Three Carnival Ships at Celebration Key + Health Officials Board Cruise Ship

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on several recent developments within the cruise industry. On the Holland America Line ship MS Westerdam, a norovirus outbreak occurred during a 28-night sailing in Asia. A total of 76 people, consisting of 65 passengers and 11 crew members, reported symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Health officials from the Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection boarded the vessel upon its arrival in Hong Kong to conduct inspections and establish a temporary medical station. The ship underwent cleaning before departing for the Philippines. Regarding Carnival Cruise Line, the company has implemented a strategy to dock three ships at Celebration Key in a single day despite having only two available berths. This is achieved by staggering arrival and departure times for the Carnival Mardi Gras, Carnival Pride, and Carnival Elation. Additionally, Royal Caribbean is modifying its beverage packages. Starting March 15, the Deluxe Beverage Package and Royal Refreshment Package will no longer include Coca-Cola souvenir cups or access to Freestyle machines. Guests wishing to use the machines must purchase a cup on board. Finally, the report notes a downward trend in cruise stocks, with Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Viking all seeing decreases in value.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.