Updated February 21st, 2020 at 12:39 IST
Princess Cruises president criticized for blowing kisses to ship evacuees
A recent video was uploaded on Twitter showing Princess Cruises President Jan Shwarts blowing kisses to disembarking passengers and crews.
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A recent video was uploaded on Twitter showing Princess Cruises President Jan Shwarts greeting passengers after they disembarked the Diamond Princess after their long period of quarantine on the ship amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The video was criticized as it showcases Shwarts enthusiastically gesturing to staff and passengers as well as 'blowing kisses' towards them.
Princess Cruises under fire
Diamond Princess housed more than half of all the coronavirus infected outside mainland China and recently announced the death of two passengers who were infected with the virus. The video that was uploaded on Princess Cruise's official Twitter handle is set to upbeat and enthusiastic music and shows Schwartz posing and clicking pictures with passengers as well as listening to their concerns.
In a continued effort to support our #DiamondPrincess guests and crew, our President Jan Swartz personally welcomed those disembarking in Yokohama today. The entire Princess family is with each and every one of you during this time. ❤️ #HangInThereDiamondPrincess pic.twitter.com/KgHANqKScp
— Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) February 20, 2020
Great to see support from @PrincessCruises but is upbeat backing music appropriate for crisis communications social media materials where deaths are now being reported?
— Alexander Watson (@alexanderwatso) February 20, 2020
The video also shows Schartwz giggling as passengers disembarked from the ship. Recently, two passengers who were onboard the quarantined ship have died after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The news was announced by Japan’s health ministry on Thursday. The victims — an 87-year-old man and an 84-year-old woman — reportedly with underlying health conditions, were among more than 620 passengers who contracted the disease while onboard the Diamond Princess.
Read: Coronavirus Claims Lives Of Two Passengers From Diamond Princess, Japan Defends Quarantine
Read: Pakistan: Amid Coronavirus Scare, Parents Seek Evacuation Of Their Children Stuck In China
The infected who were on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship account for more than half of all the cases outside mainland China, the World Health Organization had said on Wednesday. Despite having housed more than half of the worlds coronavirus infected cases, the previously quarantined ship, the Diamond Princess is already preparing to set sail once again. According to reports the cruise ship plans to set sail again as early as April 29 after undergoing thorough cleaning.
(Image Credit:@PrincessCruises/Twitter)
Read: Coronavirus: Streets Of South Korean City Abandoned As Residents Stay Indoors
Read: Coronavirus Outbreak: Air India Cancels Flights To Shanghai, Hong Kong Till June 30
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Published February 21st, 2020 at 12:39 IST
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