Diamond Princess in Yokohama before the crisis (Photo credit: Princess Cruises)
On Wednesday, March 11, during an evening press conference, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced a vaguely worded 30-day travel ban from the Schengen countries in Europe to America. The ensuing chaos that has resulted has already caused two cruise lines to beach their fleets.
Viking will halt operation of its entire 79 strong fleet of ocean vessels and river boats until May 1. Princess Cruises will suspend the operations of all 18 of its cruise ships for a 60-day period. Other lines are canceling individual voyages, and still others are considering the approach taken by Princess and Viking.
If Wednesday was a very bad day for cruise lines, it's just the latest in a spate of challenging news from the global pandemic of Covid-19, or coronavirus, that has caused unprecedented change. Over the past few months, cruise lines began reacting to the spread of the disease in China, which then began affecting other Asian countries. Scared ports of call are closing to any cruise ship visits. Italy is experiencing a tragic spread of the disease and has closed the country to cruise traffic. Just this afternoon, Spain announced it, too, would close, and industry watchers are keeping a close eye on the Netherlands, France and Germany as well.
But it's last night's presidential announcement that's thrown the cruise industry's state of affairs into even starker challenges. Fllghts from the Schengen countries will halt as of Friday (except for England and Ireland, which are not included in the 30 day travel ban as they are not part of Schengen). As the first transatlantic cruises towards Europe have already departed, this could cause drastic consequences for returning U.S. cruise passengers who would face a mandatory 14-day quarantine in the U.S. upon their return. Viking's Sky, for one, recently set off for Barcelona; it is turning back and returning to Miami.
Beyond disruptions, this unprecedented cancellation of cruises, for up to 60 days in the future, has created another challenge: Where will the empty ships wait it out? And what will happen with existing sailings, particularly world cruises, that are in the middle of their itineraries?
Currently we have taken a look at cruise ship positionings around the world, via Marinetraffic.com, and here is what we have learner for now:
– Viking Sun is currently in the Indonesia waters during its 245-day World Cruise.
– Sapphire Princess, which will skip its summer program in China is currently at the Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore and after docking will head to Australia. Sister ship Diamond Princess is still moored at Yokohama, Japan after its coronavirus outbreak and evacuation.
– Costa, the largest cruise operator in Asian waters, has ships out of service in various ports: Costa Atlantica, Costa Serena and Costa Venezia papers to be docked at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries facility out of Nagasaki, Japan.
– Dream Cruises, which is among hardest hits cruise lines during the outbreak and operates two newish vessels, has suspended all is cruises. Normally sailing out from Singapore and various ports in Hong Kong and China, the company had docked Genting Dream in Langkawi, Malaysia. Sister ship World Dream departed today from Salalah, Oman and is heading towards the Red Sea.
– Crystal Cruises, part of Genting Hong Kong, will end its World Cruise early in Fremantle, Australia as all ports on its itinerary after Australia are closed or closing.
– Royal Caribbean International canceled the China program on its newest vessel Spectrum of the Seas and redeployed it in Australia.
