Coronavirus: The latest on cruise line cancellations and policy changes

Many cruise lines have canceled or altered scheduled sailings to China as the deadly coronavirus continues to spread. Although the virus has been traced to Wuhan, China, it has spread throughout that country, sickening more than 20,000 and killing more than 400 there. It has also spread to 20 other countries outside of mainland China and Hong Kong, with more than 200 confirmed cases, including 11 in the United States. 

On Jan. 30, the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, following an emergency committee meeting in Geneva.

Amid news of the first suspected case of coronavirus on a cruise ship, cruise lines have swiftly reacted to the outbreak and started implementing their own precautions by canceling sailings and boosting screening procedures for passengers boarding from Chinese ports.

China has become an increasingly popular cruise destination in recent years, coupled with many lines deploying ships to serve the rapidly growing Chinese cruise market which has become the second-largest in the world after the U.S.

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