Some cruise lines are currently offering a week of a voyage for at least $300, says an article from Market Watch. The decline of cruise prices was caused by a devastating image caused by the coronavirus epidemic.

Also read: Cruise Lines Set New Policies to Address Growing Coronavirus Concerns

Warning from the United States State Department 

On the eve of Sunday, the United States State Department had released a warning. They said US citizens and tourists with compromised health conditions are advised to avoid traveling through cruise ships. The department shared the guidance given by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC warns travelers of the increasing threat of the coronavirus in a cruise ship environment.

The CDC's Warning

To control the spread of the coronavirus, multiple nations have already implemented strict health screening methods, says the CDC. These health screening methods had resulted in the denial of port entry to ships. Also, this had prevented ship passengers to disembark.

There are some locations where cruise ship passengers were allowed disembarkation. However, passengers were required to strictly follow local quarantine procedures.

Relying on the United States Government to Intervene with Quarantined Ships at Sea

The US State Department said the citizens of the US should stop relying on the government to interfere with quarantined ships at sea or those shunned by other nations.

Recently, the US government had evacuated several cruise ship passengers. Their right to return to their home country should not be relied on by US citizens who are at risk of being quarantined by local authorities.

Global Coronavirus Infection by the Numbers

The global total of the COVID-19 cases had reached 109,965. The deadly virus had already taken the lives of 3,284 people as of Sunday evening. However, 61,918 who contracted the illness had made a full recovery.

In the United States, there are already a total of 19 deaths from the virus with more or less 547 confirmed cases.

Who are at Risk?

The CDC alerted older adults and travelers with poor health conditions to avoid visiting places where their risk of contracting a deadly disease is heightened. These places included crowded areas, avoiding unnecessary trips, and cruise ships.

Risks from Cruise Ships

One of the biggest risks of those who are planning to enter cruise ships is the possibility of being quarantined while on the ship. This risk occurs when a ship is denied by a port to dock. Also, there is a risk of the illness spreading to the other passengers and the ship's crew members if a co-passenger of the ship tested positive for the coronavirus.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had asked people to avoid taking cruise visiting any part of Asia.

The Princess Cruise Ship- Grand Princess

The Grand Princess of the Princess Cruise Ship, with the Hawaii-Mexico route, is still stranded on the coast of California. The ship was quarantined at sea after an old man who boarded the ship on a previous voyage had lost his life from the coronavirus last month.

As of now, 21 people on the ship had tested positive for the deadly virus. On March 9, the ship will be permitted to dock in an Oakland port.