Cork cruise sails ahead despite Covid-19 fears

The lucrative Cork cruise season will continue as planned, despite coronavirus fears.

The Port of Cork said steps have been taken ahead of the arrival of the first cruise liner of the 2020 season.

The Saga Sapphire is due in Cobh on Friday morning with up to 752 passengers and a further 400 crew. It will arrive at the end of a coastal cruise of Ireland and the UK, having already docked in Liverpool and Dublin, before setting off back to Dover.

There is just one other cruise liner due this month: the Marco Polo, which is scheduled to arrive on March 23. From April onwards, though, the numbers arriving will increase rapidly.

Currently, there are plans for a record 107 cruise liners to visit Cork in the coming months. Passenger numbers were projected to reach 260,000.

Fears have been heightened in recent weeks after outbreaks of the coronavirus on the Grand Princess liner off the US coast, where 21 cases have been reported, and the Diamond Princess, where some 700 cases were reported earlier this year. Neither of these are scheduled to visit Cork in 2020.

A spokesperson for the Port of Cork said it is following "all necessary guidelines" from the HSE: "Cruise ship tourism offers no higher risks compared to tourists visiting Cork via airports or public transport. However following dialogue with the HSE concerning coronavirus, the Port of Cork will ensure that all vessels/agents must complete the Maritime Declaration of Health (MDoH) to SafeSeas Ireland (SSI)."

In addition, passenger details of all those joining liners in Cobh or Cork must be notified to the Port Authority prior to arrival, and local tourism ambassadors will not board vessels until further notice. All vessels are required to have adequate hand sanitizer stocks and information on the virus, while no unnecessary ship visits are to be scheduled during the port stay.

"The Port of Cork is keenly aware of public concern over the Covid-19 and while all cruise liners and their passengers will be welcomed to Cork, the Port is also following advice from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the leading voice of the global cruise industry, on the adoption of additional enhanced screening measures in response to COVID-19," the spokesperson added.

CLIA measures include the prohibition of travel for all persons who have travelled from South Korea, Itan, China and any affected areas of Italy.