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Richard Fain: “We’re Not Sure When We’re Coming Back”


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Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain: “We’re Not Sure When We’re Coming Back” / “Our Crew Will Be Coming Home Over the Next Several Weeks”

Fain 5
By Jim Walker on May 21, 2020
POSTED IN DISEASE

This afternoon CNBC interviewed Royal Caribbean Richard Fain about when his cruise line will re-start operations and when his crew members will finally be repatriated. Here is a portion of the interview:

CNBC: . . . we know that this is a challenging time. We really appreciate you spending time with us today. . . . You’re hoping to resume sailing coming August 1st, is that realistic at a time when there is no COVID-19 vaccine on the market and medical experts like Dr. Fauci say the risk of a second wave is high.

FAIN: ” . . . well, I think we have said that we’re not sure when we’r coming back, we won’t come back until we are absolutely  sure that we have done everything we can to work to protect the safety of our guests and crew, we said we won’t be back before fain-1-320x167.jpgthe end of July but we haven’t gone to the next step to say that we are absolutely confident that we will starting on August 1st,  we will work with the authorities, we will work with all the experts that we asked to help us with this to make sure that we are doing everything we can to  protect all guests  and crew.

CNBC: Yeah, it’s tough to envision passengers getting on board when, Richard, there still thousands of crew members stuck at sea, isolated, tell us why it has taken so much time to get these crew members home.

FAIN: Well, you know, we have wonderful crew members who really devote their lives to helping our guests, and they come from a hundred countries around the world. In this situation, every country seems to have its own travel restrictions, its own border restictions even for its own citizens. And so it’s very difficult to coordinate having all of these people go through it. But we already have managed to get a large percentage home. We’ve taken the extra step of coordinating to bring alot of crew members  from all over the fleet to assemble them on individual ships and then we using those ships to transport them home. It’s frankly it’s a difficult thing to do, it’s very complicated, it’s also very expensive. But these people really want to get home to their families . . .

CNBC: Richard, on that point, can you make a pledge that by the end of next week all of your members, all of your crew, get to Fain-2-320x168.jpgbe home.

FAIN: Ha. Ha. No. Absolutely not. In fact, we know we  won’t be able to make that schedule because there are some countries which are limiting and not allowing their … citizens back under any circumstances. But we do think that we are making quite strong steps, we’ve got 10,000 that we’re coordinating to go home on our ships, and we think that the rest are coming home over the next couple of weeks.

CNBC: At the same time . . .

FAIN:  I should say over the next few weeks . . .”

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48 minutes ago, monctonguy said:

Interesting how a few months ago, many here thought this outbreak was much ado about nothing...

 

Now we are talking months and months of ZERO cruises......loss of jobs, losing hundreds of millions of dollars and not sure what or when cruising will be like if or when it comes back....

 

 

I still believe that this was much ado about nothing.  All of the consequences, including the extended loss of cruising, are the result of the overreaction and the senseless political battle that this all has become. 

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26 minutes ago, Ogilthorpe said:

I still believe that this was much ado about nothing.  All of the consequences, including the extended loss of cruising, are the result of the overreaction and the senseless political battle that this all has become. 

I'd agree with you if only the U.S. was reacting this way (especially on the playing politics part). But the entire world is going through this and acting this way. I also feel like once you personally know someone whose either gotten seriously sick by or lost their lives over this virus. Your perception of this virus starts to change, like what happened to me. 

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This is is no way trying to get anyone up in a tiff, just looking for some info from USA. What are your demographics for deaths? Percentages by age etc. In Canada the numbers are small under 70 ( specifically in quebec which is hardest hit).But I feel like stories I hear from US are different and I'm wondering why? Is it our free healthcare? Are people scared to get treatment because they cant afford it? Just wondering why the differences . And I work in healthcare so have witnessed most first hand.

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The US, like Canada, has published statistics showing nearly all Covid19 attributed deaths are those over 70. I say "published" and "atrributed" as our statistics are very much suspect at this point. While the virus attributed deaths are high, all other causes of death have plummeted during this time period. In fact, the overall number of deaths for all causes in the US is at 50% of where historical data would estimate.

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No one knew months ago how this would play out or where we would be right now.  Even now we still don't know how this will play out going forward.  When does the first wave officially end? Will there be a second wave?  If so when?

Fain is simply stating the obvious - he doesn't know when cruising will resume, period.  Sort of qualifies for a "thank you captain obvious" reaction.  

The cruise lines own crystal balls are working no better than yours or mine.   Cruising will resume when it can.  Bars will be back to normal when they can.  School will be back to normal when it can.  Fain must be getting tired of the question "when will cruising start again?".  He doesn't know.

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I personally think all the number are suspect, there is no way its not higher. My best friend's twin was 36 when she died of COVID-19 in April, my two godchildren were under 10. Sure a lot of people over 70, who had it, died but so have thousands under. Any avoidable death should be a cause for worry, so regardless of if that 100,000 is 0.001% or not does not matter. The hospitals in Chicago are still backed up. I personally have long gave up on the idea of getting back to "normal" and applaud Mr. Fain for being honest.

People like to hold on to dates, numbers and goal positions as absolutes. Only to rage, pout and protest when real life gets in the way. If Fain had said we will be back August 15th, many people would hold onto that date like a dog with a bone. When it doesn't happen they will threaten lawsuits and call RCCI shady/greedy/not loyal etc.  Regardless if has to do with the second wave or the CDC extending its restrictions. There are some who act as RCCI wants to be closed, like they have a choice in the matter.

