The Cruise Ship Suicides Began After The Passengers Left

Carol Masser and for Bonnie and Paul. Well, this story has been among the most read since it hit the Bloomberg terminal and has to do with the cruise industry, and basically we know this is an industry that has been hit hard, obviously by the pandemic. We've also seen some of the horror stories as patients tried patients, i should say, as travelers and passengers tried to get off

the ships during those early days of the pandemic. Well, someone who's been reporting on the industry from day from day one, as Austin Carr, technology reporter at Bloomberg News, he joins us right now on the phone from Los Angeles. His latest story talks about not the passengers, but the members of cruise and the cruise of the cruise line that had to really stay on the ships for many weeks months until they could get off safely. Austin, good

to have you here with us. UM tell us about your story, because you do look specifically at the cruise that were kind of left behind after the passengers left totally. Um So at the beginning of the pandemic when the cruise industry was hit, there was so much emphasis on the passengers and the struggles that they had to both deal with outbreaks aboard several ships owned by operators like

Royal Caribbean and Carnival UM. But after they gone off, there was sort of a class of forgotten people, the crew workers, all the sort of lower paid UH folks for often from poorer countries abroad that really struggled to get home due to changing health rules, evolving travel restrictions, borders being struck down shut down, and there was tens

of thousands of them stuck at sea. Uh and and this story sort of explores some of the difficult conditions they had to face be they sort of the uncertainty of when they were going to get home and see family being stuck in small cabins in some cases without windows.

UM and they're pay, being cut off and just living in a very highly regimented lifestyle due to the pandemic that for a lot of them resulted in uh some mental health issues, depression and anxiety and stress over things like their salaries being cut off and wondering when they were going to get back to work. And this story explores some of those uh sort of cases, the conditions of board ships as well as unfortunately, tragically, the suicides

that resulted in certain on these cruises during repatriation. Well and Austin, this is something you know with your reporting that really just always stands out and that it's not just broad strokes. You actually get into the individuals and tell their stories. Give us one of the stories of one of the workers from one of the cruise ships and what they went through and what the outcome was. So well, one of the families that we'd focus on is the Solar family. Uh the a crew member named

Joseph Salzer was on a ship called Carnival Breeze. He've been transferred a number of times during the pandemic in an attempt to get home to Hungary, and he really epitomizes what a lot of the cruise industry crew members went through, which was, Yeah, these these isolated effects living in a on a ship where you were stuck in your cabin with mandated curfews, limited time in which you

could go outside. For example, this worker might be able to leave for about an hour day for breakfast, but it might take forty five minutes just to get a coffee due to understaffing and sort of social distancing rules that made lines very, very long. Um, you know, people just talked about the monotony of living at sea. They felt like prisoners, they felt like cargo with with sort of no E T A. And ultimately, at some point in this long journey endless journey home, Joseph Salzer hadn't

been seen for several days. He missed daily temperature checks, he hadn't responded to text from friends, and they sent crews to check on him, and unfortunately they found him hanged inside his cabin. And the story explores not just what led to that tragedy, but how it affects a family at home having to deal with a death and international waters with the company that sort of incorporated with

entities all around the world. Right, and if anybody has been on a cruise ship and and like you have done some reporting you know on Carnival specifically, you know, it is a global workforce. I mean that's kind of what makes it unique. And it's an opportunity for people around the around the globe, and in particular people you know who might have trouble finding jobs in their home country, uh and are just looking for a start somewhere. It's an opportunity for them. So it is a global workforce

and your right. So what I want to get to is also a couple of things. First of all, what what do the cruise ship companies say as a result of this, Because it wasn't just it seems like one suicide, but it seems like multiple suicides from some of the crew members. So first off, they do highlight how immensely difficult uh it was to get these crew members home.

I mean, it's one thing to offload American taskers at an American port and charted them flights home, but what about workers that are from places like Ukraine and the

Philippines and in India. It was a very logistically difficult time getting them home by land air and c especially with the CDC changing a lot of health processes, uh, from from you know, sending people home in US waters, but also abroad just a lot of borders being shut down, and just you know, concern about COVID being spread through these cruise ships. So be'st number one and then the second Um, they do emphasize that they tried to take

care of the workers best possible. They provided them with free food, housing, paid for all their transportation getting home, provided them free WiFi, and even counseling services by phone so you could call if you had sort of mental health issue, you would call a hotline and hopefully get in touch with a trained therapist. Um. The issue is, I suppose that when we talk to workers, they've actually

felt concerned about these types of hotlines. They were worried that if they sort of disclosed emotional issues that they were dealing with anxiety and stress and depression, that that might jeopardize their employment somehow with the championship going forward.

