Cruise Stocks Stumbled Over COVID Variant Concerns

Cruise stocks dropped by Monday as concerns over the delta variant worry investors. Carnival Cruises dropped by 5.7%, Norwegian Cruise Line by 5.45%, and Royal Caribbean fell by 3.98%. However, cruise stocks aren’t the only one affected. Airline and hotel stocks also dropped on Monday as concerns grow over the spread of the COVID delta variant.

The delta variant is now the dominant strain in the US. According to data by the John Hopkins University, the average daily rate of new infections jumped by 66% from last week and 145% higher than two weeks ago. Hospitalizations also increased by 26% from last week and 50% from two weeks ago.

According to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated”. According to Walensky, CDC’s data shows that 97% of hospitalizations are unvaccinated individuals.

Return of Stricter Guidelines?

Last year, cruise ships were forced to stop their operations for more than a year. There were even some high-profile outbreaks that didn’t help the cruise industry. The cruise industry was among the last to resume its operations following the strict guidelines imposed by the CDC.

Right now, the cruise industry could sail again if they can meet the vaccination threshold set by the health agency. They need to ensure that 95% of their crew members and passengers are fully vaccinated. If not, there is a need to do a test sail with volunteers.

The Fight for A Safe Cruise Experience

Last week, Norwegian Cruise Line sued Florida’s surgeon general over their existing vaccine passport ban. Norwegian argued that the vaccine passport ban stops them from complying with the CDC guidelines that will prevent the spread of virus onboard.

As for other cruise lines, Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruises allowed unvaccinated passengers. However, unvaccinated passengers will have to follow more safety protocols and even purchase travel insurance and pay for additional testing.