MIAMI, Florida: Carnival Cruise Line said that after it eased its COVID-19 testing requirements for passengers this week, its bookings nearly doubled to pre-pandemic levels.
The announcement sent the company’s shares rising by more than 3 percent.
After a similar move by rival Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings last week, Carnival’s parent, Carnival Corp, said it would drop mandatory testing for vaccinated passengers and even allow unvaccinated passengers to travel, in some cases.
In a statement, Cristine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said, “Mid-August is typically not a busy month for cruise bookings, but it is clear that pent-up demand for Carnival has not been satisfied and guests are responding very favorably to our updated protocols.”
Amidst rising inflation and labor shortages, the cruise industry has bounced back in recent months, following the shut down caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
