Virgin Voyages unveils Scarlet Lady health plan

Virgin Voyages unveils Scarlet Lady health plan

New cruise line Virgin Voyages has unveiled its health plan for debut ship Scarlet Lady.

The launch of the ship has been pushed back to October amid the coronavirus crisis, and it will now debut with a reduced capacity to allow for social distancing as well as “virus-neutralizing air filters”, virtual queues, thermal monitoring cameras and regular virus testing for its crew.

The Voyage Well plan was created by the Voyage Well Expert Advisory Group, a partnership of advisors, scientists, doctors and clinicians from the likes of AtmosAir Solutions, EcoLab, Dr Heymann with Vikand, Global Public Health Services and was compiled in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in line with World Health Organisation guidelines.

“The health and wellbeing of our Sailors is our number one priority, so we rolled up our sleeves with leading experts to further innovate and create an even healthier way to travel and still have an incredible vacation,” said Virgin Voyages chief executive Tom McAlpin. “We appreciate some people will be apprehensive about travelling, so we are committed to being led by science and creating ways to give people the confidence to explore the world while feeling safer, more relaxed and free to enjoy themselves.”

A system has been designed to pump fresh air through the ship’s public spaces and cabins to “effectively remove recirculated air”, which Virgin Voyages says will produce “100% fresh air” through a “bow to stern air purification system”.

“Delivering effective health and safety measures is going to be essential for ensuring consumer trust in the cruise industry,” says Steve Levine, president and chief executive of AtmosAir Solutions. “We’re proud to partner with Virgin Voyages and believe our bi-polar ionization technology will be crucial to creating a safe, clean and sanitized indoor environment throughout the entirety of the Scarlet Lady.”

Other health plans developed by Virgin Voyages include:

Rapid Covid-19 testing for all ‘Sailors’ [passengers] and crew prior to embarking
A post-voyage app-based notification process through which passengers and crew can report on becoming unwell within 14 days of leaving the ship
Pre-boarding health checks and screenings for crew and ‘Sailors’
Thermal camera technology to monitor our crew and ‘Sailors’’ temperatures
Implementing best practices around sanitation, physical distancing, limited occupancy, and health checks on board
Managing ship occupancy to allow physical distancing in public spaces
Using digital technology to limit contact; The Band (for contactless payment), Service Chat (for assistance digitally) and Virtual Queues (for getting in lines for onboard experiences without getting in physical lines)
The line has also introduced a ‘fair and flexible’ booking policy, which includes moving the final payment dates to 60 days, from 120 days, before sailing, and allows guests to cancel up to 48 hours before in return for a 100% Future Voyage Credit for sailings through December 16, 2020.

Marella Cruises extends sailing cancellations

Marella Cruises extends sailing cancellations

Marella Cruises is extending the cancellation of all cruises until at least August 27.

The Tui brand blamed ongoing travel restrictions following the COVID 19 pandemic.

The line also confirmed that Marella Discovery will no longer sail the summer season with all itineraries from Palma cancelled until October 31.

A ‘90s v 00s Electric Sunsets’ themed cruise by Marella Explorer 2 from Newcastle on September 5 will also no longer go ahead.

Passengers affected by the extended cancellations will receive a refund credit and up to 10% incentive of the total value of their booking, or they can request a cash refund via an online form on the Tui website.

“All customers should have their refund credit and booking incentive within four weeks of receiving their cancellation email,” the company said.

The line is also extending its free amends policy so customers sailing in September and October on Marella Explorer or Marella Explorer 2 can amend their cruise free of charge before July 31.

This means they do not have to pay until closer to their new departure date.

Ship affected Homeport Dates affected
Explorer 2 Ex UK / Port of Tyne 31 Jul-27 Aug 2020
Explorer 2 Ex UK / Port of Tyne 05-Sep 2020
Explorer Corfu 31 Jul-27 Aug 2020
Discovery Palma 31 Jul-31 Oct 2020

Carnival is selling 6 cruise ships after a $4.4 billion loss, a sign of the industry's bleak future in the coronavirus pandemic

The Coral Princess, part of Carnival Cruises' Princess Cruise line. 

Princess Cruises

• Carnival Cruises, which includes brands such as P&O, Princess Cruises and Cunard, is to sell 6 ships amid a downturn caused by the coronavirus crisis.
• The industry has been hammered by COVID-19 after multiple outbreaks occurred at sea, and ports around the world closed to cruise ships. 
• Carnival said it lost $4.4 billion in the past three months and doesn't know when it can resume normal operations.