So it was just also just one of the interesting direct of the story is just how taboo of a subject it is among seafarers that they sort of pride themselves on salthy toughness and don't want to admit that they might be dealing with just a very difficult, isolating, trying experience, in many ways a more extreme version of what we're all going through with lockdowns at home. Hey,

just got about a minute or so left here. Um. To be fair, Also, I feel like, um, Austin is you know, mental health was not a top of mind issue for I feel like the broader public and certainly for the broader corporate world. You know, most were thinking about physical health. And I mean, I just I've had a lot of conversations too with CEO. Is that you know, the thing that everybody realized is that it wasn't just a physical toll, but a mental wellness toll as well.

And I feel like the cruise industry, um, and certainly the cruise employers kind of went through that realization as well. Just got about forty seconds here. Absolutely, it's such a good point, Carol. And one of the psychologists that we talked to for the story just called that sort of a pandemic within the pandemic. In other words, there's been such focus on some of the desks that happened directly

through COVID, either due to infections or or otherwise. And this is just also some of the ancillary effects that we have to deal with being isolated at home, and these cruise ship workers really reflect that. If you you've been dealing with that at home, you might really enjoy the story because it talks about some of the trials that they went through in challenges just dealing with that mental health and depression at the well. It's another round

of great reporting by you, Austin. Thank you so much. Austin Carr and really Balance their technology reporter at Bloomberg News joining us on the phone from Los Angeles. Check check him out by the way at Austin car on Twitter. One thing that this year and I hope we talk about and do a lot more about next year, and that is reaching out and really especially when it comes to the financial sector getting into those underserved communities. Our

next guest has some thoughts on that. Darren Williams, the CEO of Southern Bank Court, joining us on the phone from Arkansas. Darren, nice to have you here on Bloomberg. First of all, set the set this stage for us. You're talking about c d f ies, community development financial institutions. Remind our audience for those who may not be familiar what they're all about. Sure, First of all, Carole, thank you for having us welcome. CDFIs or Community development finances

institutions are UH. They can be banks, can could be credit unions, loan funds, and even venture funds. But we agree to the destination by the Department of Treasury and six of our activity must take place in low and moderate income SENSUS tract communities. It's a public private partnership. We received UM support from the government to ensure that we actually provide access to capital and credit in areas

where they don't traditionally slow. If you think about in America, the number of banks and final institutions have traditionally have specifically declined UH in low income, often minority and rural communities, and so we're filling the gap. We're kind of the financial first responders for communities that don't have access to

traditional capital and credit. And first of all, I do want to point out and remind everybody that you were part of the Blueberg fifty UH this year, which is really just individuals who stand out from all walks of life, all aspects of our world in terms of the impact that they are you know, making on our world and changing things UM for the better. So having said that, um tell us how this can be a game changer

for especially those underserved communities. Well, first of all, care I'm honored to be a part of Bloomberg's fifth the and and that's a recognition that really deserving of the entire cd f I industry, in the minority depositoral industry. UH. During this pandemic, we saw UM these low income, underserved optimonority communities being left behind when access to federal stimilus programs, for example, the paycheck Protection program, which put dollars in

hands of businesses to keep their employees on the payroll. Unfortunately, many of these small business and underserved and rural communities don't have access to juditional banks. One because many of those banks have have abandoned those rules and small communities so they're not there. But also because also because you know, typically small and minority businesses UH just don't have that type of relationship with with banks. And so we worked

with the administration and with Congress to ensure UH. In the first round of paycheck Protection dollars, there was a car about of money UH thirty billion dollars out of that six D fifty billion that would be set aside for c d f I in the eyes. So we make sure that those dollars get to those small businesses that often don't have access to odditional capital and credit.

And so with this latest round of paycheck protection dollars in this latest Stimus faction, proud that the Congress and Administration has seemed that to inject about twelve billion dollars into the c d f I and Minority Depository banking UH and financial services space. So I gotta ask you, we're a trillion dollar economy. I still feel like that's

significant amounts of money. But when you see the stimulus packages that come down, when you see the initiatives that come generally speaking from the big financial sector, they're still not doing enough, are they? Well, clearly there's much more that can be done. There's a huge disconnect between what you see on Wall Street and what's happening in Main Street America. Of course, to your most recent segment before I came on, you're talking about the gains in Wall Street.

