From "Luxury Travel" to "Pandemic Hotspot": Cruise Faces Mass Booking Cancellations

41 More COVID-19 Cases Confirmed on Cruise Ship Docked at Yokohama Port
Experts: "Prolonged Interaction in Confined Spaces Creates Environment for Easy Virus Spread"
Travel Industry: "Cruise Travel Bookings Canceled One After Another... Negative Impact Across the Industry"

On the 6th, the large cruise ship "Diamond Princess," where a cluster of novel coronavirus infections occurred, docked at Yokohama Port south of Tokyo, Japan, to load necessary food and supplies during the quarantine period. Japanese health authorities announced that 10 additional patients were confirmed on the cruise ship, where 10 infected individuals had been identified the previous day. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] On the 7th, 41 additional infections were confirmed on the cruise ship, a 'cluster infection' site of the novel coronavirus in Japan. This brings the total number of confirmed cases on this cruise ship to 61. Fortunately, among the 14 Korean passengers aboard the cruise ship, no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus have been reported yet.

As a result, voices in the industry are emerging that cruise travel will be significantly curtailed. Especially since thousands of people must stay inside the cruise ship for a long time while it floats on the sea, the enclosed structure increases the possibility of virus spread. This recent case in Japan has become a representative example, turning the cruise ship's image from a 'fantasy luxury travel' to being called a 'floating Petri dish' and the like.

Moreover, there are concerns that if confirmed cases occur at sea, emergency evacuation is difficult, increasing the risk of missing the so-called 'golden time.' Additionally, since all passengers are trapped inside the ship and it is impossible to predict the date they can disembark, worries are mounting.

On the morning of the same day, Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Kato held a press conference and announced that there were 41 more additional infections on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess," which is docked at Yokohama Port in Kanagawa Prefecture. Previously, 10 people were confirmed infected on the 5th and 6th respectively.

The first confirmed case among the passengers on this cruise ship was an 80-year-old Hong Kong resident who disembarked in Hong Kong during the journey that departed Yokohama Port on the 20th of last month, stopping at Kagoshima Prefecture, Hong Kong, and Naha in Okinawa Prefecture, and returning to Yokohama on the 3rd.

Earlier, the Japanese government conducted virus tests on 273 people who had close contact with this Hong Kong resident, as well as those who had close contact with people showing symptoms such as fever and cough.

Quarantine is being conducted onboard for approximately 3,000 passengers of a large cruise ship in Japan where cases of the novel coronavirus infection have been reported. [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Novel Coronavirus 'Breeding Ground' Cruise Ship…Industry "Inevitable Impact"

As the cruise ship is being pointed out as a breeding ground for the novel coronavirus, the industry reports that the number of people using cruise ships has decreased.

Concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus infection are problematic, but the anxiety that the cruise ship's characteristic enclosed space increases infection risk is also influencing this trend. As a result, the industry is reportedly experiencing deficits due to ongoing cruise ship reservation cancellations.

A representative from travel agency A, specializing in overseas travel such as Thailand, said, "Cruise ships involve living in limited and enclosed spaces." He explained, "If the novel coronavirus is confirmed on the cruise ship, everyone on board becomes a contact person."

He added, "Especially because cruise ships have many multinational guests, it is practically difficult to know who has visited which country."

He further explained, "Because of this, people are vulnerable to diseases and spend a lot of time at sea. Although helicopter evacuation is possible in case of emergency patients, the initial response is delayed, increasing the likelihood of missing the golden time."

In fact, Asahi Shimbun analyzed that the 'rocking narrow space' spread the infection inside the ship. Professor Kaku Mitsuo, an infection prevention expert at Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, pointed out, "Many people touch handrails installed to prepare for the ship's shaking, which can spread infection."

He analyzed, "Compared to general spaces, the corridors on ships are narrow, making it easy for passengers to come into contact with each other, increasing the probability of infectious disease spread."

Amid concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection known as 'Wuhan pneumonia,' the travel agency counters on the 3rd floor of the Departure Hall at Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport showed a quiet scene in the morning. The photo was taken on the 29th of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Impact of Novel Coronavirus, Negative Effects Across the Travel Industry

According to the industry, cruise ship reservation cancellations are continuing. A travel agency representative said, "Currently, many cruise ship reservations are being canceled," adding, "Besides cruises in the US or Europe, cruises around Southeast Asia often follow routes passing through Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Thailand, which has dampened consumer sentiment."

He continued, "Some customers are canceling cruise reservations due to concerns about novel coronavirus infection. From the travel agency's perspective, deficits are continuing. Especially travel agencies hosting home shopping programs often conduct multiple regional promotions simultaneously, resulting in deficits."

Not only are cruise ship reservation cancellations a negative factor, but the entire travel industry is suffering from the adverse effects of the novel coronavirus.

Hana Tour, the country's top travel agency, saw a 62.2% decrease in sales of China travel products last month compared to the same period last year. Mode Tour also experienced a 32.7% decrease in sales of China travel products last month.

Hana Tour's total overseas travel product sales last month were 187,000, down 49.7% from the same period last year. Japan decreased by 85.8%, Southeast Asia by 19.1%, South Pacific by 20.8%, Europe by 22.2%, and the Americas by 24.2%, showing a decline in travelers to almost all continents.

Mode Tour's total overseas travel product sales also decreased by 23.4% last month.

A representative from a travel agency mainly handling Southeast Asia said, "The impact of the novel coronavirus is more serious than expected," adding, "In some travel agencies, 90% of travel product reservations have been canceled." He explained, "As a result, financial difficulties have arisen, and the number of travel agencies that cannot provide refunds and are closing is increasing."

He continued, "The problem is not only China; other regional travel agencies also consider the situation risky and are reluctant to even use airports," adding, "Due to confirmed cases in Thailand and deaths in the Philippines, more than 90% of travelers to Thailand and the Philippines have canceled their travel reservations."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare decided to transfer the 41 confirmed infected people to medical institutions not only in Kanagawa Prefecture, where Yokohama is located, but also in nearby Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, and Shizuoka Prefectures.

The Japanese government has anchored the cruise ship in front of Yokohama Port and is checking the health status of all passengers on board, ordering them to stay inside the ship for about two weeks considering the incubation period.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.