Where WERE all the EMPTY cruise ships during the Pandemic?

Editorial Summary

Chris Rain examines the global distribution of cruise ships during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. He explains the concept of warm or hot lay-up, where ships remain active and require personnel to operate. Initially, cruise lines kept vessels near their home ports to facilitate a quick resumption of service. However, as delays extended, ships were moved to various global clusters. The creator identifies several major groupings, including fleets anchored off the coast of England, clusters in Italian ports, and ships located in the Mediterranean near France. He notes that the MSC fleet is particularly spread out, with vessels located as far as South Africa. In the Atlantic, large groups of Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity ships are anchored near the Bahamas. The video highlights the Philippines as home to one of the largest clusters ever seen, hosting 28 ships including vessels from Cunard and Holland America. Additionally, the creator observes that while many international ports host these laid-up ships, Australian and New Zealand ports remain unusually empty of cruising tonnage due to local bans.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.