New virus cases deal further blow to embattled cruise ship sector

New virus cases deal further blow to embattled cruise ship sector

No sooner had a limited number of passenger liners resumed cruising on the high seas after a hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic that the negative headlines resurfaced.

Over the past few days, multiple ships have confirmed positive tests among passengers and crew for the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

In the midst of lockdowns and travel restrictions globally, cruise lines stopped sailing in March after several coronavirus outbreaks at sea.

In the most high-profile case, more than 710 people fell ill aboard the Diamond Princess while it was quarantined off Japan and 13 people eventually died.

The cruise industry's reputation suffered a nosedive, from which some analysts say it will struggle to recover, given the characteristics that make its ships vulnerable to the spread of the disease.

Thousands of people are required to share relatively small amounts of common space as ships have become ever larger. Many passengers are also elderly, with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) estimating that a third of cruisers are aged over 60.

It doesn't help that news reports routinely refer to cruise ships as "floating Petri dishes," a status also gained from the stomach bug norovirus that has sickened hundreds of passengers in recent years.

Now as the industry, which is said to contribute 150 billion U.S. dollars to the global economy, has taken tentative steps in resuming operations, new coronavirus problems have arisen.

On Monday, the Norwegian line, Hurtigruten, halted all trips after an outbreak of coronavirus on one of its ship – the MS Roald Amundsen – infected at least five passengers and 36 crew.