When the International Air travel looks all set to start It recovery, cruise travel remains banned in most parts of the world, posing a bleak out look for the cruise industry this year.
Leading Cruise player recorded an adjusted net loss of 3.9 billion during year 2020, reflecting in the catastrophic effort Covid 19 has had on the Cruise industry. The concept of stay on board a cruise vessel few weeks or months with passengers from different destinations is considered risky in the present Covid 19 climate conditions. The nature of Cruise industry would mean that it would be one which meaningfully start it’s recovery only last.
Most cruise operations were cancelled once Covid 19 was recognised as a global pandemic. Major Cruise operators such as Royal Caribbean,,Norwegian cruise and Princess cruise have suspended booking until June 2021. The prolonged suspension of cruise services are costing the the Cruise vessel Owners a fortune. It is understood that it cost the Cruise liner Royal Caribbean cruise a whopping Usd 250 million to 290 million a month to keep the flag flying without any revenues.
What is critical now for the recovery of the Cruise Industry is to have a flexible booking policies instead of the rigid policies followed in the past, where passengers can either gain cruise credit,ammend their booking or just have the power to cancel their booking if the Covid 19 pandemic continue to wreak havoc on future travel plans.
Currently, any negative press release will have the ability to tarnish the reputation of the Cruise companies further, all at a time when the Customers will need to feel confident of their bookings. In future, highly publicised news about the outbreak of Covid 19 on board a passenger vessel on it’s scheduled voyage, will adversely effect the Cruise industry, prolong the recovery and would send some of the companies over the edge.
