The cruise industry will struggle through this crisis – after all a lot of jobs are at stake – particularly in third world countries. 
True, usually overcrowded cities in Europe are going to enjoy a rare tourist free summer this year – and I am fairly certain some will want to keep it that way.
The threat then seems mostly aimed at the monster ships with more than 6000 pax and thousands of crew to boot. Princess Cruises’ faces a particular hurdle will the Ruby Princess now labelled the most hated ship in the world. So what to do?
If the decision is made to keep the ship, I would (assuming the legal battles have faded from the headlines) have the MD firstly again express his sincere apologies – and then outline what will happen to the ship.
People will need to be convinced it has been firstly isolated at sea and completely fumigated for a month – then stripped back to the bone and everything replaced – carpets, curtains bedding kitchens – everything. It needs to be out of action for 12 months and as part of the complete renovation – then renamed and moved out of the Princess Cruises’ fleet.
P&0’s next move should be to take the lead in announcing a raft of new cruise industry health safety regulations (the checklist should include temperature checks for all boarding pax – a doctor’s certificate declaring recent flu victims are cured and safe..the list rolls on.) We also need a guarantee that if any infection flares up the ship will be placed in quarantine and not allowed to head off on the next scheduled cruise.
I can hear the medical team saying no one can eliminate norovirus – well that’s just not good enough. The industry needs to find the answers and soon. People deserve better than to depart on the trip of a lifetime aboard a ship that is a known health hazard. Finally, the cost of medical services onboard – how many people don’t see the doctor because of the crazy prices? I am not talking about serious cases like a heart attack – but cabin info should include the line “Feeing sick? Think you might have a temperature? Please call our friendly medical team.
The visit will be free.” Medical teams also need to be re-trained. One of our sons had norovirus on a RCL ship – we phoned the clinic and the obviously overworked nurse said something along the lines of: “Look we are back in Sydney in three days – just tell him to get some diarrhea tablets at the shop.”
Written by Ian McIntosh
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