Just a lowly steward.
A friend of mine from the UK got married to an American he met working on a cruise ship, she was working as a singer but came from a very rich family so wasn’t there for the money, more for the experience.
Wonderful things happen on cruise ships, it’s a shame everyone just thinks so negative about them. People need enjoyment in life, the maritime industry came up with a solution for this enjoyment, but everyone blasts them for trying to deal with something, even the world leaders and brightest people can’t contain or get a grasp on. No one was prepared to fight an invisible and deadly enemy, but yet it must be because they aren’t American companies or flagged in the USA that causes them to be inferior during these times. Everyone’s argument is that these companies did nothing, so did many work places, cities, schools and countries, no one is at fault, because no one has dealt with something as severe as this. It’s what we do after this that matters.
I think you are missing the entire point. If this were the separate discussion about offering or accepting tax payer bailout, then you’d be correct that there is a fair amount of negative sentiment related around the tax-homes and flag registries of these cruise companies.
But that’s not what this conversation is about. It is about allowing them to resume regular operations picking up, dropping off, and visiting US ports. The CDC has very logical reasons for delaying this, in the name of public health.
Of course people need enjoyment. But with the entire nation and much of the world under social distancing and self quarantine, why do feel cruise ships must hurry up and get open? Everyone I know at home is out of work right now. I’m not hating on those who work for cruise lines, I just don’t think they are more special than anyone else.
I never once stated, they should go back to work immediately. But, I don’t believe the CDC should make that decision and try and put a specified time. I’m sure most companies will know when it’s time. If the CDC puts a no sail on that segment in the industry, then it’s time to think about offshore, airlines, events, etc, etc, that should be under a strict rule of non operating.
That is optimistic and altruistic, but sadly not realistic. Just look at Hobby Lobby and Game Stop. Two giant nation-wide chain stores selling crafts and video games initially argued they were “essential” and not subject to shutdown orders. Most companies will try to make money for their own good, not for everyone else’s.
I agree with you, money will trump everything. Look at ubereats, grubhub and doordash using their monopolistic power to force prices up.
It’s behind a pay wall here. One of the newspapers I subscribe to has an agreement to reprint many articles from the Washington Post but since the waterfront strike of 1952 the paper hates Seafarers, longshoremen, stevedores, the port being in the city, in fact anything Maritime.
Evidently not all of your shipmates share your blind faith in your criminal bosses:
The only thing more dangerous than COVID-19 on those ships is the owners and management and their attitude toward crews, passengers, and ports.
This “event” has made it perfectly clear just how corrupt and filthy the parasitic cruise industry really is. As much as I detest the ambulance chasers that infest Florida, I look at this lawsuit - and the many more to follow - as a means to publicize the stink that follows those ships.
I’d like to see affected passengers file lawsuits to seek compensation for suffering and life endangerment, maybe even class action suits. I expect the cruise lines would try to seek refuge behind the Limited Liability Act but since they are not US entities I hope that gambit would fail.
They deserve more than the customary slap on the wrist they get when caught polluting. That’s just part of the cost of doing business for them.
Maybe one good reason for cruise lines to have their corporate HQ outside US is to avoid being sued in a US court by passengers who manage to “accidentally” slip on a newly washed deck in the wee hours of the morning? (or spill hot beverages on themselves)
Some of the cruse lines do have HQs in the U.S, Royal Caribbean the largest is in Miami as is Norwegian cruise line.
American Cruise Lines 
USA Based in Guilford, Connecticut, offers coastal cruises and paddle-steamer cruises
Azamara Club Cruises Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. USA
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line USA Formed by former executives from the defunct Celebration Cruise Line, operates the Grand Celebration
Celebrity Cruises Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. USA
Crystal Cruises Genting Hong Kong USA
Disney Cruise Line Disney USA
North Pacific Expeditions Teevin family (private) USA Offers Alaska cruises with M/Y Sea Star
Oceania Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd USA
Polar Cruises USA Operates arctic cruises with MS Ocean Atlantic
Princess Cruises Carnival Corporation & plc USA
Quark Expeditions USA Expedition cruising
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd USA
Seabourn Cruise Line Carnival Corporation & plc USA
UnCruise Adventures USA
Viking Ocean Cruises Viking Cruises USA
Windstar Cruises Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. USA
Holland America Line Carnival Corporation & plc USA (originally 
Netherlands)
Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd USA (originally 
Norway)
Royal Caribbean International Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. USA (originally Norway)
Carnival Cruise Line Carnival Corporation & plc
Is that their “Operational HQ”, or their legal “Corporate HQ”?