Carnival bookings soar despite coronavirus, travel company says
Cruise Planners has seen an increase in bookings up to 600 percent
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Wanderlust is strong among Carnival Cruise Line fans, according to a TMZ report.
A spokesperson from Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, told the tabloid that cruise bookings increased exponentially after Carnival announced it intends to resume some cruises in August.
CARNIVAL TO RESUME SOME NORTH AMERICAN CRUISES IN AUGUST
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCL | CARNIVAL CORP. | 25.43 | +0.29 | +1.15% |
Three days after the announcement, the travel company’s Carnival bookings went up by 600 percent when compared to the three days before the news broke. This current vacation frenzy is notably 200 percent higher than the bookings Cruise Planners received during the same period last year.
Locking down reservations and premium deals were reportedly the top factors for Cruise Planners’ customers.
CARNIVAL TO 'FULLY COOPERATE' WITH CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE INVESTIGATION BY CONGRESS
The company told TMZ that most of the clientele that’s calling in right now can be characterized as young, healthy and eager to travel after being cooped up from the nationwide coronavirus quarantines.
In other words, the company stated these customers are "not a bit concerned about traveling at this time."
STUCK ON CRUISE SHIPS DURING PANDEMIC, CREWS BEG TO GO HOME
Carnival is aiming to hit the high seas by August, but there are no guarantees. The current pandemic could always delay sailing again.
"We continue to work with various government agencies, including the CDC, as we introduce new onboard protocols, but there is no assurance of a return on August 1," Carnival wrote in its announcement.
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Previously, the cruise line hoped to return in April or May when it first shutdown in March. The date was later pushed to June 26 and now August 1.
The coronavirus has been devastating to the cruise industry after hundreds of passengers contracted the illness on various cruise lines.
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More than 4 million people have coronavirus across the globe, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard. Nearly 280,000 people have lost their lives from a health complication related to the virus.