The Horror of Floating Quarantine

When the pandemic hit, the cruise industry was trapped in a perfect storm of strict travel restrictions, inadequate mental health support, and a vast network of low-paid crew members from across the globe.
 
Tragically, several crew members took their own lives under quarantine, and employers have been slammed for neglecting the mental health of staff stuck at sea for months with minimal time outside and ever-changing repatriation plans.
 
“I’d get messages like, ‘The doctor gave me anti-anxiety medicine, and my plan is to take the whole bottle,’ ” says one former crew member and advocate.
 
Bloomberg Businessweek