Will Cruise Ship Industry Bounce Back?
Roatan, Honduras – As the Coronavirus pandemic continues on its fourth month, cruisers are left thinking, will the cruise ship industry bounce back? Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Lines have already pushed out sailing dates several times. The recent “No Sail Order” by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has further complicated things, as the cruise industry is losing millions daily.
The Cruise Ship Industry's Impact on Economy
In 2018 alone, the cruise line industry provided for a 52.7 billion dollar impact to the US Economy. The industry affects everything from airlines to hotels in nearby port cities, creating jobs for almost half a million people.
Cruise Lines are not registered in the US or Europe, but places such as the Bahamas and Panama. They save millions of dollars in taxes each year as they fly the flags of these various countries. They also avoid the US and European labour laws by registering their ships in these countries, allowing for cheap labor.
Then you have the devoted cruiser. Cruise vacations have a huge fan base. Just visit one of the Facebook cruise groups or pages and you will get a sense of how loyal cruise line passengers are to cruising. Believe it or not, some are willing to disregard the current situation just to go on a cruise.
“We have been sailing for 180 years and we look forward to many more,” says Simon Palethorpe, Cunard’s president. “We will get through these tough times together and look forward to welcoming our guests back on board again soon, when the time is right.”
With ample liquidity and devoted fans, you can expect the cruise ship industry to bounce back soon enough.
