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April 7 updates: Ruby Princess and Celebrity Apex crew screenings, Coral Princess charters, Disney and CroisiEurope delay, Ports of Genoa, PVA resourcesApril 7 updates: Ruby Princess and Celebrity Apex crew screenings, Coral Princess charters, Disney and CroisiEurope delay, Ports of Genoa, PVA resources

In addition to feature story coverage, here's a quick read of some of today’s other coronavirus-related cruise news and announcements.

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Helen Hutcheon, Anne Kaloshand 2 more

April 7, 2020

3 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Keep checking back. This is being continuously updated.

Ruby Princess docks for crew medical assessments

Ruby Princess, at the centre of a criminal investigation, on Monday docked at a grain terminal facility in Port Kembla, just south of Sydney, to allow Australian Border Force and health officers to go aboard.

NSW Police announced the ship will remain there for about 10 days. A statement said this will allow medical assessments to take place and the emergency extractions of seriously ill crew.

It is understood that around 200 of the 1,000 crew on board have symptoms of COVID-19.

‘The crew will not disembark unless in an emergency and approved by the NSW Police Commissioner,’ the statement said. ’The berthing will be conducted under strict health and biosecurity guidelines and will not pose a risk to employees at the port or the broader community.’

COVID-19 cases rise on Celebrity Apex

According to the regional health agency, 217 cases, up from 157 a week ago, have now been registered on Celebrity Apex, still berthed at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire.

Four people have been taken to the hospital, and two are in intensive care. Some days ago, four doctors and five nurses arrived from the United States and have been on board to test all crew.

Coral Princess charter flights

Disembarkation from Coral Princess at PortMiami is contnuing today with an additional nine domestic charter flights scheduled. All charters were arranged by Princess Cruises

Following today’s efforts, approximately 90 international travelers will remain aboard until arrangements can be made to get them home. 

Disney drops Vancouver sailings through June, no word on Europe yet

Disney Cruise Line, which earlier extended the suspension of all new departures through April 28, also notified it will not operate sailings to/from Vancouver, BC, at least through June. No surprise since Canada on March 13 announced cruise ships carrying more than 500 people (passengers and crew) would be banned through June. Vancouver is Disney's Alaska homeport.

As for Disney Magic's Europe season, scheduled to begin mid-May, the line currently hasn't made any changes. Passengers booked on Europe sailings through the July 25 departure can change their reservation up until the day before embarkation and receive a 100% future cruise credit to be used within 15 months of their original sail date. Those booked on July 13, July 18 and July 25  Europe sailings may delay their final payment until 30 days prior to sailing.

CroisiEurope cancels more departures 

The French river cruise company has again extended its canceled sailings, now to May 15. For Africa cruises, the delay is until May 31, apart from Egypt, until May 2, and for Russia, May 29.

Ports of Genoa website

Ports of Genoa created a dedicated area, Coronavirus Emergency Updates, on its website with information about the port authority’s response to the COVID-19 emergency in Genoa, Pra’, Savona and Vado Ligure, including a bulletin of latest developments.

Passenger Vessel Association resources

The Passenger Vessel Association, the national trade association for US-flag vessels, created a COVID-19 resource library to assist members. This is found in the member resources area of PVA's website, divided into two areas.

The government information area includes guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Coast Guard, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Small Business Administration and others. Included are best practices for mitigating the spread of coronavirus and government actions, requirements and limitations on inspected domestic passenger vessels and credentialed mariners.

The PVA member information area covers guidance developed by the association's safety and security committee to address public concerns and implement best practices.

 

About the Authors

Helen Hutcheon

Australasia correspondent

Helen Hutcheon did her cadetship on a shipping magazine and worked in P&O’s Sydney office for seven years as a public relations journalist.

For 19 years she was deputy editor of Travel Week, which was Australia’s leading trade newspaper that covered major local and international industry events.

In 2008 the late legendary Rama Rebbapragada presented her with an award from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd ‘in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the cruising industry.’

In 2010 she won the Neil Frazer Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the cruise industry,’ elevating her to CLIA Australasia’s hall of fame.

She has been the Australasia correspondent for Seatrade Cruise Review since 1997 and for Seatrade Insider (now Seatrade Cruise News) since its launch in 2000.

 

Anne Kalosh

Editor, Seatrade Cruise News & Senior Associate Editor, Seatrade Cruise Review

Anne Kalosh covers global stories, reporting both breaking and in-depth news on cruising's significant people, places, ships and trends. A sought-after expert on cruising, she has moderated conferences around the world, including the high-profile State of the Industry panel at Seatrade Cruise Global. She created and led the acclaimed itinerary-planning case study for Seatrade's cruise master classes held at Cambridge and Oxford universities. She has been the cruise columnist for AFAR.com, and her freelance stories have appeared in a wide range of publications, from The New York Times to The Miami Herald.

Mary Bond

Editor in Chief

Mary Bond is Group Director, Seatrade Cruise a division within Informa Markets and responsible for the Seatrade portfolio of global cruise events, print and online cruise publishing.

Mary is also the publisher and editor-in-chief of Seatrade Cruise News and Seatrade Cruise Review magazine.

Mary has worked in the shipping industry for 39 years, first for Lloyd’s Register of Shipping before joining Seatrade’s editorial team in 1985.

Michèle Valandina

French correspondent

A graduate from Lyon University, where she specialised in foreign languages and American literature, Michèle worked as an interpreter/translator (English, German and Italian) for major international events before entering the diplomatic world for a few years. As a Paris-based freelance travel and lifestyle writer, she has been a contributor to a host of publications and has long specialised in two sectors: cruising and wellness. Her features have appeared in, among others, Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Figaro Magazine, Les Echos Week-end and periodicals dedicated to the MICE sector. She has also featured on radio and TV travel programmes and, since 1992, has been the author of the only French cruise guide, Croisières Passion.

 

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