Will the coronavirus outbreak sink the cruise industry?

Over the weekend, the U.S. State Department recommended that Americans, particularly those with underlying health conditions, avoid cruise ships.

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March 10, 2020 - 2:22 PM

Photo by Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/TNS

With hopes of tapping into a market of up to 83 million passengers, the world’s largest cruise company three years ago launched a new ship built specifically for Chinese vacationers.

The Majestic Princess, operated by a subsidiary of Carnival Corp., featured 1,780 cabins, 19 decks, an atrium and nearly 1,100 square meters of luxury boutiques, representing the largest shopping space at sea.

But the ship is now docked in Singapore, with its next 13 cruise trips canceled.

With China representing ground zero for the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus and thousands of cruise ship passengers forced to undergo extra health screening or a quarantine in Oakland, Calif., the cruise industry is reeling, facing its biggest crisis in decades.

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