Nothing Could Stop the Cruise Industry — Then Came Coronavirus
Photo Credit: The Diamond Princess in Yokohama, Japan. Princess Cruises, owned by Carnival Corp., is at the center of the coronavirus fallout. Princess Cruises
Skift Take
The cruise industry has weathered a lot of bad news unscathed. But the coronavirus crisis seems different. This could be a seminal moment for the industry — and not in a good way.
On Saturday, after Vice President Mike Pence met with cruise industry executives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, it's easy to imagine the industry breathing a sigh of relief.
“The American people value our cruise line industry, it brings great joy and great entertainment value for Americans,” Pence said. “We want to ensure Americans can continue to enjoy the opportunities of the cruise line industry.”
But it was just a day later when already choppy waters got worse. The State Department and Centers for Disease Control both issued their own directives telling U.S. citizens not to travel on cruises, particularly if they have underlying health conditions. The State Department added that citizens who did decide to embark on a cruise should not expect to be evacuated if things go wrong.
The about-face was a massive blow to an industry that has long benefited from flying under the radar when it comes to critically informed media coverage, government regulation, and consumer out
