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Cruise industry in big crisis: 80% reduction in cruise bookings - Walla! Tourism

2020-02-17T07:48:01.104Z


The Corona Ship, which is stuck off the coast of Japan and also has Israelis, does not make good public relations for the sailing industry in the world and in the country. In Israel report massive cancellation of orders for the coming period ...


Cruise industry in major crisis: 80% reduction in cruise bookings

The Corona Ship, which is stuck off the coast of Japan and also has Israelis, does not make good public relations for the sailing industry in the world and in the country. In Israel, massive cancellations of orders for the coming period and anxieties for the summer are reported. "The cruise industry has suffered the worst crisis," the industry says

Cruise industry in major crisis: 80% reduction in cruise bookings

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Video: Israelis infected with Corona virus on cruise ship "Princess Diamond"

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It was supposed to be another record year for cruises in the world (around 30 million in 2019), but the global cruise industry is plunging into the depths and experiencing one of the most difficult periods in its history, and the year has just begun. If it is not enough that the Corona virus smuggles tourists from booking vacations and flights, even the situation of the Diamond Princess, the cruise ship that has been stuck for two weeks off the coast of Japan and also Israelis, does not improve the status of cruise reservations in Israel and around the world.

In the various shipping companies in the country, about 80 percent (!) Of cruise ship bookings are now reported as part of a general 25 percent drop in Israeli bookings for flights and recreation worldwide. According to Ori Schnabel, sales representative of the Royal Caribbean Sailing Corporation in Israel, the sailing industry is in the unpleasant frenzy of vacation cancellations, mainly due to the Japanese media exposure. "The situation of the Corona has an impact on the world of boating, and we have an office in China and it has ceased operations at this time and two ships are approaching the Chinese public," Schnabel said in a speech to Walla !.

Guy Raveh, chief executive of Amsalem Travel & Recreation Group, also said the company had experienced a 80-70 percent drop in world cruise bookings. "Since the Corona, sign-up rates have dropped significantly," he says. "We've had three trips to the east, to countries like Singapore, Vietnam , South Korea and Japan, and they were canceled following the ship stranded in Japan by the end of May. ”He says the shipping companies are changing routes, towards Europe, the Caribbean and South America.

"The cruise industry has suffered the worst crisis, as the Japanese PR Corona ship (Diamond Princess - SR) has ended up hurting, and the airlines are expecting a dramatic drop in demand for the coming months," adds Shirley Cohen Orkby, VP She said there are currently low prices for sailing vacations and surplus supply, but there is also a trend of destination exchange and demand to change vacation areas. To alternative destinations such as South Africa, Europe and back-to-back destinations such as Tenerife and Zanzibar. "

PR is not good for the world cruising industry. Diamond Princess ship off the coast of Japan (Photo: Reuters)

Diamond Princess ship off the coast of Japan - February 13, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

Summer Haredi

And as mentioned, the sailing world has been experiencing Edna in recent years and a big increase in sailing numbers. According to data published by The International Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise world is gaining momentum every year, with 2019 worldwide cruising industry registering 30 million passengers on cruise ships, compared to 28 million passengers in 2018. Most of the passengers come from the US (11.9 million passengers) followed by the Chinese with 2.4 million passengers. The Germans place third with 2.19 million passengers and the British with 1.93 million passengers. "The number of Israeli passengers is estimated at 80,000 people a year, and in the last five years About 30-10% increase per annum, "explains Schnabel Cruise's popularity. He says Israel sells twice as many cruise vacations than any other European country (for example, Portugal, the Netherlands, Russia and the Czech Republic), compared to the amount of passengers and population in the countries. These.

How does the situation affect the Passover and Summer invitations?
Rave: "A lot of people are interested in trips to other regions - to Africa and South America, and there is also a certain concern for Europe - and that certainly affects our Passover trips. However, people sign up for open-air jeep tours and European rivers. We are anxious for summer "We will prepare the ground for the day after and for the summer. Everyone is currently waiting."
Schnabel: "There is almost no cruise to the east this season, and in the spring and summer the Israelis are looking for Europe (the Mediterranean and Baltic destinations) and the Caribbean. There are summer invitations, but there is about 80 percent damage for the coming period."

Schnabel said the non-canceled cruises in Asia were diverted from ports in Singapore or Australia, but these are usually pre-booked groups, with their own guide and other logistics rather than details. Schnabel also adds that some of the Japanese cruises were recently canceled. "We are currently discussing cancellations by the end of March and are considering what will happen as the situation develops."

Cruises were diverted to Singapore and Australia. Royal Caribbean Voyage of the Seas Ship (Photo: PR)

Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Voyage of the Seas (Photo: PR Royal Caribbean, PR)

Succeed in convincing passengers to change course

Beyond cancellations, it is important for the cruise companies to emphasize that passengers on board cruises are checked every day, the ship is sanctioned every day and those who place a cruise order and want to cancel - can receive a credit, and in some cases also receive a refund.

"A lot of travelers we talk to want to cancel the reservation, but we manage to persuade them to change the cruise route, for example, to the Caribbean or change dates," explains Schnabel, "but a large part does not want to change and cancel, and some move the cruise to another area. The regions are perfectly normal. There are no cancellations for boating in South America and hardly a Caribbean. "

Passengers on board cruises are checked every day (illustration photo: Orit Sela)

Cruise ship cruise ship (Photo: Orit Sela, PR)

Source: walla

All life articles on 2020-02-17

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