now accusing the US army of spreading the Corona virus in China. So is the US now expecting some retaliation from China? Is this a trade war gone viral or virus?
John 4 years, 2 months ago
by Joel Gehrke | March 12, 2020 05:10 PM A senior Chinese diplomat accused the U.S. Army of spreading the coronavirus to China hours after his colleagues complained that efforts to assign blame distract from efforts to counter the pandemic.
“When did patient zero begin in US?” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao tweeted Thursday. “It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan.”
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
it happened with the "Spanish" flu... which should have correctly been called the "US G.I." flu.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 2 months ago
I really do hope that this government and all future govts finally get it.
1.We cannot depend on tourism.
2.In time of need the foreign man will flee with his business. All we'll have is Bahamians.
3.They need to get serious about investing in Bahamian owned (not fronted) businesses. Businesses with global reach, ones that are scalable and have links to future trends
4.The PR focus (eateries, landscapers and barbershops) of the sbdc must change so that it becomes the engine to drive #3. Yes there will be risk. That's the nature of knowledge economy startups. Yes there will be some losses. But If we get 5 of these businesses going, we could have a multi billion dollar industry. We don't need to wait for 5 year olds to learn to use tablets. We can get moving today.
The key here is Bahamians must be driving the technology not outsourcing creation to the foreign man.
Please don't listen to whoever advised on the "tech hub", right idea but wrongheaded foreign focused strategy. A complete waste of 2 years that coukd have been full fledged investment in Bahamian human capital.
5.The wasteful spending and overpricing on contracts has to stop immediately
6.Incompetent party loyalists appointed to key positions must be done away with. Who do you want making the decisions that could sink or float the country come Monday morning? Omar Archer?
7.We need a research program in natural remedies. I heard Dr Sands mention something of that nature last year, push that up.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 2 months ago
Just an FYI, cleaning on ALL cruise ships is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week labor. They start the day they are given the ship from the yard that built it and do not stop until the ship is decommissioned.
Yinna really need to stop with these weird conspiracy teeries….
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