Carnival is planning to sell 6 of its cruise ships after reporting a loss of $4.4 billion in the second quarter of 2020, as the coronavirus crisis continues to hammer the cruise industry.

The company, which includes major cruise lines such as Cunard, P&O and Princess Cruises, reported on Thursday that it was "accelerating" planned sales of the ships.

It reported a massive drop its revenues in the three-month period to May 31, taking in $700 million, a fraction of its $4.8 billion revenues for the same period in 2019, The Guardian reported. 

The company said it was "unable to definitively predict" when cruises will back to normal, making it impossible to make an earnings forecast. 

All its cruises were suspended in mid-March after onboard outbreaks were reported. Across the industry, by March 25 there had been coronavirus outbreaks on 36 cruise ships worldwide, as Business Insider reported. 

Although Carnival has offered customers the chance to pause their bookings for a future date, half of them requested a cash refund, the company said.

Meanwhile, administration and keeping ships afloat still cost the company $250 million a month.

An estimated 21,000 ship staff are still stuck on board 49 ships which cannot dock due to governmental restrictions, the company said. 

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings extends suspension

The Norwegian Joy in Vancouver last year. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has extended its suspension of cruising for nearly all voyages embarking between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30 for all three cruise brands (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises).

However, Alaska cruises departing from Seattle in September will sail.

NCLH is also cancelling Canada/New England cruises and Pacific Coast cruises in October due to port restrictions in Canada. The Pacific Coast sailings were scheduled to depart from Vancouver.

Carnival Cruise Line: applying learnings from its largest-ever refurbishment

Carnival Triumph’s transformation into Carnival Sunrise includes a suspended ropes course as part of its sports square (credit: Andy Newman)Carnival Triumph’s transformation into Carnival Sunrise includes a suspended ropes course as part of its sports square (credit: Andy Newman)

Carnival Cruise Line vice president revitalisation and hotel refurbishment Lisa McCabe opens up on the transformation of Carnival Sunrise and how this will be incorporated into Carnival Victory’s revitalisation 

In 2019 Carnival Cruise Line carried out the largest refurbishment in its history – and it is using those learnings as it plans a major retrofit for Carnival Sunrise

Carnival Cruise Line vice president revitalisation and hotel refurbishment Lisa McCabe explains “At US$200M, the transformation of Carnival Triumph into Carnival Sunrise was the largest single-ship refurbishment in our company’s history, involving a 38-day drydock in Cadiz, Spain with 7,000 ship employees and contractors working 24/7 to make Carnival Sunrise a reality.

“Given the complexity of the refit, the process was streamlined and efficient. The end result is simply amazing – new dining and beverage outlets, exciting top-deck attractions including a massive water park and a suspended ropes course, updated staterooms and suites, enhanced guest flow and a more contemporary feel overall.”

The company is now gearing up for another major transformation – that of Carnival Victory’s transformation into Carnival Radiance.



Carnival Sunrise includes exciting new top-deck attractions, including a massive water park (credit: Andy Newman)

Enter Carnival Radiance

Ms McCabe says “We learned so much from the Carnival Sunrise drydock and have incorporated these learnings as we began the planning for Carnival Victory’s transformation into Carnival Radiance. Not only in the work itself but in all aspects of the refit, from staffing, working with suppliers and vendors and the logistical challenges that come with a project of this magnitude. Our designers have also changed the layout for Carnival Radiance – relocating the Guy Fieri BBQ to enhance visibility and ultimately drive more traffic.”

Carnival Radiance will also feature the first Big Chicken restaurant by its Chief Fun Officer Shaquille O’Neal. “Incorporating a brand new restaurant concept into a renovated ship has its share of challenges – from sourcing materials to equipment and logos – but we worked closely with our internal design teams as well as Shaq’s personnel to create a dining venue we’re sure our guests will enjoy,” says Ms McCabe.

Elaborating on Carnival Cruise Line’s refurbishment strategy, she says “All 27 of our ships undergo a refit every few years and between 2020 and 2021, 13 ships – roughly half our fleet – will undergo a drydock with the work being done varying by ship. Interestingly, because of a lack of drydock space here in North America, we’re refurbishing more ships in Europe which can create even more logistical and staffing challenges given that it’s not as close as our other facilities and we have to sail across the Atlantic just to get there and back. Our marketing and itinerary planning teams are hard at work creating attractive new transatlantic crossings for our guest.”

