By Dr. Jennifer Holland, University of Suffolk — The Conversation UK — 16 March 2021
A survey of over 600 people in the UK and Australia found that 67% are less willing to cruise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 69% feel less positive about cruising now. Even repeat cruisers said they feel nervous — a gamechanger for an industry that has historically relied on loyal returnees. Nearly 45% of respondents had less belief that cruise lines are transparent about safety issues, and 47% said they don’t trust cruise lines to look after them if something goes wrong. The pandemic has caused an estimated US$50 billion in financial losses and 1.17 million job losses for the industry. A return to robust pre-pandemic growth is unlikely for many years.