Were Cruise Ship Officials In Denial About COVID-19 Threat?

As far as venues for the transmission of COVID-19 goes, cruise ships have probably been the most prolific. Well over 1,000 cruise ship passengers have contracted the virus while aboard the vessels. Over a dozen have died, though some of those deaths have not been officially declared as stemming from coronavirus. 

A recent CNN report indicates that perhaps some cruise line officials did not that the virus seriously.

The report quotes Julia Melim, who works for the ship’s TV channel as a program host. She said that the ship’s higher-ups were not receptive to crew concerns that coronavirus the ship’s occupants should be following social distancing guidelines.”Anytime anyone raised a question, it was the general response: the ship is the safest place to be,” she said. 

Perhaps the most shocking account from the report is when Melim says “We had like crew parties, we had live music, we had concerts, movie nights, theater performances,” even after ship authorities were put on notice as to the coronavirus threat. 

Melim works aboard the Celebrity Infinity, which has seen many crew members and passengers fall ill with coronavirus.