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The C-word: Royal Caribbean Ben Bouldin’s take on coronavirus

CLIA chair Ben Bouldin, UK cruise sector

Royal Caribbean International vice-president EMEA Ben Bouldin tells Cruise Trade News why community is now more important than ever and outlines how the industry can begin to overcome the challenges caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The C-word. Yes, coronavirus – or COVID-19 – has consistently dominated conversation, influencing and impacting individuals and businesses across the globe for weeks. However, as our RCCL chairman and CEO Richard Fain says, is the world coming to an end because of it? No.

The gravity and unknown nature of the virus is, of course, cause for concern and the preventative measures to minimise contagion are something that we must all take very seriously.  As an international business operating across the globe, a pandemic such as this impacts all corners of our business.

In addition to global operations, this includes our guests, our crew, our land-based employees and, unquestionably, our trade partners, who we see as a vital and integral part of our business.

In times like this it’s paramount that we rely on the power of community and avoid acting selfishly; we must support the most vulnerable.

In society this is the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions. At Royal Caribbean it also means our suppliers and trade partners, whose businesses may be at risk. While it may seem difficult to do so, Richard Fain’s advice to the trade is to breathe. Take a step back and breathe. There is a long road ahead of us. By accepting this we can start to look at our challenges and work to overcome them together.

RCCL has been a key player in the cruise industry for more than 50 years. One of the factors enabling us to succeed and to navigate the hurdles that have come our way is trust, both from our guests and the trade.

This shall pass

It’s important that all actions taken during this time build and retain long-term trust, even if in the short term these decisions may seem unnerving. When we do come out the other side of this, and when it comes to cruise, it’s our job to reassure guests that it’s still safe.

We know the importance of on-board hygiene and the stringent measures we take – both in the wake of the virus and as standard – to ensure the safety of our guests and crew. We must not lose sight of this.

While we do need to look at plans as a result of the c-word, let’s step back, breathe and apply the p-word – perspective. When it comes to RCCL, I’m astounded by our ability to navigate and tackle short-term hurdles, while not losing sight of long-term goals.

At Royal Caribbean we are considering our new circumstances daily, putting them into perspective and rejigging our plans as necessary, all the while knowing that this shall pass and, when it does, we will be prepared to move forward.

I’m tremendously proud to work for an organisation that can be so agile and adapt to the challenges that come our way. When Spectrum of the Seas was no longer able to sail out of Shanghai, as a business we asked ourselves, how can she be put to good use and where might she be needed the most?

The ship was then redeployed to Australia, offering complimentary family cruises sailing from Sydney for first responders who worked tirelessly over the many weeks of the Australian bush fire crisis.

It’s reassuring to know that if we need to adapt, the strength and agility of our team and business will allow us to do so, even if it’s at a moment’s notice.

Coronavirus shall pass, so let’s help it do so quickly, all the while applying some perspective.

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.   

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