Cruise ship disaster to Costa lot
Travel experts are attempting to assess how many potential passengers have been scared away from taking cruises following the Costa Concordia partial sinking.
A Costa spokesman said the company has not released any figures on cancellations in the wake of last Friday’s accident.
He said those who cancel may get a partial refund, depending on how soon they are due to depart.
The death toll from the accident on Friday is 11, although at least 24 people are still missing after the ship, carrying 4,200 passengers and crew members, hit rocks and overturned off Giglio Island, in Italy.
Carnival, which is based in Miami and London, owns 101 cruise ships – including the Costa Crociere fleet – and has 85,000 employees around the world.
An analyst with Numis Securities in London has estimated Carnival’s total liability at US$800 million if the ship was scrapped.
Analysts said the accident could not have happened at a worse time for the industry, which carries more than 21 million passengers each year.
January is the beginning of the wave season, a period when cruise lines typically book a third to half of their reservations for the entire year.
Gregory Badishkanian, an analyst at Citigroup, told the New York Times he had seen indications of a six to 10 percent decline in cruise bookings after the tragedy.
"The pictures and the videos from the Costa tragedy are more graphic and widespread than past incidents," he said in a note to investors.
Ian Jarrett
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports