Cruise ship operator Genting Hong Kong Ltd. is taking measures to steer clear of the coronavirus epidemic by canceling voyages aboard its Dream Cruises line. Due to the expected loss of business, Genting Cruise Lines is also cutting senior staff salaries by 30 percent to 50 percent.
The Hong Kong unit, also an investor in Asian land-based casinos, operates a total of three cruise ship brands: Crystal Cruises, for the ultra-luxury segment; Dream Cruises, for the premium segment; and Star Cruises, for what it defines as the contemporary segment. Genting says the cruise business environment in 2020 “will continue to be challenging” due to the coronavirus, reported GGRAsia.
“The ultimate economic damage from this ongoing epidemic in the People’s Republic of China is still under assessment, but efforts have been made to mitigate the impact to the group,” said the Hong Kong-listed company in a filing. The epidemic originated in China’s Hubei province.
Dream Cruises president Michael Goh was quoted as saying in a statement that guests who had booked on any of the cancelled itineraries would be “contacted and provided with a variety of compensation options including to defer their cruise to a future sailing or, if needed, to cancel their cruise for a full refund.”
Dream Cruises has canceled all trips to Taiwanese ports “until further notice.” Genting Hong Kong said the “material impact” on 2020 remained “uncertain as the magnitude of the effects from this virus outbreak is still unknown.
“However, the group is confident and committed to long-term growth in the Asian cruise market—which it has been operating in for more than 26 years,” stated the company, adding that it is “proactively responding to the challenges to ensure the overall progress of its business operations is not derailed beyond temporary inconvenience.”
