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World Fatalities 160K+ Recoveries 600K+
The debacle around the Ruby Princess cruise ship docking in Sydney on 19 March has led to a criminal investigation. About 10 per cent of coronavirus cases in Australia have been linked to this one ship and the 2,700 passengers who were allowed to disembark without any screening for the virus. The ship is now docked at Port Kembla. NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said last week that ‘about 200’ of the 1000 crew that remain on the Ruby Princess had symptoms of coronavirus, but it’s not known exactly how many have been tested. There are more than 600 cases of coronavirus linked to the Ruby Princess. The ship was due to leave Australian waters this weekend, but with more crew testing positive day by day, that now seems unlikely.
No country wants these floating virus incubators docked in their ports. The cruise ship industry may not survive COVID-19 and that may not be a bad thing. Carnival, who operate the Ruby Princess, is the largest operator of cruise ships globally. Last year Carnival settled a US court case for $US20 million over allowing its ships to dump rubbish in the ocean. They have a prior conviction for similar offences.
Most cruise ships are registered in tax havens like The Bahamas. Without any revenue, the cruise ship industry could sink within months which is more good news for the environment. Let’s face it, after all this is over, who in their right mind would ever want to go on a cruise again?