With the Cruise season set to begin in Halifax in a month, The Times Colonist is reporting that the Feds may ban cruise ship arrivals as early as next week due to Novel Corona Virus concerns. The federal government has already suggested Canadians avoid travel on cruise ships.

Infections seem to spread like wildfire aboard Cruise ships, and a ban seems like a prudent health measure. Recent incidents include:

• The Grand Princess, which tied up in Oakland yesterday, after holding offshore due to virus concerns. 228 Canadians were repatriated and will now be quarantined at CFB Trenton for 14 days.
• Regal Princess and Caribbean Princess were held off Florida pending the testing of crew members who were previously aboard the Grand Princess. Those crew transferred more the 14 days before the current voyage, and are asymptomatic. Regal Princess has called in Halifax in previous years.
• the Costa Fortuna was turned away by several ports over Covid 19 Fears. Costa Luminosa Denied port call at Antigua. Costa is also a Carnival brand.
• MSC Cruises have serveral ships denied port calls over virus concerns.
• Egypt has reported cases among passengers on a Nile River Cruise.
• The Diamond Princess earlier suffered hundreds of cases off Japan. Canadians were also repatriated to Trenton from this ship.

Cruise Junkie is reporting details of all issues.

Carnival Corp, the parent of Princess Cruises, is obviously feeling the heat after some very public concerns about the virus on its ships. Carnival Brand Holland America Lines recently changed its cancellation policy, and tweeted that it was being inundated with requests. Holland America Calls (almost) weekly for the duration of the cruise season.