Where are the cruise ships? mobility and immobility of cruises under COVID-19

by Xumao Li

The aim of this study is to reveal the spatial-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of the static and dynamic distribution of global cruise ships, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has transformed the global cruise network from "lines" to "points". This study collected trajectory data for 292 cruise ships and data for 789 cruise ports worldwide from March 2020 to July 2021. Based on the relationship between port and navigation, port management rights research, and port geography theory, we analyzed the spatial distribution and spatiotemporal migration of cruise ships with ArcGIS tools. It was found that, compared with normal times, the distribution of cruise ships in regional markets, countries, and ports showed stronger spatial agglomeration characteristics and formed four types, which were mainly influenced by differences in cruise operators’ fleet scale, positioning, and itinerary. With the improvement of the epidemic, cruise ships trended to gather at the cruise home port. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an obvious separation between the epidemic prevention country, flag country, and operator country. Operators were inclined to berth their cruise ships in the countries where cruise ships were registered, countries of operators, and ports with high integration. Rather than simply emphasizing the static state of the cruise shipping network, the global cruise geography under the COVID-19 pandemic reflects the right relationship between ports, cruise ships, and companies. This study provides a methodological framework for analyzing the cruise shipping network at the port level and has practical implications for micro-interpretation of the dotted cruise shipping network during the COVID-19 pandemic.