An investigation has been launched into Norwegian Cruise Line after leaked emails revealed how staff were ordered to downplay the risks of coronavirus to customers.
The Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office announced Monday it was launching a probe over allegations the cruise line gave ‘misleading and potentially dangerous sales pitches’ to customers amid the pandemic.
Leaked internal emails emerged in early March showing that managers were giving sales staff phrases to tell customers dismissing the risk of contracting coronavirus on board ships to try to flog more holidays.
The emails, leaked to Miami New Times by a whistleblower, showed that a senior sales manager in the company’s Miami headquarters had created scripts with the misleading talking points so staff could persuade worried customers not to cancel their trips.
Leaked internal emails emerged in early March showing that managers at Norwegian Cruise Line were giving sales staff phrases to tell customers dismissing the risk of contracting coronavirus on board ships to try to flog more holidays
Staff were told to say lines such as ‘the only thing you need to worry about for your cruise is do you have enough sunscreen,’ and ‘the coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise,’ the emails revealed.
Another line included the false claim that ‘scientists and medical professionals have confirmed that the warm weather of the spring will be the end of the Coronavirus.’
The General Attorney’s office called the findings ‘disturbing’ and confirmed it had opened an investigation to determine whether Norwegian gave inaccurate and misleading statements to customers while the world grapples to bring the deadly virus under control.
The Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office announced Monday it was launching a probe over allegations the cruise line gave ‘misleading and potentially dangerous sales pitches’ to customers amid the pandemic
‘We are in the thick of a public health crisis like our modern world has never experienced,’ Moody said in a statement.
‘My Consumer Protection Division is conducting an extensive investigation to get to the bottom of the disturbing allegations against Norwegian Cruise Line.
‘Let this serve as a warning to anyone seeking to mislead consumers during these challenging times. I will do everything within the power of this office to hold accountable those who would prey on Floridians during this health crisis.’
The GA said Norwegian is cooperating with the investigation.
The cruise line had previously responded to the reports on March 12 saying: ‘We remain committed to operating with integrity and providing our guests with the best possible vacation experiences across the globe. We are aware of the article in question and are looking into the matter.’
News of the probe comes as more than 50 cruise lines, including Norwegian, suspended all operations to and from US ports in efforts to try to slow the spread of the virus.
Cruise ships have become particular hotbeds for the killer disease, with a number of liners being doomed by fatal outbreaks.
One ship with 77 people onboard experiencing ‘flu-like symptoms’ is now headed for Florida as all 1,243 guests are told to isolate in their rooms.
At least 30 guests and 47 crew members have fallen ill on board Holland America’s Zaandam, in the latest outbreak to hit a cruise liner.
The liner set sail on a two-week voyage from Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7 – 10 days before the company canceled all voyages over fears of an outbreak – and was due to arrive in Chile on March 21.
The Zandaam is now on route to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale to dock March 30, after being stranded at sea when other ports turned it away amid fears it contains coronavirus patients.
The extent of the possible outbreak is not known as there are no tests onboard, meaning sick people have simply been isolated and their close contacts told to quarantine.
Passengers from the cruise ship Grand Princess board a chartered plane at Oakland International Airport on March 11 after escaping the doomed vessel. Cruise ships have become particular hotbeds for the killer disease, with a number of liners being doomed by fatal outbreaks
More than 50 cruise lines, including Norwegian, suspended all operations to and from US ports in efforts to try to slow the spread of the virus
All 1,243 passengers have been told to stay in their rooms.
Of the 586 crew members, those not essential to running the ship are also in quarantine and essential staff are self-isolating when not working.
‘Since it is flu season, and COVID-19 testing is not available on board, it is difficult to determine the cause of these elevated cases at this time,’ the company said in a statement.
‘The safety and well-being of our guests and crew is one of our highest priorities.’
The ship had been granted permission to dock in Punta Arenas in Chile but when it arrived on March 14, permission was refused and passengers were prevented from leaving.
In the worst cruise ship crisis so far, 706 people tested positive on the Diamond Princess after Japanese authorities imposed a two-week lockdown in Yokohama.
In the worst cruise ship crisis so far, 706 people tested positive on the Diamond Princess after Japanese authorities imposed a two-week lockdown in Yokohama
A passenger waves as she walks with others on the deck of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in February. Japan was widely criticised for its handling of the ship, with one disease expert saying the quarantine was ‘completely inadequate’ after viewing the conditions on board
At least seven people have died after they were taken to hospital from the doomed vessel.
Passengers were confined to their cabins during the lockdown but several countries eventually lost patience with Japan and airlifted their citizens home.
Japan was widely criticised for its handling of the ship, with one disease expert saying the quarantine was ‘completely inadequate’ after viewing the conditions on board.
Japan had initially impounded the ship after a passenger who left the ship in Hong Kong in January subsequently tested positive.
Weeks later another Caribbean Princess ship was struck by an outbreak, when two passengers and 19 crew members on the Grand Princess cruise ship tested positive for coronavirus in early March.
The ship docked in Oakland, California, on March 9 with 3,500 on board and people were repatriated and sent to army bases for quarantine.
The number of confirmed US cases from the ship has since risen to 28.
The first passengers from the Grand Princess began leaving their 14-day quarantine and returning home last week.
SCIENTISTS FIND TRACES OF CORONAVIRUS IN DIAMOND PRINCESS CABINS TWO WEEKS ON FROM PASSENGER EVACUATION
The coronavirus could last on surfaces for up to 17 days, according to research on the disease-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship.
Traces of the deadly infection were found in the deserted cabins more than two weeks after passengers were evacuated.
The gigantic ship became a hotbed of COVID-19 cases in February, with more than 700 patients known to have caught the virus on the cruise.
The study, published by US health officials, suggests the virus is capable of sticking to surfaces for longer than previously thought.
Until now, evidence has shown the coronavirus can last on plastic surfaces for three days.
Researchers, led by Takuya Yamagishi at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, looked at the rooms of infected passengers aboard the Diamond Princess, including both those who showed symptoms and those who didn’t.
The findings were published on March 23 in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The authors wrote: ‘SARS-CoV-2 RNA was identified on a variety of surfaces in cabins of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infected passengers up to 17 days after cabins were vacated on the Diamond Princess but before disinfection procedures had been conducted.
‘Although these data cannot be used to determine whether transmission occurred from contaminated surfaces, further study of fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 aboard cruise ships is warranted.’
There isn’t any evidence so far that old traces of the virus can lead to new cases of COVID-19.
But health officials have warned repeatedly that people can catch the illness by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their face.
Traces of the deadly virus were found in the cabins more than two weeks after passengers were evacuated and before a deep clean. Pictured, a general picture of a cabin on the ship