Cruise Buffet May Be Casualty in Industry’s Post-Pandemic Future

(Bloomberg) -- A series of health measures announced by Genting Cruise Lines -- from temperature checks to strict buffet protocols -- may provide a glimpse into the future of the industry broadly, according to Stifel Financial Corp.

Genting plans to have infrared fever screenings at gangways and require all passengers ages 70 and up to show doctors’ notes before boarding. The Hong Kong-based company will cut the capacity at entertainment venues by half and have buffet dishes served by staff in masks and disposable gloves.

“This might be the start of all buffets going away,” Stifel analyst Steven Wieczynski said in a note Thursday. “We aren’t sure how Americans would react to servers in gloves and masks dishing out their food.”

Cruises lines are looking for a way forward after shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Highly publicized outbreaks at sea have raised questions about sanitary conditions on ships and shaken the confidence of travelers. Genting’s steps include staggered boarding times to reduce congestion.

Wieczynski said the policies provide a window into the strategies that Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. may ultimately use to convince would-be travelers that cruising is still safe.

Some operators are already putting some policies in place. The companies and their investors are likely to weigh other steps against the potential impact on sales and profit.

Genting, for example, plans twice daily wipedowns of cabins and corridors, twice daily temperature checks of crew members and elevator cleaning every two hours.

Wieczynski said the doctors’ note policy “scares us a bit,” because the industry has a large, older customer base. Some 70-and-over customers would find it difficult to meet the requirement, he said.

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