Carnival Cruise is making preparations to set sail again starting as early as August 1, 2020. Prior to the pandemic, an estimated 30 million passengers were transported on 272 cruise ships worldwide each year. Cruise ships are often settings for outbreaks of infectious diseases because of their closed environment and contact between travelers from many countries.
More than 800 cases of laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases occurred during outbreaks on three cruise ship voyages, and cases linked to several additional cruises have been reported across the United States. Transmission occurred across multiple voyages from ship to ship by crew members; both crew members and passengers were affected; 10 deaths associated with cruise ships have been reported to date. As of 2 May 2020, over 40 cruise ships have had confirmed positive cases of Codid-19 on board, and one cruise ship remains at sea with passengers on board: Artania, with 8 passengers who are scheduled to disembark at Bremerhaven, Germany, around May 31, 2020.
During February 7-23, 2020, the largest cluster of Covid-19 cases outside mainland China occurred on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, ( 712 confirmed cases and 14 dead) which was quarantined in the port of Yokohama, Japan. On March 6, 2020, cases of the virus were identified in persons on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California, (122 confirmed case and 7 dead.) The Grand Princess was subsequently quarantined. By March 17, 2020, the virus had has spread on at least 25 additional cruise ship voyages.
On February 21, 2020, CDC recommended avoiding travel on cruise ships in Southeast Asia; on March 8, 202220, this recommendation was broadened to include deferring all cruise ship travel worldwide for those with underlying health conditions and for persons aged 65 years or older. On March 13, 2020, the Cruise Lines International Association announced a 30-day voluntary suspension of cruise operations in the United States. CDC issued a level 3 travel warning on March 17, 2020, recommending that all cruise travel be deferred worldwide. The “no sail” order is in effect until the Secretary of Health and Human Services declares that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency, the CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations, or 100 days have passed from April 15, the date the order was extended, meaning July 24, 2020.
It would seem that cruise ships are floating coffins. Carnival Cruise lines plans to resume cruised out of the port of Miami starting in August 1, 2020 with a total of 8 ships. The following ships will set sail, Carnival Dream, Freedom, Vista, Horizon, Magic, Sensation, Breeze and Elation. More appropriate ship names might include, Nightmare, Imprisonment, Dark Sky, Blindness, Curse, Sea Sickness, Stagnant Air, and Depression. I would be curious to sketch on the Carnival Nightmare.
In the future, passengers entering a cruise ship would have their temperature checked with a heat sensor. Boarding passes would be timed to avoid lines entering the ship. With food service there would be sanitation stations and staff serving the food rather than having guests touching the same utensils to serve themselves. The plan would also be to have fewer people on the ship. Passengers would only be permitted to book balcony rooms which would allow them to get fresh air in the case of yet another outbreak. They may only book every second cabin as sell. If there are only about 40% of passengers on board then the whole crew would not be needed as well. Each crew member would have their own cabin rather than being with a roommate. There is no guarantee that the cruise industry will incorporate all these possible changes.
On Friday, May 1, 2020, the US Congress announced an investigation of Carnival Cruise Line’s parent company, Carnival Corporation, over why it did not act sooner to protect passengers and staff. Dozens of people have died and more than 1,500 confirmed Covid-19 infections have been recorded in connection with Carnival’s ships, which saw major outbreaks on the Diamond Princess, the Zaandam (11 confirmed cases, 4 dead) and the Ruby Princess (852 confirmed cases, 21 dead).
At least 17 cruise ship workers are confirmed to have died from suspected Covid-19, on cruise ships, and dozens more have had to be evacuated from ships and taken to hospital. Around the world, more than 100,000 crew workers are still trapped on cruise ships, at least 50 of which have Covid-19 infections, a Guardian investigation has found. They are shut out of ports and banned from air travel that would allow them to return to their homes. At least one cruise line has stopped paying some workers who are trapped onboard. Many nations, including the US, have balked at providing even basic emergency services for these stranded crew members. The CDC is also acting as a roadblock to the Crews safe return home. Though crew have been isolated for more than 30 days, they can not break quarantine. Should a crew member get off the ship, the captain could face jail time.
Though sources vary, there were about 2871 confirmed cases of Covid-19 on cruise ships with 72 dead.