She expands that every ship in the fleet will undergo at least one major refurbishment during its lifetime and “our focus is making sure we are able to schedule these drydocks and closely manage not only the schedule but also staffing, logistics, design and provisioning to ensure we deliver a quality refit on time and on a budget”.

These refits are part of a US$2Bn ship enhancement project that is introducing new features and standardising offerings across the fleet.

Popular amenities

Ms McCabe says “With many of these refurbishments, we are adding spaces that have proven very popular with our guests – the Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub, the cocktail pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar, expansive water parks and the transformation of the three-deck main theatre into the multi-purpose Liquid Lounge across two decks which allows for a more intimate space with enhanced sightlines while at the same time providing an opportunity to add staterooms in the previous space.”

She points out that the upcoming refurbishment of Carnival Miracle will mark the installation of the 27th Guy’s Burger Joint by longtime partner and Food Network star Guy Fieri so the venues are now available fleetwide.

Asked about the current challenges when it comes to refurbishing the interiors of the cruise ships, Ms McCabe says “Refurbishing ship interiors is an extremely involved and complex process that begins several years before the refit actually takes place. It is imperative that we come up with creative solutions that offer the guest new experiences while also satisfying the needs of our operational teams on board. Real estate is very valuable, and it is important to make spaces multifunctional. In addition to securing quality vendors and subcontractors to refurbish the space the way it was designed, the overall look and feel have to be eye-catching, functional and timeless as it will likely be on the ship for many years.”


Sustainability is also a priority when it comes to interior refits. Ms McCabe says “Being a leader in environmental stewardship is a top priority for Carnival Cruise Line and this, of course, extends to our ship refurbishment programme. We take sustainability into account in everything we do – from the materials, we source to the vendors we use and how they work is carried out each day. We are constantly evaluating our procedures and processes to make sure we are operating in a way that reflects our commitment to being an environmental leader.”

Snapshot CV: Lisa McCabe (Carnival Cruise Line)

Lisa McCabe joined Carnival Corp in 2009 and moved to Carnival Cruise Line to build the refurbishment department in 2012.

She leads a team of project managers responsible for most of the cruise line’s large-scale drydock projects throughout the fleet that includes adding new branded food and beverage venues, stateroom renovations and additions, water parks and upgrades to crew spaces. During her time at Carnival Cruise Line, Ms McCabe has been responsible for over 500 refurbishment projects in shipyards throughout the US, the Bahamas, and Singapore.

Ms McCabe studied interior design at Florida International University and has focused her career on refurbishing ships.

First river cruise with Covid-19 regulations completes sailing

First river cruise with Covid-19 regulations completes sailing

nickoVision cruising down the Danube

Scylla has completed the first river cruise to take place with new Covid-19 safety regulations.

The Swiss line’s nickoVISION ship has docked in Dusseldorf, Germany, after a 13-day sailing along the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers.

The ship set sail on June 1 with regular temperature checks carried out on passengers and crew, and a one-way system in corridors to maintain social distancing.

“Both guests and crew mastered these challenges with flying colours,” said chief executive Arno Reitsma. “Our first post-lockdown river cruise went without a hitch. All passengers were very satisfied with the cruise experience, they felt completely safe with the new measures and said they had a really pleasant time with us.”

Scylla, which has a fleet of 35 river ships carrying between 88 and 220 passengers, will now continue with its European river cruise programme this summer.

Reitsma added: “After a very successful start, the river cruise season can now be continued. This means that guests will once again be able to enjoy a variety of river cruises on Europe’s most popular waterways, even though travel itself is now slightly different.

“We are not yet able to operate on all the European rivers we used to, but we will be gradually adding new routes and expanding our offer.”

United secures $9.5bn in a double financial deal

United secures $9.5bn in a double financial deal

United Airlines has secured $9.5 billion in funding by mortgaging its MileagePlus loyalty programme and securing a $4.5 billion US government-backed loan.

US carrier United announced the twin deals today saying they would extend the company’s liquidity to $17 billion by September.

The $5-billion deal to mortgage United’s MileagePlus programme was secured with investment banks Goldman Sachs, Barclays and Morgan Stanley which will provide a term loan facility – meaning a loan with a specified repayment schedule.

United gave few details other than that the deal should close by the end of July.

