# Cruises Ship Crews and COVID - 19 **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [May 3, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258 "2020-05-03T12:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/1 "2020-04-24T14:20:21Z")
The Viking Sky is heading to Aalesund, Norway for hot layup. ETA tomorrow morning [https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4232279/mmsi:259186000/imo:9650420/vessel:VIKING\_SKY](https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:4232279/mmsi:259186000/imo:9650420/vessel:VIKING_SKY) She is first of several Cruise ships expected to be laid up in Aalesund in the next few weeks. Already three of the Hurtigruten ships are laid up here: ![K4_1 (6)](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/gcaptain_maritime_forum/original/2X/f/fad986acc50ff512f2c94d04d01e110ff9b0ae14.jpeg) While a forth one, the Spitsbergen has moved to Fiskerstrand shipyard, preparing for the start of the Svalbard cruise season, which has been delayed: > **[The start of Svalbard’s cruise season is canceled](https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/travel/2020/04/unique-luxury-expedition-ship-was-supposed-have-her-maiden-voyage-longyearbyen-today)** > > 2020 was the year when many new-built luxury polar classed cruise ships were supposed to bring wealthy tourists to the Arctic. The start of the season couldn’t be worse. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 10:02am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/2 "2020-05-02T10:02:21Z")
One of these awful US based Cruise Lines (RCL) is planning to spend $100 Mill. to build a new Cruise Terminal in Galveston: > **[Royal Caribbean gets more time to commit to new Galveston terminal](https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/royal-caribbean-gets-more-time-commit-new-galveston-terminal)** > > The Port of Galveston is giving Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. another year to commit to building a $100m cruise terminal. Will now be delayed by at least a year because of the present situation. ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/3 "2020-05-02T15:20:40Z")
> **[Cruise Law News | Walker & O'Neill Law Firm | Admiralty Law, Cruise Ship...](https://www.cruiselawnews.com/)** > > "Everything the cruise lines don't want you to know" is the motto of this award winning maritime law blog authored by Miami lawyer Jim Walker. ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/4 "2020-05-02T15:59:43Z")
> [@ombugge](#): > > The Port of Galveston is giving Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. another year to commit to building a $100m cruise terminal. Out of the goodness of its corporate heart I’m sure. Funny how they don’t talk about who pays the other $65 million plus terminal maintenance plus dock improvements to handle the bigger ships and all the other infrastructure crap supported by the state and local taxpayers. All in all, not a bad deal for Carnival’s tax free bottom line. > **[Galveston Port Invests $100M for Third Cruise Terminal](https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/texas/articles/2019-12-12/galveston-port-invests-100m-for-third-cruise-terminal)** > > Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and the Port of Galveston have approved a $100 million lease agreement to build a third cruise terminal at Pier 10 in Galveston. > **[Port Of Galveston Signs Contract For New Terminal | NewsRadio 740 KTRH](https://ktrh.iheart.com/content/2020-01-03-port-of-galveston-signs-contract-for-new-terminal/)** > > A massive new terminal opens late this year in Galveston to house a massive new cruise liner. ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:05pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/5 "2020-05-02T16:05:39Z")
Let’s go back just a couple of years and see what the cruise lines contributed to America: > **[Senate Republicans take aim at cruise tax exemption: Travel Weekly](https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise/Senate-Republicans-take-aim-at-cruise-tax-exemption/307023)** > > The cruise industry's long-standing exemption from taxes on most U.S. income is under assault again, but this time the fire is coming from an unlikely direction: Republicans in the U.S. Senate. > **[Miami's Cruise Industry Gave $23,500 to Senator Who Stopped New Cruise Tax](https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/miamis-cruise-industry-gave-23500-to-senator-who-stopped-new-cruise-tax-9888119)** > > Next time you see a cruise ship at PortMiami, consider this: Because of a loophole in the U.S. tax code, the companies that rake in billions of dollars each year selling cruises to Kid Rock fans and spring breakers pay no corporate income tax. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/6 "2020-05-02T16:16:14Z")
> [@Steamer](#): > > All in all, not a bad deal for Carnival’s tax free bottom line. Carnival?? The article says RCL. > [@Cruise ship news](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruise-ship-news/51176/35): > > Because of a loophole in the U.S. tax code, the companies that rake in billions of dollars each year selling cruises to Kid Rock fans and spring breakers pay no corporate income tax. Maybe the fault lays with US law (and legalized corruption) not with the corporations (cruise lines, drilling contractors and others) that take advantage of the loopholes?? ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:23pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/7 "2020-05-02T16:23:08Z")
> [@ombugge](#): > > Carnival?? The article says RCL. Sorry, I read about a cruise line scheme I instantly think of Carnival. > [@ombugge](#): > > Maybe the fault lays with US law (and legalized corruption) not with the corporations (cruise lines, drilling contractors and others) that take advantage of the loopholes?? Yeah, and robbery not the fault of the scumbag who robs a liquor store, it’s the fault of the guy who owns the store. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/8 "2020-05-02T16:31:37Z")
Yes I notice that you have a special “hater” for Carnival and don’t distinguish between Cruise Lines. (US based or not) Robbing liquor stores are obviously illegal. It is not the same with taking advantage of legal loopholes. (That is why loopholes are created) ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/9 "2020-05-02T16:35:15Z")
> [@ombugge](#): > > Yes I notice that you have a special “hater” for Carnival and don’t distinguish between Cruise Lines. Only the FoC pseudo American parasites. I lump them all in the same holding tank of excrement and oily waste they keep getting caught dumping. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/10 "2020-05-02T18:24:06Z")
