Carnival Cruises Announces Layoffs, Furloughs In Florida, California, Washington

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA) — Carnival Cruises announced Friday a combination of layoffs, furloughs, reduced work weeks and salary reductions across the company because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The majority of its affected employees in the U.S. are in Florida, California and Washington state, according to Carnival, whose Princess Cruises subsidiary is based in Santa Clarita.

Carnival says it is eliminating 820 positions and furloughing 537 employees for up to six months in Florida out of a workforce of about 3,000 employees. Carnival did not say how many would be laid off in California, Washington or other locations around the world.

As the coronavirus outbreak spread, prompting stay-at-home orders throughout the country in March, Carnival and Princess Cruises said they would pause their operations until May. Carnival said last week it would further delay its operations until Aug. 31.

Princess Cruises said it would also extend the pause of its operations and cancel select cruises through November. The cruise line said its decision was partly due to limited flights and ports remaining closed.