The carrier has also secured $4.5 billion in US federal funding under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act loans programme.

In a statement, United said: “The company believes it has sufficient slots, gates and routes collateral available to meet the collateral coverage that may be required for the full $4.5 billion available under the loan programme.

“This $9.5 billion of additional liquidity will provide even more flexibility as the airline navigates the most disruptive financial crisis in the history of aviation.”

United reported it had “spent the past several months aggressively and proactively cutting costs”.

This had reduced its average daily ‘cash burn’ to $40 million in the three months to June and would further reduce it to $30 million in the quarter to the end of September.

The cost-cutting measures have included executive pay cuts, a wage and recruitment freeze and unpaid leave.

Larger cruise ships on local deployments expected to be first to return

Larger cruise ships with local deployments will be the first to come back on sale following Covid-19, the former boss of Azamara has predicted.

Larry Pimentel, who stepped aside from his role as president and chief executive in April as the line made plans to survive the pandemic, said he expected older, smaller ships with international deployments to “sit on the sidelines simply because of the air travel” as travel resumes.

Speaking on a Travel Weekly webcast, he said: “Think about taking a 10, 12 or 15-hour flight in coach and the denseness that you’d find on these carriers. I’m not going to do that at the moment.

Click on the image to watch the Chat.


“We’re going to find big ships with local deployments are the first to come back,” Pimentel said. “You’re probably going to find short rotations out of the States and you’ll probably get three or four-day rotations going to private islands. Why? Private islands can secure the safety and health in all areas without a bunch of nonsensical politics layered in it, which makes things even more complex and, frankly, angers a lot of people.”

Pimentel said small luxury vessels sailing to less crowded destinations may also come back sooner, but said: “We still have an issue with social distancing in an industry that was all about the connection on the ships, so herein lies a paradoxical sort of scenario.”

Pimentel predicted many ships would not come back into the sector at as line battle with cash flow issues.

“Cruise lines need the cash right now,” he said, noting that the only income lines are bringing in is onboard revenue as cabins on 2021 sailings will be filled up with people who deferred from this year and used their future cruise credits to rebook. “So the cruise industry is going to have a terrible 2020, and a terrible economic 2021.”

Pimentel said: “The ships that come back are likely to fill up as there won’t be as many ships operating. Let’s face it, there will be some ships that will sit in the sidelines that won’t come back to the industry. The whole industry closed down in about three weeks. There is no way in hell we’re coming back in three weeks or even three months.”

He also predicted that “new cruise ship orders will slow so significantly that it will almost seem like they are stopping altogether, compared to we’ve seen over the last couple of years”.

“I fully expect a lot of options not to be secured,” he said. “This [recovery from the pandemic] is not months, this is a multi-year process.”

He pointed out that there are 19 new ocean ships on order this year, adding: “That’s a lot of vessels and right now, who needs more capacity? Nobody. But in the future, demand will be there. I’ve learned this about the consumer – once they feel even a little bit comfortable, and the value seems there, they will book.”

Costa Readying Two Ships to Start Mediterranean Cruising

Costa Crociere may be readying two ships to start cruising in the Mediterranean as soon as August, according to crew aboard the line's ships who attended a recent town hall-style meeting.

The ships that would be put into operation will reportedly be the newest vessels in the Italian brand's fleet, the 2014-built Diadema, and the 2019-built Smeralda. 

In a letter sent to the crew, Costa said it has been working with various institutions to restart operations with a limited number of vessels, as soon as August. However, any restart would be linked to a certain number of conditions, according to the company.

The new challenge is for Costa to crew its ships, with Costa noting that many countries are restricting the movement of the crew, presenting challenges in getting crew to the ships.

Thus, Costa is asking that crew near the end of their contracts consider extending their contracts aboard.

"We official inform all crew members under a valid contract that they will be requested to fulfil their contract commitment, continuing the regular schedule of operation," a company letter read.

Norway Opens Expansive Offshore Areas to Wind Development

The Norwegian government has announced the opening of more than 860,000 acres of the Norwegian Continental Shelf to offshore wind development.

The areas, known as “Utsira Nord” and “Sørlige Nordsjø II”, are located in Norwegian waters in the northern North Sea. Combined, the two areas allow for the development of 4,500 MW of wind power.

