Why the Philippines is a magnet for idled cruise ships
And why thousands of crew members are still waiting impatiently to disembark
IN HEALTHIER TIMES the sight of a fleet of cruise ships lying at anchor in Manila Bay, silhouetted against the sunset, would gladden the hearts of business people on shore, eager to relieve free-spending passengers of their money. But the 21 vessels dotting the seascape on May 21st were not so much floating hotels as prison hulks. The passengers are long gone. Instead, the ships serve as quarantine quarters for crews made idle by the collapse of the cruise market thanks to covid-19. For many of the hapless mariners, quarantine is proving endless.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Floating confinement”
Asia May 23rd 2020
- India’s economy has suffered even more than most
- Malaysia’s shaky government dodges a no-confidence motion
- Japan is not rallying around its prime minister
- Afghanistan’s two rival presidents reach a deal
- China punishes Australia for promoting an inquiry into covid-19
- Why the Philippines is a magnet for idled cruise ships
- Vietnam’s secretive Communist Party embarks on a leadership transition
From the May 23rd 2020 edition
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