Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world's largest cruise industry trade association including members such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line, today issued the latest update saying that its members have expanded restrictions on Coronavirus preventive measures. The statement says that CLIA members will deny boarding on their vessels of anyone who has traveled in the affected regions in northern Italy.

A young Italian officer was found dead in his cabin onboard the cruise ship Regal Princess on February 28, while the vessel was docked in Cozumel, Mexico. The man was identified as 31-year-old Davide Pignataro from Castellammare, Italy, employed by Princess Cruises as a Second Engineer Officer. Italian media reports that the man was found dead in his cabin by his fellow colleagues shortly after his shift started.

We are sad to report that a Carnival team member who was part of the Carnival Dream crew has passed away in Mexico. Leonardus Patra from Indonesia passed away on February 6, after he was transferred from Carnival Dream to a local hospital in Yucatan. According to reports the crew member had complained of a stomach pain a few days before he died. His family was notified about this extremely sad news and was told that Leonardus died from a stomach infection.

Around 250 Indonesian crew members will be evacuated from the cruise ships Diamond Princess and World Dream to deserted Sebaru Island located in the Thousand Islands (Kepulauan Seribu). 

Holland America Line announced today that all 747 crew members onboard the cruise ship Westerdam have tested negative for the novel coronavirus COVID-19. In a blog post, the cruise line said the Cambodian Ministry of Health issued a statement confirming the negative test results. MS Westerdam, which docked in Sihanoukville, Cambodia since February 13, will remain at the port for a few more days until its future itinerary is finalized.

The Non-profit organization World Central Kitchen established by the celebrity chef José Andrés and his wife, has placed an off-site kitchen in front of the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess to help get meals to all onboard.

Keeping the team’s spirits up on the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess, the Galley crew shared a video of several chefs dancing on the Justin Bieber song “Yummy”

P&O Iona the latest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet has completed another construction milestone today. According to a press release from the German Shipyard Meyer Werft, P&O Iona was undocked successfully from covered building dock II, into the harbor basin and moored at the equipment quay.

One of the most anticipated cruise ship for 2020, Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady was presented by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri. The ceremony was attended by the president and CEO of Virgin Voyages Tom McAlpin, the mayor of Genoa, Marco Bucci, and the president of Fincantieri Giampiero Massolo and it’s the CEO Giuseppe Bono. 

Six new cases of coronavirus were confirmed today by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess that’s quarantined in Yokohama, reports Japan TBS news channel. That brings the total of passengers and crew who have b