“Offshore wind power offers great opportunities for Norwegian businesses,” said Tina Bru, Minister for Petroleum and Energy. “In the immediate future the market will be in other countries, but if the costs for offshore wind power continues to fall it could also become competitive in Norway. It is now time to prepare for future development by allocating space for offshore renewables.”
.
A proposal to open areas and a draft regulation were open for public comment in 2019.

The Utsira Nord is located to the west of Haugesund and is ideally suited for floating wind power. The area is also large, encompassing 1,010 square kilometres close to shore.

The Sørlige Nordsjø II borders the Danish sector in the North Sea and could be best suited for “direct export” of electricity. The area spans 2,591 square kilometres in mostly shallow water that would allow traditional wind turbines.

The Norwegian government has set an opening date of 1 January 2021.

CMV Suspends Cruises Through August 25

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has announced the further the suspension of all worldwide cruises from July 1 to August 25, 2020, citing the continued global pandemic outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus, government advisories still in force and the lockdown of many countries and ports around the world.

There were no reported cases of Covid-19 coronavirus on any of CMV’s small to medium-sized ships, according to the company.

CMV continue at present to employ shipboard officers and crew members throughout this suspension period and they are looking forward to welcoming back on board all their passengers just as soon as this pandemic is over, the company said, in a press release. 

All affected adult fare-paying passengers are being offered an attractive future cruise credit of 125% of the amount paid for the cruising holiday valid until March 31 2021.

For families booked on one of the affected summer holidays three multi-generation sailings a 50% discount will be applied to the 2021 or 2022 teenage and children fares (under 16 years) for booking transfers and to help facilitate affected passengers wishing to transfer their bookings, the 2021 Buy One Get One Free early booking offer has been extended to July 31. 

CEO Christian Verhounig said: “Due to the continued global pandemic, we are still unable to perform our scheduled itineraries and to deliver the travel experience normally enjoyed by our valued passengers. We have therefore taken the decision to temporarily further suspend all cruises until 25th August 2020, when we very much hope to be able to resume service. We are extremely proud to see that 70% of our passengers affected by the cancellation of their cruise have either re-booked and transferred onto a future 2021 cruises or require more time with the peace of mind of a refund credit note. Many passengers are also waiting until the release of our 2022 cruise program later this year. This is a great sign and we know that passengers are looking forward to travelling with us in the near future.”

Enchantment of the Seas Arrives in Trinidad to Disembark Crew Following Quarantine

Royal Caribbean International's Enchantment of the Seas is on the scene in Trinidad's Port of Spain where 307 Trinidad and Tobago nationals are onboard the vessel and hoping to go home. 

The ship arrived on Friday, and following an agreement between Royal Caribbean Cruises and Trinidad government officials, the ship will stay for a 14-day quarantine period.

If the crew show no symptoms they will be allowed to disembark and travel home.

To set a baseline, local doctors and nurses were onhand on Friday dressed in full PPE gear to test all crew aboard the ship that is planning to disembark. Those individuals will now spend 14 days in quarantine on board the ship.

The ship is expected to stay at anchor off Trinidad for a 12-day period, before returning to a pier for another round of testing.

Holland America Line cancels cruises into 2021

Holland America Line cancels cruises into 2021

Holland America Line is extending its pause of cruise operations and cancelling additional departures from Vancouver this year.

Selected Hawaii itineraries for early 2021 are also affected.

The extension of cruise cancellations has been made due to “travel and port restrictions continuing for the near future due to global health concerns,” the Carnival Corporation brand said.

Future cruise credits are being offered to customers booked on the cancelled cruises and are valid for cruises until the end of 2022.

People wanting refunds must fill in a ‘cancellation preferences’ form by July 15.

Cruises operated by six ships have been cancelled:

Eurodam:
September 26, 2020, 22-day Panama Canal cruise from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Koningsdam:
September 26, 2020, seven-day Pacific Northwest cruise from Vancouver to San Diego, California.
January 16 and February 2, 2021, Circle Hawaii voyages from San Diego.

Maasdam:
September 21, 2020, 16-day Mexico and Sea of Cortez itinerary from Vancouver to San Diego.

Noordam:
September. 27, 2020, 14-day North Pacific Crossing from Vancouver to Yokohama, Japan.

Volendam:
September 30, October 3 and October 10, 2020, three- and seven-day Pacific Northwest and coastal cruises from Vancouver.

Westerdam:
September 20, 2020, 17-day Circle Hawaii cruise from Vancouver
October 7, 2020, 23-day Inca Discovery voyage from Vancouver to San Antonio (Santiago), Chile.

