Carnival Says Most Ship Itineraries Unchanged Amid Omicron

Carnival Corp said on Tuesday a majority of its ships’ itineraries were unchanged despite a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant, which has threatened to stall recovery in the cruise industry.

The world’s largest cruise operator, however, said a few destination ports were reviewing their protocols and processes due to the fast-spreading new variant.

Many passengers and media reports, including those from CNN and Euronews, said authorities of a few ports in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico and Mexico disallowed passengers to disembark from cruise ships that were carrying active COVID-19 cases.

“Looks like my cruise this Friday is a cruise to nowhere,” wrote one Reddit user on a Royal Caribbean forum late Monday.

Carnival said on Monday it would find an alternative destination should it be forced to cancel a port.

Royal Caribbean Group did not respond to a Reuters request for comment, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd declined to comment.

“The cruise lines’ reaction to the substantial increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron surge is largely hit or miss,” said James Walker, a Miami-based maritime lawyer.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also identified more than 85 cruise ships with COVID-19 cases on board, the agency said on Tuesday.

On Monday, the CDC said 68 ships with COVID-19 cases had met its threshold for an investigation.

The Omicron variant has sparked concerns that U.S. health officials may reintroduce a temporary ban on cruising, just months after U.S. cruise operators resumed guest operations. 

Deadly earthquake rocks the Philippines

Image result for earthquake philippines

At least three people are reported to have been killed as an earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Sunday.

The 6.9 magnitude quake occurred in Davao Del Sur province on the island of Mindanao.

The country’s second-largest island is a popular tourist destination.

Videos posted on social media showed hotel swimming pools overflowing and mass evacuations of people from shopping centres, CNN reported.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office warned that transportation throughout the area may be disrupted.

“A number of aftershocks have been reported,” the FCO said in updated travel advice.

“If you’re in Davao Del Sur, or are planning to travel to the area, you should be careful of aftershocks, monitor local media for up-to-date information and follow the advice of local authorities.

“You should check with transportation companies for any changes or cancellations of schedule.”

A previous series of 6.6 and 6.5-magnitude quakes struck Mindanao in October, killing 14 and injuring more than 400.

Avalon emphasizes great views in river cruise TV ads

Avalon Cruise

Viking River Cruises is no longer the only river cruise line with a TV advertising presence. Avalon Waterways launched its first television ad campaign in September, with its first video spots airing on HGTV, the Travel Channel, CNN and BBC America.

Viking ads have introduced many Americans to European river cruising over the past four years. Now that consumers know more about it, Avalon “felt that now is the time to introduce the idea of an option,” said Steve Born, senior vice president of marketing for Globus, Avalon’s parent company.

Avalon created three playful spots that highlight the importance of having a good view, leading into Avalon’s stateroom design —  beds face outward to open-air balconies, providing passengers with views of the passing scenery while they cruise.

 Avalon latest TV advert.

A six-week ad run will be completed at the end of October. The company is hoping that the advertising will raise awareness about what Avalon offers and help agents sell the product when customers who have watched the commercials ask about Avalon.

“We wanted to give the agent a little bit of an assist by having the seed planted first before the inquiry begins,” said Born.

Avalon doesn’t have any further ad buys scheduled. Born said the company is waiting to see the return on investment.

Avalon also did a three-minute promotional video that showcases views from a river cruise.