Skift Take
Norwegian Cruise Lines says it has enough liquidity to weather a prolonged break from cruising. But with the prospect of more than six months without sailing now likely, how prolonged are we talking?
As cruise lines report second quarter earnings, the full economic effects of a no sail environment are getting clearer — and uglier.
And yet, people are still booking cruises, something that Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Frank Del Rio is both surprised and encouraged by.
"If you had told me that we were going to be facing these set of circumstances, and your question is, 'Frank, would you be taking any bookings?' I would have laughed at you. I'll say, 'Of course, not, who would book? It's crazy,'" Del Rio said in response to a question on the company's second quarter earnings call on Thursday. "But people are booking. People are confident that we're going to come back. People do want to cruise. They miss it. It's a heck of a vacation experience, a heck of a vacation value. And so this is temporary. The question is how temporary is temporary."
The company rep