P&O Cruises says agents ‘vital’ as staff claim trade teams under threat

P&O Cruises says agents ‘vital’ as staff claim trade teams under threat

The boss of P&O Cruises has insisted agents’ support will be “vital” to developing the brand’s restart plans, despite claims the field sales team has been cut as part of a restructure at parent Carnival UK.

Paul Ludlow, president of P&O Cruises, said its commitment to the trade “remains as strong as ever” as a consultation that could see up to 450 jobs lost continues.

His comments came in response to claims from members of staff at Carnival UK that regional agent-facing sales teams at P&O and sister brands Cunard and Princess Cruises were set to be removed.

One staff member under consultation, who asked to remain anonymous, said the move was “completely the wrong decision”, claiming 60% of P&O Cruises’ UK bookings come from travel agents.

Agents also told Travel Weekly of redundancies in the trade sales teams, as well as senior staff going on long-term sabbaticals.

Carnival UK said no decisions would be made or communicated until the consultation finishes at the end of June.

However, a letter sent to staff confirmed it would not be making use of the government’s extended furlough scheme, which it said would “delay the inevitable need we have to right-size our business in order to sustain and protect it for the future”.

The letter also confirms sabbaticals were being discussed for some roles that were needed in the company’s long-term structure but not in the short term.

P&O Cruises has cancelled all sailings up to October, Cunard until November and Princess Cruises has cancelled all summer sailings as the industry battles the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Ludlow said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected the holidays of our guests but it has also impacted every part of our business; our future deployment; the guest experience; our supply chain and our people on ship and onshore. During our pause in operations, we have tried to create as much certainty and stability as possible for our colleagues in the office as well as those on board.

“Unfortunately though, and similar to many businesses, as Covid-19 has continued to impact our way of life it is necessary to make changes to our organisation to build a stable platform for the time we phase our ships back into service and for future growth.

“We appreciate it is a very difficult and unsettling time for everyone but we are following a clear and fair consultation process and considering the suggestions put forward by each individual.

“I am so proud to see so many examples of absolute professionalism throughout this period with everyone supporting each other. The process is still continuing and no decisions will be made or communicated until we reach the conclusion at the end of the month.

“Our commitment to the travel trade remains as strong as ever and support from agents will be vital as we develop our re-start plans.”

Demands grow for 'green industrial revolution'

The document plans for a massive expansion in offshore wind

Greenpeace has joined a growing list of organisations demanding that the UK government puts protecting the environment at the heart of any post-COVID-19 economic stimulus package.

The campaign group has produced a detailed "manifesto" with measures to boost clean transport and smart power.

The document follows a comparable call from some of Britain's most powerful business leaders earlier this week.

Last week, the prime minister also expressed a similar ambition.

Boris Johnson said he wanted to see a "fairer, greener and more resilient global economy" after Covid-19 and that "we owe it to future generations to build back better".

The manifesto also contains measures to support the protection of nature, green buildings and the creation of an economy in which virtually everything is reused.

Greenpeace says the crisis has given Britain a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to transform life, travel and work.

It added that the plan would create hundreds of thousands of secure jobs.

Green business

On Monday, more than 200 chief executives of some of the UK's top firms - including HSBC, National Grid, and Heathrow airport - signed a letter to the prime minister asking him to use the Covid-19 lockdown as a springboard to "deliver a clean, just recovery".

Many people may be surprised how similar the recommendations of these two very different interest groups are.

• Both Greenpeace and the chief executives are asking the government to prioritise investments in low carbon technologies and calling for the decarbonisation of the British economy to be speeded up
• Both say they want to see a focus on sectors that best support the environment
• Both are demanding that financial support for ailing businesses must come with a requirement for them to commit to taking action to reduce their impact on the environment.

Greenpeace's manifesto is, however, considerably more detailed.

It is a 62-page document with a specific policy, spending and tax measures covering most of the British economy.

It calls on the government to deliver its 2050 net-zero emissions goal before 2045.

Controversial policies

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionThe manifesto contains measures to encourage clean transport

Many voters say they support tackling climate change when polled.

However, lots of the policies Greenpeace proposes would prove very controversial.

For example, motorists say they are ready to change their behaviour to improve air quality, according to a recent AA survey.

