March 2020 | Aft
FINAL WORD
Spreading good news with the bad Sam Ballard looks at the cruise industry’s response to the coronavirus outbreak It probably hasn’t failed to get your attention but in the past few weeks the cruise industry has been making headlines around the world. Coronavirus has killed well over 2,000 people. Chinese cities have been shut down and travel bans are in place. It also caused some high-profile cases of ships on Asian itineraries being quarantined, in particular Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess and Holland America Line’s Westerdam. Both are extremely different cases. The decision by the Japanese government to quarantine guests on board the ship was controversial. Diamond Princess was held in Yokohama from February 4, while Westerdam was rejected from five ports despite no trace of the virus having been found. After guests were allowed off in Cambodia, a woman tested positive, while four guests are reported to have died after being quarantined on Diamond Princess. This is a horrific case for everyone involved. We know that the cruise
industry comes under a huge amount of scrutiny anyway and that, coupled with the coronavirus, created the perfect media storm. What has been remarkable, however, is the dedication of the crew who have managed to keep guests’ spirits up during what must have been an extraordinarily stressful situation. My Twitter feed has been full of pictures of Diamond Princess passengers’ messages, left on cabin doors outlining their gratitude to crew (if you haven’t seen them then check out the Twitter hashtag #HanginthereDiamondPrincess). Remember, the crew themselves are also quarantined, with many having to stay on board despite finishing their contracts. Despite this, they have been delivering special Valentine’s Day meals and recording entertainment to play on guests’ incabin entertainment systems. The response from Princess Cruises’ headquarters has also been textbook. Company president Jan Swartz has
been visible throughout the episode – informing crew about developments, explaining announcements from the Japanese government and giving them two months’ of paid leave after they were released from quarantine. The fact she was in Yokohama to greet guests and crew as they came off the Diamond Princess is also very good management. These episodes are never easy. However, as an industry with a presence in virtually every country in the world, there will always be a danger that cruise gets caught up in geopolitical events. It’s how companies respond to them that will be judged by the global media and, more importantly, customers. As agents it’s important to help dispel rumours and fear-mongering when you can. Be an ambassador for the industry. Learn the facts and when customers have questions make sure you can assist them with real information. In this case, despite the tragedy, cruise has proved itself to be an industry leader once again.
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