The Foreign Office updated its advice on Thursday (16 July) confirming it applies to international travel onboard “sea-going” cruise ships.
It came a week after an apparent blanket ban on cruising shocked and frustrated the cruise sector - with calls to the FCO to provide greater detail on the wording of its advice.
GlobalData travel and tourism analyst Ben Cordwell said the latest version of the advice may still prove problematic to restoring consumer confidence, claiming the FCO’s “weak, unclear communication will do little to alleviate the concerns of travellers”.
According to GlobalData’s Coronavirus Recovery Survey, 78% of Brits are “extremely” or “quite” concerned about the Covid-19 pandemic, with a “large proportion” of the public predicted to keep following government advice post-Covid.
With that in mind, Cordwell said the FCO’s latest announcement “contradicting what was said only a week ago, will create confusion for travellers and could reduce the number of passengers cruise companies can attract.”
“On a positive note, it does at least mean river cruise companies can be up and running soon. This will help to alleviate some of the financial burden being put on river cruise companies, greatly improving their chances of long-term survival,” he added.
