Customer perceptions of COVID-19 countermeasures on passenger ships during the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated substantial portions of the tourism industry; the cruise industry particularly suffered from negative publicity as the virus spread rapidly on cruise ships. The pandemic is a disaster that the industry has been forced to adapt to. This study illustrates, through a mixed-methods research design, what factors cruiseferry operators considered in their responses to the pandemic, whether the implemented countermeasures increased their customers’ sense of security, and what countermeasures customers would agree to follow before boarding a ship. The study thereby provides insights into which countermeasures are likely to decrease customers’ perceived health risks and which they are ready to accept or not on cruises during pandemics.