Royal Caribbean Lets Go of 26 Percent of U.S. Workforce

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd said on Wednesday it would lay off or furlough about 26% of its workforce in the United States, affecting nearly 1,300 of its more than 5,000 employees in the country, as the coronavirus chokes international travel.

The news, reported by The Financial Post, comes as the fast-spreading pandemic led to the extension of the “no sail order” for all cruise ships by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, as it looks to curb the spread of the virus.

“A majority were layoffs,” a company spokesperson said, without specifying separately the percentage of furlough and layoffs.