Cruise Tourism- the COVID-19 Dilemma and Climate Crisis 

By Kwame Nkosi Romeo

"Throughout history, oceans and seas have been vital conduits for trade and transportation. Careful management of these essential global resources is a key feature of a sustainable future."

-Sustainable Development Goal.14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources. - SDG Tracker.

Antigua and Barbuda government's two-faced policy of COVID-19 procedure is discriminatory towards local people while overlooking the Cruiseline lax COVID-19 protocols. In addition to reviewing the danger of cruise lines concerning environmental degradation and health hazards affecting the Caribbean community.

The world economy is still volatile as Caribbean governments grapple with the COVID-19 dilemma and a weakened global economy. Yet, warning disasters still lurk as the situation swiftly changes, especially in the crisis-prone tourism sector. Three episodes highlight this recent crisis:

• Continual soaring COVID-19 cases
• The emergence of the Delta & Lambada variant of COVID-19 in the Caribbean
• The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) itinerary was slowed due to eight crew members' positive COVID-19 test results

Sad to say, this cruise tourism impact is one of many that will continue to arise. With that in mind, the Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) updated its warning on June 16, categorizing a Level 3; High Level of COVID-19 to Cruise Ship Travelers Who Are Not Fully Vaccinated and urged passengers to avoid travel since COVID-19 on cruise ships is high. However, Florida Governor Ron Desantis's unyielding Executive Order opposed the CDC inoculating procedure by having recourse to Article IV, Section I (a) of the Florida Constitution and the Florida Emergency Management Act, Section 1: 

"... all local COVID-19 restrictions and mandates on individuals and businesses are suspended."

Within this month, as the buccaneers set sail, two Royal Caribbean's Celebrity Millenium guests and two guests onboard Royal Caribbean Cruise's Adventure of the Seas ship tested positive for Covid-19. Next, Disney Cruise Line's Disney Dream' temporarily suspends the cruises due to positive COVID-19 tests.

Currently, 9,635,781 million, or 44.86% of Florida's population, ranks 27 of 52 States fully vaccinated. However, that is still woefully low compared to the 70% to 85% established herd immunity policy. Also of top priority is the latest CDC release listing the Delta variant B.1.617.2 strain, a Variant Of Concern (VOC) that accounts for 20.6 % of US COVID-19 cases and warning that it is instantly transmissible between people. 

More telling, all five sub-grouping of coronaviruses exist in Florida, USA. Incidentally, Port Everglades and Port Miami in Florida are the main cruise ship departure port for Caribbean passengers. As a result, they may comprise a small percentage of the Florida population that reported the following proportions of VOC cases:  B.1.1.7(Alpha 67.2%),  B.1.351 (Beta 0.3%), B.1.427/B.1.429 (Epsilon 0.9%), P.1 (Gamma 11.8%), and B.1.617.2 (Delta 1.3%). Thus, of all the VOC, the CDC expects the deadly Delta variant to become the most dominant threat to the US, especially in low-vaccinated areas. 

A point of view advocated by Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health called the Delta variant the most significant threat "The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the US to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19." Coronavirus | CruiseMapper 

What about the risk of VOC to Antigua and Barbuda?

A crisis will emerge with the Royal Caribbean Seabourn Odyssey, 540 passengers due to arrive at Heritage Quay, St. John's Antigua, on July 20, 2021, without any COVID-19 procedure difficulties originating from Antigua and Barbuda government stringent protocol. That hard-line practice is solely localized and prejudical towards the abused local community and is no different from Apartheid.

Unfortunately, neither the government nor the cruise line seems concerned about the B.1.1.7(Alpha) with a 42% greater risk of hospitalization and B.1.617.2 ( Delta Plus) high fatality rate. Both threaten life and health. Close to the number of this impending crisis is the 300 people bacchanal 'vaccinated' fete celebrating the beginning of this doom with more Alpha and Beta COVID-19 variants just around the corner.

