CroisiEurope has given free accommodation and meals aboard its river ship MS Botticelli to a dozen nurses who had been travelling up to 90 miles a day to treat coronavirus patients at the Pompidou Hospital in Paris.

The French capital’s Pompidou Hospital has had to bring nurses in from elsewhere in the country to help treat the many patients who have become infected with coronavirus (covid-19).

It has been reported that some of these nurses are having to travel up to 150kms into work every day, using a transport system that is very depleted.

On hearing this, cruise line CroisiEurope offered the hospital and its nurses the use of the MS Botticelli, which is currently docked on the Seine after the cruise line suspended all sailings until due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The ship is currently home to approximately 12 nurses, who have been given complimentary accommodation, breakfast and dinner on board.

Due to very strict health and safety rules, the ship can only accommodate up to 25 nurses, the cruise line has confirmed. Staff on board are trained and follow a very tight protocol in terms of cleaning the ship, wearing masks, and so on.

To help expand the capabilities of the NHS, Saga was understood to have been in talks with the UK Government and to have offered two of its cruise ships to be used as floating hospitals for coronavirus-infected patients.

Meanwhile, Carnival Corporation chairman Micky Arison also made an agreement with President Trump to make the company’s ships available for coronavirus relief in the US.

Our view:

The cruise industry is facing an unprecedented and ever-changing situation, and we are committed to keeping you informed with the most up-to-date news. However, we firmly believe that the cruise industry will bounce back. When it does, we’ll be on hand to help you get back to selling the cruises that people love.