102 Passengers Sick on Princess Alaska Cruise

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several significant developments within the cruise industry. A norovirus outbreak on the Ruby Princess during a twenty night sailing from San Francisco has resulted in illness for 102 guests and 23 crew members. In response, Princess Cruises implemented enhanced cleaning protocols, isolated affected individuals, and transitioned to crew served buffet service. The vessel is returning to San Francisco for deep cleaning before its next voyage. In financial news, Carnival Corporation reported record earnings with 6.7 billion dollars in revenue and 537 million dollars in net income. The company noted that cruise demand remains strong, with customer deposits reaching a record 9 billion dollars. Despite geopolitical tensions affecting some Mediterranean itineraries, booking trends for next year are outpacing previous years. Additionally, the cruise era at Charleston's Union Pier has concluded following the terminal's permanent closure. The Norwegian Jewel was the final ship to dock at the location before the property was sold for redevelopment into a mixed use neighborhood. Future cruise operations in Charleston will relocate to the Columbus Street terminal. Finally, the report notes a general decline in cruise stocks, including Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Viking.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.