By contrast, a long-standing bias is obvious against returning residents with the strictest protocols mandated to specific stay-over visitors except for mostly foreign white travelers booked at so-called select bio-secure hotels and government benefactors. The Antigua Labor Party (ALP) government upholds no policy regarding COVID-19 protocols, and the cruise ship violation is one such example. Then too, the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) originated in the UK. Yet, during the COVID-19 pandemic, British Airways and Virgin Airlines proceeded with nonstop flights to VC Bird International Airport (VCBIA) Antigua.

According to Public Health England (PHE), Technical briefing 16 dated June 18, 2021, the rising B.1.617.2 ( Delta) makes up for more than 90% of all infections in the UK. Between June 21 and June 26, COVID infections increased to 18,270 or 72%, and Covid-related deaths to 23 or 360% justify worry. On June 25, the UK reported 15,810 COVID-19 cases and 18 new deaths, more negligible than the preceding day's tally of 16,703 infections and 21 Covid-related death. 

What is more, PHE issued an ominous warning of the C.37 (Lambada) variant under investigation (VUI) after discovering six cases linked to overseas travel. The C.37 was first found in Peru in December 2020 and designated a variant earlier this month is now widely prevalent in the country.

On the other hand, beach Apartheid and the State of Emergency (SOE), two-faced rules continue in Antigua and Barbuda! (Delta variant causes more than 90% of new Covid cases in the UK by Nicola Davis -The Guardian, Friday, June 11, 2020)

Recent news confirmed the Lambada variant is circulating in St. Kitts & Nevis. After that, the Observer Breaking News press conference with health officials earlier today corroborated the presence of Alpha and Beta in Antigua and Barbuda.

Moreover, the government's pushing forward the opening of the wretched cruise sector will give rise to COVID-19 cases and significant environmental consequences. Another instance to think about is the CO2 emission of two luxury cruise ships in the Heritage Quay, St. John's, Antigua sums up the CO2 emissions of 24,000 vehicles on land. This analysis supports the devastating consequences on people's health, estimating that over 50,000 Europeans die prematurely every year due to shipping-based pollution. 

Furthermore, according to Transport & Environment Research, Carnival Corporation, the world's largest luxury cruise operator, emitted nearly 10 times as much sulfur dioxide (SOx) released as all 260 million of Europe's cars in 2017. The car's emission amount to 3.2 kilonots SOx compared to 62 kilonots SOx released by 203 cruise ships operating in European waters. More than half of these 62 kilotons of SOx allegedly were the 47 boats operated by Carnival Cruise Lines or its subsidiaries. Royal Caribbean Cruises rank second and constitute "four times worse than the European car fleet."

Cruise Ship Pollution Is Causing Serious Health and Environmental Problems such as life-threatening sequences of acid rain, higher cancer rates, and other respiratory diseases are serious health hazards. These diseases may be attributable to the increased incidences of Non-Communicable Diseases in Antigua. (Luxury cruise giant emits 10 times more air pollution (SOx) than all of Europe's cars study - Transport and Environment)

How many Caribbeaners die from cruise ship pollution?

CARICOM fails to capitalize on agriculture as the key to development, cutting down on CO2 emissions and lowering non-communicable diseases (NCD). Instead, all CARICOM countries are net food importers, not growing food to feed the community; all countries import at a higher cost. As a result, the multiplier effect is low; funds are repatriated, with little or nothing left in the community. 

Secondly, CARICOM must also emphasize air transport, beginning with LIAT (1974) Limited and advance in collaboration with Caribbean Airlines and create a formidable airline with a more impressive fleet and a competitive spirit backed by the CARICOM governments to promote genuine ownership and true independence.

What is the CARICOM plan? 

CARICOM's priority must be to formulate a less dangerous Caribbean shipping line and emphasize eco-friendly smaller capacity ferries in alliance with three countries now controlling 92.5% of global shipbuilding: China, Japan, and South Korea. Two of these countries rank in the top three in ownership of the world fleet: Japan and the People's Republic of China. The Republic of South Korea ranked seventh.

Next- Tourism Without Benefits and the Blue Economy.