Sales representatives from Norwegian Cruise Lines were told to sell two things: cruise tickets and lies about the coronavirus.
With several cruise lines still managing onboard coronavirus outbreaks, cruise lines such as Norwegian have struggled to sell tickets. In leaked emails from Norwegian Cruise Lines, upper-level management suggested lies for salespeople to tell prospective customers about the coronavirus.
The emails, which were obtained by the Miami New Times, gave sales representatives “one-liners” to tell people about the coronavirus while selling vacations. One suggested line was to tell people that cruise cancellations in Asia boosted demand for trips elsewhere, saying, “Mr Becker, due to the Coronavirus we have cancelled all of our Asia cruises on the Norwegian Spirit. This has caused a huge surge in demand for all of our other itineraries. I suggest we secure your reservation today to avoid you paying more tomorrow.”
Other suggested one-liners included:
- “Scientists and medical professionals have confirmed that the warm weather of the spring will be the end of the Coronavirus.”
- “The Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise.”
- “The only thing you need to worry about for your cruise is do you have enough sunscreen?”
- “[Coronavirus] cannot live in the amazingly warm and tropical temperatures that your cruise will be sailing to.”
The employee who leaked the emails under the condition of anonymity said sales have been dismal, adding, “We are hardly selling anything. Sales are at serious lows.”
The employee claimed that most salespeople would likely follow the advice of management in order to keep their jobs. The employee said, “If you don’t hit quota, you will absolutely be fired. No exceptions for [the] current virus situation. You may be put on a personal improvement plan for 30 days, but [that] basically means you’re done.”
The sales picture described by the employee seems supported by Norwegian Cruise Lines’s stock price, which has slipped more than 35% in the past few days.
Norwegian did not reply to requests for comment from the Miami New Times, but the cruise line did send an email to staff members claiming a “nasty story” would be published. Other leaked emails showed management looking to find the employee who “ratted and lied” to the press.
Several cruise ships have suffered coronavirus outbreaks, including the Diamond Princess’s outbreak that led to seven deaths.