> [@ombugge](#): > > (US based or not) You forgot the last bit of my statement. Non-US based Cruise Lines counts too- ---
**Author:** ![SeaEagle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seaeagle/32/17788_2.png) [@SeaEagle](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SeaEagle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/11 "2020-05-03T01:28:18Z")
Just read where three NWC Lines ships are heading for Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Hampton Roads. Docking to begin Monday 5/4/2020. “Bliss, Encore,& Spirit.” Minimal crews of about 175 each. Calling it an extended stay. All crew to stay on the vessel as recommended by CDC and to be enforced by US Customs and Border Patrol. WVEC13 News in Norfolk put the story out. Says they are coming up from Florida. ---
**Author:** ![portofdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@portofdc](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/portofdc)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 2:50am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/12 "2020-05-03T02:50:10Z")
Well, Portsmouth is the terminal they just closed due to underutilization with COVID going on. So at least they Should make some money off of it. > **[Citing coronavirus, Port of Virginia to close Portsmouth Marine Terminal for now](https://www.pilotonline.com/news/health/vp-nw-coronavirus-port-virginia-portsmouth-marine-terminal-20200416-kbbvid74wbfphgh5sqhkqbgr4q-story.html)** > > Ships will go instead to the port's two other nearby container terminals, Virginia International Gateway and Norfolk International Terminals. ---
**Author:** ![SeaEagle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seaeagle/32/17788_2.png) [@SeaEagle](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SeaEagle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/13 "2020-05-03T03:19:53Z")
PMT was very slow well before the virus thing, they do need the business. Just didn’t think it would be that kinda business VIG and, NIT doing bulk of the work. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 11:25am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/14 "2020-05-03T11:25:53Z")
Still thousands of crew members stranded on cruise ships around the world: > **[Thousands of cruise ship crew members remain out at sea](https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/thousands-of-cruise-ship-crew-members-remain-out-at-sea/2361218/)** > > "Everyone's got cabin fever. We've been confined to our cabins now for two weeks," said Seabourn Cruise Line employee Ryan Driscoll. ---
**Author:** ![DeckApe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/deckape/32/1271_2.png) [@DeckApe](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/DeckApe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/15 "2020-05-03T12:06:46Z")
@ombugge Why do they insist on debarking (in the cruise ship vernacular) crews in ports where the CDC order applies? Why not go to an underused international airport in The Bahamas or Aruba or elsewhere? Why the ‘woe-is-us we can’t offload in Florida’ act? There’s got to be a score of Caribbean countries they can strong-arm and threaten who would take their ‘healthy’ crew ashore for repatriation. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![SeaEagle](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/seaeagle/32/17788_2.png) [@SeaEagle](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SeaEagle)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:12pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/16 "2020-05-03T12:12:08Z")
Don’t believe they are debarking. (For now) In for stores, water,maintainence,etc. according to the article. ---
**Author:** ![Kennebec\_Captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kennebec_captain/32/13_2.png) [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/17 "2020-05-03T12:14:52Z")
> [@DeckApe](#): > > There’s got to be a score of Caribbean countries they can strong-arm and threaten who would take their ‘healthy’ crew ashore for repatriation. The method that the cruise lines use to “strong-arm and threaten” when ports and local governments refuse to cooperate is to simply say “do what we want or we will take our business elsewhere”. In the case of disembarking passengers that might have a highly infectious and possible deadly disease that threat apparently doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![DeckApe](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/deckape/32/1271_2.png) [@DeckApe](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/DeckApe)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:22pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/18 "2020-05-03T12:22:31Z")
> [@Cruise ship news](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruise-ship-news/51176/47): > > In the case of disembarking passengers that might have a highly infectious and possible deadly disease that threat apparently doesn’t work. Understood. I’m responding to the article @ombugge linked. It talked about stranded crew unable to get home because of the CDC: > Carnival Cruise Line said it has more than 10,000 healthy crew members on board their ships and is planning to have them home to their respective countries over the next week. Roughly 10,000 crew have already been repatriated, the company said in a press release. > > Part of the reason crew members have been unable to disembark and travel home is a conflict regarding guidelines issued by the CDC, a situation first reported by The Miami Herald. ---
**Author:** ![ombugge](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/ombugge/32/11217_2.png) [@ombugge](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/ombugge)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/19 "2020-05-03T12:26:05Z")
> [@Kennebec\_Captain](#): > > In the case of disembarking passengers that might have a highly infectious and possible deadly disease that threat apparently doesn’t work. The problem doesn’t exisist. The last passengers were disembarked in mid/late March. Now it is “surplus” crew that is left on board. ---
**Author:** ![Kennebec\_Captain](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/kennebec_captain/32/13_2.png) [@Kennebec\_Captain](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Kennebec_Captain)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 12:26pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258/20 "2020-05-03T12:26:48Z")
I’d be the same in the case of passengers or crew. The cruise ship lines can’t leverage that threat in this environment. [Next page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/cruises-ship-crews-and-covid-19/55258.md?page=2)