“While demand for cruising has reached new heights, the cruise industry is accelerating our efforts to be a leader in responsible tourism. Our members are at the forefront of best practices designed to protect the sanctity of the destinations we visit and enhance the experiences of travellers and residents alike.”

"It's clear that the coronavirus will impact revenue in China in the short term, but we are a long-term business and our plans to continue growing this profitable market remain unchanged.   We are also very excited about the introduction of our 20>25 by 2025 goals. Our formula for success is simple and our path towards our EPS goal is driven by moderately growing our yields, effectively managing our costs and moderately growing our business.

“We know that travel has the power to open minds, change perceptions and build deeper connections; and we also believe that coming together for a common cause helps inspire a sense of shared humanity. Cancer knows no borders and touches people's lives around the world. We look forward to the day when World Cancer Day is held in celebration of a cure."

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Regent Seven Seas Cruises has received the delivery of its fifth luxury cruise ship, Seven Seas Splendor. The company received the ship in Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in Italy. Weighing 55,254GT, Seven Seas Splendor can carry 750 passengers on board. The 735ft-long luxury cruise features 375 suites, ranging from 307ft² to 4,443ft². The ship has five restaurants and three bars and lounges. The construction of Seven Seas Splendor began in March 2018 at Ancona. The cruise ship will join the existing four-ship fleet of Regent Seven Seas Cruises that offer cruises to more than 450 destinations around the world. 

(As of 13 February) Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato has announced that 44 new cases of the Covid-19 have been identified on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, taking the total count to 218. On 12 February, 174 cases were confirmed on the cruise ship, in addition to one case of a quarantine officer. The 44 new cases were identified after carrying out 221 additional tests for the coronavirus. The confirmed cases include 43 passengers and one ship crew member. Princess Cruises said: “Princess Cruises has been informed that over the next several days Japanese health officials are planning voluntary disembarkation of guests to complete their quarantine period at a shoreside facility. “From the information available, it is our understanding that this will be a phased approach, with the most medically vulnerable guests in the first phase, including older adults with pre-existing health conditions.” If the guests test positive for the coronavirus, they will be shipped to a local hospital for assessment and quarantine. If the test is negative, passengers will be moved to a quarantine housing facility with individual rooms and bathrooms. The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially named the disease caused by the new coronavirus as Covid-19.

Port of Tallinn in Estonia has awarded a contract to the Finnish construction company YIT for a new cruise terminal. The contract is valued at approximately €13m. The project works were expected to begin in January and will be completed in the middle of next year. According to the contract, YIT will build a 4,000m² three-storey terminal building, pedestrian promenade area, children’s playground and parking spaces. The terminal will be constructed in the Old City Harbor near the current cruise liners. It will be multifunctional and environmentally friendly.

Finnish shipping company Viking Line will launch its new cruise ship Viking Glory, which is considered to be one of the most eco-friendly ships in the world. In June, the cruise liner held a keel-laying ceremony for the new passenger ship at the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry Shipyard in China. Viking Line will launch the new vessel in 2021. The ship will be fitted with Wartsila 31DF dual-fuel engines, facilitating operations using sulphur-free liquefied natural gas (LNG).  The ship will also be able to operate on biogas. Due to fuel-efficient engines, Viking Glory will use up to 10% less fuel compared to its sister ship Viking Grace.