Due to the coronaviruses and the critical situation in neighbouring Italy, in which the virus has caused wide spread disruption, including the quarantine of 16 million people, the first cancellation of a cruise ship arrival to Dubrovnik has occurred. The mega cruise ship, Costa Luminosa, was due to arrive in Dubrovnik on the 24th of March but now according to a report on cruisehive.com this arrival has been cancelled.

“As you may have learned, the alert level for CoVid-19 declared by the World Health Organization has been raised, and this has led the health authorities of some countries to further increase their precautionary measures by introducing a series of bans on entry into their territories,” stated Cost Cruises.

Costa Luminosa is sailing transatlantic from Fort Lauderdale in Florida and was due to stop at Savona, Naples and Dubrovnik. Now this cruise will be cut short and instead Costa Luminosa, which has a capacity for 2,260 passengers, will end her journey on the 20th of March in Marseilles. Meaning that the ship will not be calling at the Italian regions in quarantine from coronavirus and the subsequent final destination of Dubrovnik. On Costa Cruises official website there is a page updating passengers on the coronavirus situation and amongst other points states that "Anyone boarding our ships will be screened for body temperature: anyone with a body temperature above 37.5° C will be denied access to the ship." .

Although this is the first cruise ship to officially cancel its arrival in Dubrovnik it could well be the first of many as the shutdown of the cruise port in Venice is likely to disrupt cruise ship arrivals in Dubrovnik. Just yesterday the Mayor of Dubrovnik commented that ““In my estimation, there will be a serious market disruption. As things stand now, I don't think Venice cruisers will sail at all, but we are waiting for the official confirmation of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a group that brings together all the world's key cruise ship organizers.”

Costa Luminosa cancels visit to Dubrovnik - Photo - Flickr

Italian authorities, in an attempt to curb the rapid spread of coronaviruses, have declared a quarantine for the large area of northern Italy with 16 million inhabitants, including Venice, until the 3rd of April this first cruise ship and indeed subsequent cruise ship arrivals from Venice are hanging in the balance.

On the 26th of March another Costa cruise ship, the Costa Victoria, is also due to arrive in Dubrovnik after sailing from the Maldives. The final stop on this cruise is Venice. No news has yet been announced as to whether the Costa Victoria will join Costa Luminosa on the cancelled list.