This morning I wrote an article about Princess Cruises immediately blaming the sick passengers for what appears to be the latest norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess: Blame Game: Princess Accuses Passengers of Starting Norovirus Outbreak on Caribbean Princess. Princess’s PR spokesperson Julie Benson accused the passengers of bringing the virus with them when they boarded the cruise ship.
She didn’t mention that the virus was wreaking havoc during the prior cruise.
Blaming the passengers is part of the PR strategy of Princess and the cruise industry.
This afternoon I remembered reading a book by cruise expert Professor Ross Klein about this public relations defense strategy by Princess. The book is called "Cruise Ship Squeeze." Professor Klein has been recognized as an expert regarding cruise line issues by both the House of Representatives and the Senate before whom he has testified several times.
I suggest reading Chapter 8 of Dr. Klein’s book. At pages 179 – 183, you can read about the cruise industry and Princess blaming the passengers. Eleven years ago during a 2003 cruise, passengers were stricken with a gastrointestinal illness. Princess accused their cruise passengers sick with norovirus of "bringing it with them." But the truth is that during the prior cruise, the cruise ship had experienced passengers sickened with the same sickness.
No scientists arrived at this conclusion. And there was nothing remotely scientific about what Princess represented to the public.
Ever since then Princess says the same thing over and over every time norovirus sickens the guests.
Who needs epidemiologists when the cruise line PR team has already figured out what to say?