The question many people will be asking themselves is whether this is the time to be booking a cruise … or any other foreign travel come to that. And for others, the question will be whether to cancel a cruise that has already been booked.
With the jury out on how bad the situation is going to get, it is understandable that people are being a bit cautious, and in the same boat I would be cautious too.
It doesn’t help that a cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, has been at the very forefront of media attention as the story has unfolded since China owned up to the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan in December.
The numbers of deaths and infections in the country have been growing but its quick response has certainly helped contain the situation and the number of cases elsewhere in the world are relatively few. Only one death has been reported in Europe to date – an 80-year-old man from China’s Hubei province while on holiday in France.
The trouble is that fear can become more contagious than the virus itself, which is why cruise lines are currently struggling to sell cabins, especially for Far East itineraries. All Diamond Princess cruises to the end of April have already been cancelled.
And the plight of passengers on Diamond Princess, and Japan’s failure to contain the situation on the ship which remains quarantined off Yokohama, is fuelling the fear factor.
Top of page: Diamond Princess under quarantine in Yokohama. Above, at sea; inset, the coronavirus
The story began with one infection on board and has since reached in excess of 450 – the largest concentration of coronavirus cases outside mainland China – despite thousands of passengers being confined to their cabins.
And with the news now focusing on America airlifting its citizens from the stricken vessel, it is quite understandable why cruising doesn’t look a particularly attractive holiday choice at this precise moment in time.
Not so understandable is people feeling the need to cancel holidays on ships and in regions that, so far, remain virtually unaffected by the coronavirus outbreak.
All cruises to and from mainland China have sensibly been cancelled, but I am booked to cruise from Jacksonville in Florida to Charleston in South Carolina with American Cruise Lines in April and, with no reported instances of the virus in either State, I see no need to panic.
But anyone continuing with their travel plans in the near future can expect cruise lines to be vigilant. When boarding, expect to have your temperature checked, and if it is more than 100.4F accompanied by signs of respiratory illness, you might be denied access.
Ports of call might also screen disembarking passengers for fevers, and some ports are taking no chance and turning ships away if there are any reports of respiratory illness onboard.
On 7 February, on the advice of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), all cruise lines implemented screening, prevention and control programs, with all members denying boarding to all people who have travelled from, visited or transited via airports in China, including Hong Kong and Macau, within 14 days before embarkation.
The CLIA, in a statement, said:
“The health and safety of cruise passengers and crew is and remains the number one priority of CLIA and its member lines, which make up over 90 per cent of ocean-going cruise capacity worldwide.
“In coordination with cruise lines, medical experts and regulators around the world, CLIA and its member lines will continue to closely monitor for new developments related to the coronavirus and will modify these policies as necessary with the utmost consideration for the health and safety of passengers and crew.
“Importantly, the cruise industry is one of the most well-equipped and experienced when it comes to managing and monitoring health conditions of those onboard, with outbreak prevention and response measures in place year-round.
“Furthermore, ships must be fitted with onboard medical facilities, with shipboard medical professionals available around the clock, 24/7, to provide initial medical care in the event of illness and help prevent disease transmission.”
So what about travel insurance? Well it will only provide limited coverage for coronavirus if you bought a basic comprehensive travel insurance after the outbreak was first declared, and cancellation is not covered under most insurance plans unless you purchased a Cancel for Any Reason optional upgrade.
If a cruise is cancelled prior to departure, refunds are likely to be be offered, including for airfare and nonrefundable hotel reservations, but you’ll need to check with the cruise line.
You must be logged in to post a comment.