But many drivers may balk at Greenpeace's proposals to radically redesign the road network to favour walking and cycling, at the suggestion that petrol and diesel cars are banned by 2030 or that fuel duty is steadily increased.

Many homeowners might be reluctant to spend money to upgrade their properties to meet tough energy efficiency standards.

At the same time, many local communities are likely to resist the plan for a big increase in onshore wind and solar power to complement a proposed massive expansion of offshore wind farms - few things unite local communities like a proposal to put in an array of wind turbines.

Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES

Image captionThe manifesto proposes the creation of an economy in which virtually everything is reused

But, says Greenpeace, tough policies like these are essential if the government is going to take meaningful action to tackle climate change.

"The choices our government makes now will define… whether or not we succeed in the fight against the climate emergency", says John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace.

"If we fail to get this right, we may never get another chance. Now is the time for a green recovery, and for that, we need action, not words."

It says there would be huge dividends in terms of job creation, should its programme be adopted.

Greenpeace calculates that its plans would create hundreds of thousands of new high-skilled jobs as well as helping to level up inequalities between communities in the UK.

Unique opportunity

The UK government has already indicated that protecting the environment will feature heavily in any stimulus package.

Back in April, Boris Johnson said a post-COVID-19 recovery plan should include efforts to "turn the tide on climate change".

Meanwhile, the European Union has unveiled what it called the biggest "green" stimulus in history.

Last week, it said it planned to commit a whopping €750bn (£667bn; $841bn) to its recovery package.

Add in spending from future budgets and the total financial firepower the European Commission says it will be wielding is almost €2tn (£1.8tn; $2.2tn).

Fighting climate change is at the heart of the bloc's recovery from the pandemic.

There will be tens of billions of euros to make homes more energy-efficient, to de-carbonise electricity and phase out petrol and diesel vehicles.

The idea is to turbo-charge the European effort to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050.

"If we do not do it, we will be taking much more risk," Teresa Ribera, deputy prime minister of Spain, told the BBC.

"The recovery should be green or it will not be a recovery, it will just be a shortcut into the kind of problems we are facing right now."

Quantum to Join Ovation in Australia for Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean International is boosting its Australian presence in 2021-2022 according to local reports.

The Quantum of the Seas will move from Singapore to the Down Under market, joining the Ovation and giving the brand two Quantum-class ships in the market sailing from Sydney. 

Those two ships are expected to be joined by the Radiance, sailing from Brisbane.

Originally debuting in North America and then moving to the Chinese market, the Quantum was based year-round in China before Royal Caribbean split her season between China and Singapore. Now, the ship will sail in Alaska for the 2021 summer and then move to Australia, moving tonnage out of the Chinese and Asian markets.

Norwegian Cancels Six Months of Jewel Sailings

Norwegian Cruise Line has announced that all scheduled Norwegian Jewel sailings from September 25, 2020, through February 27, 2021, have been cancelled.

Norwegian cited "a result of changes to the redeployment of our fleet," but did not elaborate on new plans for the Jewel in a statement sent to travel partners.

The ship was scheduled to sail Australia and New Zealand for the 2020-2021 winter season and could be moving closer to home into the North America market.

Cunard extends cancellations until November

Cunard extends cancellations until November

Cunard is further extending the cancellation of cruises until November, blaming the continued impact of Covid-19.

Flagship Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will have sailings cancelled until November 1 and Queen Elizabeth until November 23.

The extension follows the sister brand extending its pause in operations until October 15.

Cunard will be communicating with all passengers, and their travel agents, who are booked on affected voyages.

Passengers booked on cancelled cruises will automatically be given a 125% future cruise credit which can be redeemed against any new booking made by the end of December 2021 on any voyage on sale at the time of booking.

Cunard president Simon Palethorpe said: “With many differing restrictions across countries, people’s ability to move freely and safely across borders remains seemingly someway in the distance.

“For Cunard, where we celebrate having a truly international mix of guests and sail all over the world, this becomes particularly impactful. We also need to better understand the implications Covid-19 will have onboard our ships.

“We are therefore working, at the highest level possible, with government bodies, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – the CDC – and Public Health England, as well as the industry collective body – Clia – and other expert medical professionals to review every aspect of a holiday with us.”

He added: “Whilst we have always taken pride in having the highest levels of health and safety we are looking at enhanced protocols across all aspects of ship life and experiences onshore.

“We will only return to service when we have a comprehensive restart protocol with the stamps of approval and accreditation from the most trusted and informed sources.”