The English seaside resort of Weymouth is in the heart of the Jurassic coast, an almost 100-mile stretch of shoreline renowned for its fossils. But this summer the region’s geology has faced unexpected competition for tourists’ attention from a fleet of vast cruise ships idled close to the town. A curiosity for visitors, the hulking vessels are a grim reminder of the spiralling crisis the pandemic has inflicted on the $15obn cruise industry. Instead of trying to top the record 30m passengers carried last year, the industry’s more than 60 operators are having to tackle the fraught and costly question of what to do with the almost 350 ships that should be criss-crossing the globe.
The last time ships were idled for any significant period was in the wake of the September 11terrorist attacks. But executives say the coronavirus crisis, which has left small congregations of ships moored off coastlines from the US to Indonesia, is far more life threatening for the industry. “9/11 was the last big thing for the cruise industry and it only lasted a short time so this is unprecedented,” said Alex Downes, an industry consultant who also works as a captain on the Marella cruise line.
Almost six months since many governments imposed lockdowns to curb the virus, companies are drawing up plans to sail again. MSC, the largest privately owned operator, is making a tentative return to the Mediterranean this month, while Carnival, the world’s largest, is plotting a European relaunch.