1 THIS IS A DAILY COMPILATION OF MEDIA ARTICLES CONCERNING THE COVID-19 IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL CRUISE INDUSTRY. Please note this isn’t a complete listing of media articles but a snapshot only. 25 March, 2020: CARNIVALS’ ‘FLOATING HOSPITALS’ OFFER FEELS UNACHIEVABLE Carnival Cruise Lines has said it’s willing to convert some of its unused ships in to floating hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the viability of this proposition is met with understandable scrutiny. The company announced the initiative in a press release on Thursday afternoon, stating that select cruise ships from its fleet would be made available to communities that are suffering due to the virus. Carnival stated that the temporary floating hospitals would help address the escalating impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems around the world. Carnival must be applauded for its humanitarian work, allowing its vessels to be used a number of times as accommodation after natural disasters. However, making the ships suitable for use by medical staff is a very different prospect. Cruise ship rooms are notoriously small, making it difficult to move and operate heavy hospital equipment. These enclosed spaces also add to the risk of infection from bacteria like MRSA, without even considering Covid-19. There is no doubt that Carnival’s offer holds the right intention, whilst also addressing the industries desperate need for positive publicity after Covid-19 left it reeling. However, publicly announcing gestures that have not yet been proved to be feasible may not be the most positive course of action. Read more… https://www.ship-technology.com/comment/floating-hospitals-carnival-covid-19/ 25 March, 2020: CORONAVIRUS CRISIS: URGENT REQUEST TO HELP SICK ON ARTANIA WITH MORE CONFUSION OVER CRUISE SHIP MSC MAGNIFICA A COVID-19 emergency is unfolding off the Perth coast after a cruise ship carrying 25 passengers with respiratory illnesses requested urgent medical help. The Artania issued the plea at 2am on Wednesday morning and by 8.30am WA Health Department clinicians had boarded the liner to test the sick passengers for coronavirus. Mark McGowan said there were 800 passengers and 500 crew onboard the Artania, which is anchored in Gage Roads and had previously carried a passenger who later tested positive for COVID-19. The WA Government has called for help from the Commonwealth and WA Police are in talks with the Defence Force about possible military involvement. In an extraordinary press conference, the Premier also revealed: The MSC Magnifica cruise ship had set off from Fremantle on Tuesday night, only to be told by authorities in the UAE that it could not berth at Dubai. The Magnifica, which insists it does not have any sick passengers, started to return to Fremantle but has been ordered by the WA Government to anchor at sea. Another cruise ship, the Vasco da Gama, is due in Fremantle on Friday, with 798 Australians and 109 New Zealanders on board. The hundreds of Australians on the Vasco da Gama will be transferred to Rottnest Island, where they will be made to spend 14 days in quarantine. Read more… https://thewest.com.au/news/coronavirus/coronavirus-crisis-more-confusion-over-sick-cruise-ship-msc- magnifica-as-route-shows-return-to-wa-ng- b881499238z?fbclid=IwAR0aCAG9D76wb_OvG3vLHXErPcfA7SDm4JVNCrB5xMDL5cw_nQkPsfhP7jg Document prepared by A.L. Skinner Consulting Inc https://gusskinnerconsulting.com subject to changes / amendments pg. 1 2 25 March, 2020: ROYAL CARIBBEAN, CELEBRITY, COSTA CRUISES EXTEND SAILING SUSPENSION, OTHERS LIKELY TO FOLLOW Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises have docked their global fleets until May 11, a month later than the date the Miami-based companies originally gave for operation suspension. Royal Caribbean cited "global public health circumstances" as the reason for the suspension extension in a statement posted on its official Twitter account and on its website. "We know this is disappointing," the statement said, referencing the coronavirus pandemic. "Extending our fleet suspension is an incredibly difficult decision to make. However, it's a decision made with the best interest of our guests, crew and staff at heart." Celebrity Cruises followed suit Tuesday "given the gravity of the public health crisis confronting the world," the cruise line announced on Twitter. "We have decided to extend the suspension of our global cruise operations through May 11th, and suspend our Alaska sailings through July 1st," Celebrity Cruises said in a statement. Canada New England, Celebrity Millennium and Celebrity Solstice will also be suspended through July. Read more… https://www.usatoday.com/story/experience/cruise/2020/03/24/coronavirus-royal-caribbean-cruises- suspension-extended-may-11/2912763001/ 25 March, 2020: COVID-19 MAP – SHIPPING & PORTS The Covid-19 situation is creating unprecedented levels of uncertainty on shipping and ports in all countries around the world. This