WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is thinking about ways to discourage U.S. tourists from taking cruises as part of a broader Trump administration effort to restrict the spread of coronavirus, according to 4 officials knowledgeable about the circumstance.
FILE PICTURE: Airmen from the Moffett Federal Airfield based, 129 th Rescue Wing provide coronavirus test-kits to the Grand Princess cruise liner off the coast of California, U.S. in this still image from a handout video acquired by Reuters on March 5,2020 California National Guard/Handout via REUTERS
The authorities, who asked to stay anonymous, said no choice had been made. The conversations were taking place ahead of a meeting this weekend between Vice President Mike Pence, who supervises of leading the U.S. action to the coronavirus, and the cruise industry.
The administration could encourage some or all U.S. travelers to momentarily prevent taking cruises in the face of a growing number of coronavirus cases on cruise ships or potentially enforce travel restrictions related to cruises, officials stated.
Throughout a press conference at the White House on Friday night, Pence stated elderly individuals ought to use “sound judgment and care” when planning a trip on a cruise liner.
” Cruise liner represent an unique difficulty for health officials,” Pence said. “We’re going to be working carefully with some fantastic American business in the cruise line industry to improve and reinforce the screening procedures.”
Shares of cruise operators in U.S. trading turned negative after the Reuters report previously on Friday. Carnival Corp ( CCL.N) and Royal Caribbean ( RCL.N) shar