The ultimate nightmare. Being stuck on a ship with passengers having a deadly virus, and not being allowed off anywhere. This is going to be good for their bookings.

https://thehill.com/policy/hea...to-coronavirus-fears

A Holland America Line cruise ship on Tuesday was refused entry to Thailand over fears of coronavirus. This is the fifth port to deny the ship to dock despite no cases of the virus having been confirmed on board the ship.

Holland America Line tweeted Monday that its MS Amsterdam ship would be disembarking in Bangkok for travelers to head home, but on Tuesday the Thai health minister refused the ship’s entry.

“I have issued orders. Permission to dock refused,” Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reportedly said in a Facebook post.

“We are aware of the reports regarding the status of Westerdam’s call to Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand,” Holland America Line tweeted Tuesday. “We are actively working this matter & will provide an update when able. We know this is confusing for our guests and their families & we greatly appreciate their patience.”

Four other countries or territories have denied entry to the ship, including ports in Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines and Guam, Bloomberg News reports, citing the World Health Organization.

Thai Deputy Transport Minister Atirat Ratanasate said in a Facebook post the country would “gladly help providing fuel, medicine and food,” although the ship is not allowed to dock in the country's port, Reuters reports.

A separate cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, is quarantined in Japan and has a total of 130 confirmed cases on board as of Monday.

Coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China, and has spread globally to more than a dozen countries.

More than 1,000 people in mainland China have died from the virus.

Certainly looks like the cruise industry that we have known for years is now dead.

This virus will burn around the world and be unstoppable, and just be part of regular life like the common cold or common flu, only worse.

I cant imagine that the cruise industry can not die based on current events. We take 1 to 2 cruises a year on average, and I flat told the wife "HALT!!" on any cruise vacations until further notice.

The family is supposed to leave on a Hawaiian cruise next Thursday.

They had a woman on the radio today calling from the ship in Japan. They have to stay in their rooms, unless they are in an interior stateroom, then they get a short period to go up on deck each day - with restrictions on how close they can get to each other and what routes they can take. Food is delivered, laundry is picked up outside your door. If anyone gets a fever or cough - the Hazmat suit brigade comes and takes them off the ship.

It is hard to imagine the cruise industry coming back from this - but if this dies out, it ends up being such a small % of the people on cruises it might be forgotten.

We hear all the time about cruises coming back with large numbers of people infected with stomach bugs, and that hasn't seemed to stop people from going - but then again, they aren't trapped in their stateroom 24 hrs a day!

Tarl Warwick, the Yourube political commentor Styxhexenhammer666, referred to the ship trying to land its passengers in Japan as "The Yokohama Plague Ship" (see 2:15). [NSFW for Language...NSFW for Language...]

Death of the cruise industry, NO, a hinderance yes, but one the industry will overcome. Unfortunately when you have that many different people, from so many different places in the world, confined to a small area (a ship) for that long of a period of time, it is really easy for any disease to spread. Same as on a plane, however, you're not on the plane for the length of time people are on a ship, and people on a ship are visiting many different countries where they can also pick up disease too.

Bump in the road for the cruise industry.

NO

Will be hopping on a Princess boat in May

I expect the major cruise ship companies may increase the number of people at the hand sanitizer stations urging their use.

flashguy

The public in general has the memory of a fruit fly. When the panic over this subsides and the media moves onto the next cataclysmic event the cruise ship industry will breathe a sigh of relief and go back to surprising people with hidden fees/costs etc which is what they do best.

My understanding, they get reimbursed their money from the cruise, get transportation paid back home, and get a voucher for a free cruise.

I never understood the allure of being sequestered on a floating prison with not much to do but drink, eat, and gamble. I have friends that love it, but to me it always seamed like a giant petri dish.

I tried it once with protest. Never again. This outbreak will take its toll on the industry for sure, but people have short memories.

yeah, I've always considered those big ships as like being in jail with a chance to drown

I am however considering a 12 day Viking River Cruise in Europe next year

quote:

12 day Viking River Cruise i

We've always liked the idea of those, but it looks like if you are under 75 you'll stand out!

Not a fan of the giant cruise ships. Crowds and disease, neither on my fun list.

Norovirus is rampant on cruise ships, so much so that it is a punchline. Look at the size of cruise ships, the industry will be fine, though this is a definite speed bump to their long-term success.

Wife and I just did a 3 night Bahamas cruise on Royal Caribbean out of Port Canaveral, left Jan 31 back Feb 3. They did grill us pretty good when checking in about travel to China/Asia and any medical symptoms such as coughing or digestive issues. Other than that all was normal. Lots of hand sanitizer stations and everyone had to wash hands before visiting the buffet which seems to be the norm anyway. Saw a few wearing the face mask but not many. Can't imagine this will have a long term impact on the industry in general, obviously cruises to high infection rate areas might see some changes.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
yeah, I've always considered those big ships as like being in jail with a chance to drown

I am however considering a 12 day Viking River Cruise in Europe next year

We did their Romantic Danube last year and absolutely loved it. The Viking boats are very nice, and their staff is amazing.

I’ve never wanted to go on a cruise for reasons like this. Stuck on a ship with a bunch of people I don’t know and I can’t leave any time I want to, it’s like a custom made hell made specially for me. To me the idea seems like a crazy one. When stuff like this happens I’m glad I’ve never been on a cruise.

I'm with lunchbox, I've never understood the allure of long cruises, with thousands of people.

When there isn't a huge plague burning through, they do let you off the ship at ports along the itinerary.

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:
I never understood the allure of being sequestered on a floating prison with not much to do but drink, eat, and gamble. I have friends that love it, but to me it always seamed like a giant petri dish.

I tried it once with protest. Never again. This outbreak will take its toll on the industry for sure, but people have short memories.