While customers have not yet cancelled bookings, cruise trip operators said their primary consideration would be the health and safety of tourists and crew members. — AFP
TOKYO: Cruise ships set to sail for Japan in the next few months are keeping their fingers crossed after it started discharging nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean last Thursday.
While customers have not yet cancelled bookings, cruise trip operators said their primary consideration would be the health and safety of tourists and crew members.
United States-based Royal Caribbean International had earlier unveiled its 2024 cruise itineraries from Shanghai to Japan and had opened bookings for holidaymakers, with its first trip scheduled to sail on April 27 next year.
This had come after international cruise tours were suspended for more than three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Royal Caribbean said customers who had already booked trips have not demanded to cancel their reservations as the tour is still eight months away.
It said it would follow the wastewater discharge matter closely and take decisions accordingly, keeping in mind the health and safety of its passengers and crew.
Its mega luxury cruise ship, Spectrum of the Seas, specifically designed for Chinese travellers, is making a comeback and, starting April, Royal Caribbean will operate multiple cruise trips lasting four to seven nights to Japanese destinations such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Kagoshima and Okinawa.
“We have received inquiries from customers about some related issues, and most tourists expressed understanding after receiving the responses. Nothing is more important than the health, safety and experience of a joyful holiday for our guests,” said Liu Zinan, senior vice-president and chairman of Asia at Royal Caribbean Group.
“We fully understand the concerns of tourists and will closely monitor the situation. We will take necessary measures in a highly professional and timely manner to ensure that everyone has a safe and unforgettable international cruise vacation,” Liu added. — China Daily/ANN