map provides that latest updates on the restrictions that ports are imposing on vessels and crews as well as any other relevant updates coming from that country. Click on each country in the map below to view restrictions and the latest news. The map will be updated on a daily basis using information from Nepia- https://www.nepia.com/industry-news/coronavirus-outbreak- impact-on-shipping Read more… https://vgrouplimited.com/covid-19-map 25 March, 2020: CARNIVAL ISSUING UPDATE ON CRUISES BY FRIDAY Carnival Cruise Line posted a statement this evening regarding the decision by other cruise lines to add an additional 30 days to their suspension of service. Carnival Cruise Line posted the following message on their social media channels in response to Royal Caribbean’s decision: “Special Update, we are aware of the decision by other cruise lines to extend the suspension of operations. We expect a decision by Friday, March 27 to share. We appreciate your patience and advice our guests and travel agent partners to watch their email and check Carnival.com for any updates.” Read more… https://cruisefever.net/carnival-issuing-update-on-cruises-by-friday/ 25 March, 2020: CORONAVIRUS UPDATES IN TEXAS: QUARANTINE ENDING FOR CRUISE SHIP EVACUEES AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE American cruise ship evacuees from aboard the Grand Princess are starting to leave their two-week, federally mandated quarantine at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said Tuesday that 97 evacuees had been released from quarantine Monday night and Tuesday morning. Another 18 people were expected to leave later Tuesday. The rest will leave over the next several days. Hundreds of Americans from China's Hubei province and two cruise ships have been quarantined at Lackland since February. Of them, 21 became symptomatic and tested positive for the new coronavirus, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesperson. Document prepared by A.L. Skinner Consulting Inc https://gusskinnerconsulting.com subject to changes / amendments pg. 2 3 Five were from the Grand Princess ship. The most recent group of evacuees at Lackland originally consisted of 149 Americans aboard the Grand Princess, the CDC spokesperson said. But after city and state officials said they only wanted Texans to be sent to San Antonio medical centers, where those who tested positive were treated, at least 25 evacuees from other states were eventually sent to finish quarantine in their home states. Read more…. https://www.texastribune.org/2020/03/24/coronavirus-updates-texas-stay-at-home-hospitals/ 25 March, 2020: CORONAVIRUS: WHY YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE CRUISE SHIPS STILL ALLOWED IN NEW ZEALAND PORTS As confusion and fear increases over cruise ships in New Zealand waters during the COVID-19 pandemic, staff members and the ships themselves have become targets for verbal attacks and even vandalism. Newshub Travel has been contacted by more than a dozen people outraged at the sight of cruise ships entering our ports - but the outrage is misguided. Public anger at cruise ships took a nasty turn on Friday when members of a private boat allegedly hurled glass bottles at the cruise ship the Nordam, which was anchored in the Hauraki Gulf. Read more…. https://www-newshub-co- nz.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/03/coronavirus-why-you-don-t- need-to-worry-about-the-cruise-ships-still-allowed-in-new-zealand-ports.amp.html 25 March, 2020: PORT OF SAN DIEGO UPDATE REGARDING CRUISE SHIPS IN SAN DIEGO BAY Prioritizing public health, and with extra precautions in place to minimize community spread of and exposure to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), the Port of San Diego is working with its cruise line partners to conclude sailings that were underway when the cruise lines suspended operations on March 13, 2020 until mid-April. Read more…. https://clairemonttimes.com/port-of-san-diego-update-regarding-cruise-ships-in-san-diego-bay/ 25 March, 2020: CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS TO BE QUARANTINED ON ROTTNEST ISLAND IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA At least 800 people will be quarantined on Rottnest Island in Western Australia when a cruise ship carrying 1,500 people arrives in Fremantle on Friday. But the details of their quarantine – including how those people will be fed, where they will be housed and what will happen to the island’s 100 permanent residents – are yet to be finalized. The Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, said on Wednesday that he would be “exercising the Rottnest option” for Australian citizens and residents aboard the Vasco da Gama, which was due to arrive in Fremantle on Friday. It follows the disastrous management in New South Wales of the Ruby Princess cruise ship, from which at least 133 people have tested positive for Covid-19 and one person has died since it docked and allowed 2,700 passengers to disembark in Sydney on 19 March.