FILE PHOTO: Cruise ships are seen docked at Miami port as the tourism industry is affected by the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Miami, Florida, U.S., March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
Aug 5 (Reuters) – U.S. cruise operators have agreed to voluntarily suspend ocean voyages until at least Oct. 31, an industry body said on Wednesday, as new COVID-19 infections continue to surge in the country.
The Cruise Lines International Association said its members, which include the three biggest U.S. cruise operators Carnival Corp, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd and Royal Caribbean Group, would revisit a possible further extension on or before Sept. 30.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a no-sail order for all cruise ships through next month’s end.
The cruise industry has been among the worst hit by the pandemic, with ships in Japan, Australia and California making headlines for the spread coronavirus cases onboard.
On Monday, Norway stopped all cruise ships with more than 100 people on board from disembarking at its ports after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported on a ship, operated by Norwegian company Hurtigruten, that had already disembarked at the port of Tromsoe. (Reporting by Mehr Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020.
Updated: November 17, 2020 (Originally published August 5, 2020)
This article contains reporting from Reuters, published under license.
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Carnival Corp cut its annual profit forecast on Friday, as higher fuel costs pressure the cruise operator's margins amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Cruise operators face choppy waters as rising oil prices lift fuel costs, with analysts warning Carnival Corp CCL.N could take the biggest hit to its 2026 profit as it is the only major U.S. cruise line that does not hedge fuel.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has ordered three new cruise ships from Fincantieri—one each for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises—with deliveries scheduled for 2036–2037. The deal secures valuable European shipyard capacity through 2037 and brings NCLH’s total orderbook to 17 vessels, supporting a projected 4% annual capacity growth through the next decade.
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