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2 hours ago, Ogilthorpe said:

I say "published" and "attributed" as our statistics are very much suspect at this point.

Agree !!!

2 hours ago, Ogilthorpe said:

While the virus attributed deaths are high, all other causes of death have plummeted during this time period.

Just maybe this data is telling us that the new normal will be a safer place to live!  Just maybe working, eating, & drinking from home (and watching our big screen TVs) not only reduces the covid-19 spread, but going forward will have an impact on reducing the global death rate.  I guess, something to hope for... 

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5 minutes ago, YOLO said:

Agree !!!

Just maybe this data is telling us that the new normal will be a safer place to live!  Just maybe working, eating, & drinking from home (and watching our big screen TVs) not only reduces the covid-19 spread, but going forward will have the impact of reducing the global death.  I guess, something to hope for... 

I agree that, at least for now, some aspects of this situation are safer: Very few are driving, skiing, sky diving, going down the Ultimate Abyss, etc. At the same time, many "standard" causes (pneumonia, cancer, heart issues) seem under reported or miscounted. Of course, long term, is staying sequestered and avoiding risky undertakings a predictor of a safer society or, are we inviting other afflictions? (Sorry ...  I had no intention to sound like a philosophy professor ??)

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5 hours ago, Jzx1103 said:

I'd agree with you if only the U.S. was reacting this way (especially on the playing politics part). But the entire world is going through this and acting this way. I also feel like once you personally know someone whose either gotten seriously sick by or lost their lives over this virus. Your perception of this virus starts to change, like what happened to me. 

My girlfriend just lost her aunt and 4 of her cousins are infected. In the beginning she was saying it is just like fly , and now she knows it is not a joke. But it is sad to realize how serious it is until it hit close to home. We live in Florida.

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@Cile  Very sorry to hear this news.  This virus is NO joke.  Hopefully people realize this.  Over this Memorial Day weekend there were may reports of careless socializing.  In this environment I just can't understand how people can be so selfish.  I can only hope if they end up infected that they do NOT infect anyone else.  AND that people take better care of themselves and others.  I do hope your girlfriend's cousins get well soon!

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8 minutes ago, YOLO said:

@Cile  Very sorry to hear this news.  This virus is NO joke.  Hopefully people realize this.  Over this Memorial Day weekend there were may reports of careless socializing.  In this environment I just can't understand how people can be so selfish.  I can only hope if they end up infected that they do NOT infect anyone else.  AND that people take better care of themselves and others.  I do hope your girlfriend's cousins get well soon!

Thank you. But if you watch news , look what is happening in Florida , everybody is out. Beach is full of people like sardines .

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Since testing is not widely available the death toll is the most viable measure of how the virus is progressing.  It's not a contest to determine a Guiness record of lives lost or a means to trivialize it compared to cancer, car crashes or suicide.

It's pointless to compare death counts to other causes.  The flu kills 40k per year, COVID-19 did that in a month and only slowed because of actions taken.  Lives lost in WWII make everything seem inconsequential and that was a man made event.  Deaths from car crashes, or gunshots or being impaled by a pitch fork while sitting backwards on a tractor on a Tuesday are all irrelevant as a point of comparison.  Every life lost has the potential for us to learn something even if we choose to prioritize the economy.  This won't be the last pandemic the world faces, at least next time we will better understand and have better modeling to guide future decisions.

Stay at home and close restaurants, 4 in 1,000 die.  Do nothing and let the virus go, X in 1,000 die - we'll have a better idea in a couple months time what X equals.  By this time next year we'll have the clarity of hindsight which is always 20-20.

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16 minutes ago, twangster said:

Stay at home and close restaurants, 4 in 1,000 die.  Do nothing and let the virus go, X in 1,000 die - we'll have a better idea in a couple months time what X equals.  By this time next year we'll have the clarity of hindsight which is always 20-20.

That is my point.  Statistically the covid death rate is based on current measures taken, yet they are quoted as if none were.  Going forward other factors need to be considered.  For example, should we expect that the warm summer death rate will predict the cooler fall death rate?  And when will a real vaccine be available in mass?

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47 minutes ago, twangster said:

Stay at home and close restaurants, 4 in 1,000 die.  Do nothing and let the virus go, X in 1,000 die - we'll have a better idea in a couple months time what X equals.  By this time next year we'll have the clarity of hindsight which is always 20-20.

Where are you getting your numbers from? 

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7 hours ago, mworkman said:

I understand that but you have a higher percentage of death from cancer than you do the virus. Statistically speaking of course.

Cancer is not contagious and cant be stopped by socially isolating and other measure that have eased the spread of this virus. What a ridiculous comparison.

 

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6 hours ago, bretts173 said:

Cancer is not contagious and cant be stopped by socially isolating and other measure that have eased the spread of this virus. What a ridiculous comparison.

 

While the contagious part is true (at least based on what we know today), there is ongoing discussion whether there will be an unintended effect here. With access to the medical industry artificially blocked by the lockdown, cancer diagnoses have all but ceased. There is concern that this will lead to higher death rate in the near future and that those losses could exceed the theoretical covid 19 lives saved by the shutdown. ?

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