"We are back"

In the last few month′s I use to see all around the internet the phrase "We will come back". However, today, for the first time I saw the phrase "We are back".

I do not have doubts that the cruise industry will came back, although in the first steep so many new procedures will be implemented on board and shore-side. However, cruises only sail if they have passengers and the main issue of the cruise industry is that due to the negative work of the media around cruises, costumers have a near-hysterical fear that its ships are synonymous with disease. They are not, but it is going to take time and effort to change this mentality.

For companies and countries, there is a big financial leak between Apr - Sep 2020. We are talking about 5 months that the cruise industry is reporting billions of loses. This impact is also big to some countries, when we think that the cruise industry represent 12% of the GNP of Spain last year. And it’s the "new" cruise market - Asia that will face more impact. Last January, Singapore was the busy hub of Southeast Asian cruises with four big companies making daily calls. More than 4 million passengers made cruises at China, and more than 50% of them were first travellers. Japan was the number one destination, with almost 2700 cruise calls in 2019, followed by China, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.

If in 2013, just 860 cruises were being offered in Asia, last year they doubled to 1,900. In the same period, passenger capacity soared nearly three times from 1.5 million to 4 million cabins. This is a super power economy. The same scenario we have at the Caribbean’s and in Europe where the cruise industry already restarted operations. This industry is always helping, and employing people especially if they are located in isolate areas of the globe. 

So how can cruise lines convince consumers that, after some cruise incidents involving the COVID-19, they are clean and safe? Important players, are planning a comeback, I believe so. However, there are plenty with an interest in making this multi-billion dollar industry flourish again.

Having as reference the last updated UE rules to resume the cruise industry, some vessels will face more problems, starting with some preliminary issues like the ventilation that will need adjustments and the veranda cabins that are recommended. The companies with new vessels will focus on getting more revenue on board or from shore excursions and sailing with fewer passengers. I'm afraid that if with all this situation cruises could be again only for passengers from a high class. This is the reverse way that the industry was following, as during the last years cruises were not only for some persons but with prices accessible to all. Are all this passengers that will generate economy by itself.

I do not have any doubt that cruise industry will recover. I do not have any doubt that crewmembers will make their best to keep the vessels clean & safe, as crewmembers will face the highest challenge of their careers. I do not have any doubts that ports and cruise companies will work together in shore-side security, in security corridors, disinfection plans and others plans. However, we must promote this reality. There are people working to bring this industry back and safer than never.

After COVID, cruising will be a renewed, cleaner, greener and more customer-focused industry. That can only be a good thing for its future and ours.

#weareback

Jorge Ferreira