Royal Caribbean Group (RCL)

[mgtowthinker]

Big Cruise-Ship Lines Wouldn't Qualify for Aid Under Stimulus Package -- 2nd Update

WASHINGTON -- A last-minute legislative change has shut major cruise ship lines out of the roughly $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package headed for a House vote Friday, despite being one of the hard-hit industries President Trump has pledged to help.

The cruise industry was among the first to take a public hit from the virus, along with airlines and hotels, as vacationers canceled plans, local governments halted tourism and passengers on board fell ill, leading to entire vessels full of passengers being quarantined.

But the aid package approved by the Senate and now headed for the House limits aid to U.S.-incorporated companies with a majority of workers based in the U.S. -- two criteria that effectively exclude the major cruise-ship operators like Carnival Corp., Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.