You talk to the folks in Main Street and rule America. They don't feel those games. They don't see that, they don't feel that they're being disproportionately impacted by COVID. Uh. They are the essential workers. They providing and food and feeding the world, but they're not able to work remotely. They're having to put their lives on the line to

continue to be essential workers provide that things needed. And so we do need, desperately need access because many of these markets we serve call they were struggling before COVID, right, so under what was hind those communities. Job losses were

hind in that community. And so clearly with the with the impact of COVID being disproportionately impacted and felt in those communities, we need additional support to provide really a broad based relief because as we get this pandemic under control, it's important that all the economy come back, uh, that we all you know, build back better. As as as as presidents they like Biden who talks about that must include these underserved rural communities. We cannot forget rural communities

in the United States. Well, the only way we're going to close that wealth gap is by making sure that money gets to all segments of our economy. Darren, thank you so much, really appreciated. Good luck and happy New Year. Darren Williams see Southern Bank or part of the Bloomberg fifty and part of a successful effort to add ten billion for community development finance institutions of that second round

of paycheck protection program loads. So I think it's safe to say that we are all thinking a lot more about the world of medicine and healthcare generally because we did see some disruption as a result. Obviously a lot of disruption to be quite honest, because of the pandemic, but also in terms of how we get healthcare, uh, and thinking again about some of the inequities and the costs of it because of COVID nineteen. But there's a

lot more to think about in deeper plays here. Michael Ray is founder and chief executive officer at r X Saving Solutions. He's on the phone from Overland Park, Kansas, joining us on this Thursday. Michael, nice to have you here on Bloomberg. How are you and how is your world? Yeah? How is your good to be here? Yeah? How's your world? Considering as we continue to watch some of these virus headlines around the country. Yeah, you know, it's been good.

I think, um, you know, as as a general statement, we saw quite a bit of growth from a company standpoint this year. UM, as it relates to the vaccine. You know, we're looking at this as as an employer ourselves. We're answering a lot of questions about to our corporate clients what this means, you know, when they can expect a vaccine and uh, and you know how we can help them. Well, what are you hearing on that front?

I think that's one of the biggest questions. You know, we kind of lay people are like, well, when do I get the vaccine? And how do I get it? Especially since we know the logistics and the distribution of it is so tricky. Yeah, you know, I think that the Fiser vaccine was especially tricky just with the temperature requirements that that came into play, but the Maderna one was a little more forgiving. I think that, you know,

what we're starting to hear is just more frustration. Um. You know, ten million vaccines have been shipped, two millions have been given, so we're starting to hear, you know, more questions about when is that going to hit mainstream? Um,

why aren't they being given? Um? And I think that there's there's been a tremendous number of pr opportunities and probably not enough action Um, I expect more pressure to be put on that from you know, corporations and health plans and for that to change very quickly after the new year. All right, So you expect we'll get some more clarity when it comes to get to get out. Hey Having said that, what about clarity when it comes to drug pricing? I feel like one of the great

black holes is prescription drug pricing. And you know, I thought the PBMs, the pharmacy benefit managers, were supposed to make it all, you know, better, and I'm not so sure. I think there's many who would argue that it hasn't necessarily played out that way drug pricing. What changes or what are your hope for changes when it comes to this year and maybe under a new administration. Yeah, A good question and something that we're really dialed in on.

I think that a lot of focus over the past really four years has been put on things like rebates most favorite nation drug importation, things that have kind of kind of gotten a lot of headlines but fallen flat from a productivity standpoint. To me. The bigger piece that has not gotten headlines last six to twelve months, but it is going to be embraced by the new administration is breaking down data silos, making data accessible to consumers,

making it share able um. And really what you're gonna see is that is going to be the key that lets private industry come in and really disrupt the status quo. It's going to allow consumers to be educated, empowered and engage with you know, the decisions that are happening that that ultimately cost them dollars um. And that's going to be the biggest change in the market. You and I really think over the next few years as more and more companies, technology companies find cool new ways to help

consumers make better choices. Well, tell me about that, because I do feel like and it's one of the areas that has lagged in our economy in terms of the medical world, the pharmaceutical world really getting kind of with it when it comes to disruption and technology. But I do think the pandemic is going to change some of that as as myself. I'm speaking my book that I've moved on to you know, apps and platforms to check in and do different things when it comes to the

medical world. Tell us about what you guys are doing specifically and what are the changes that you're seeing in terms of driving down costs for employees employers as a result. Yeah, great question. I mean, you know, the entire business that we're focused on is helping consumers and employers help plans save money on drugs. What we've seen through this COVID period is an acceleration and adoption of of our platform. We service just about nine million members today and the

use of our platform spiked. Um. People want to do more things digitally. They want to have prescription drugs show up at their doorstep and not have to go to a pharmacy where a bunch of crowded, you know, sick people. Maybe. Um. So, I think you'll continue to see adoption and acceleration in healthcare tech as a general statement, and certainly driven by some of the government bills, the transparency bills like nine and C. Those are going to be big market drivers

in the medicare market that will expand to the commercial market. Yeah. We'll ultimately see whether the incoming administration kind of stays with some of the policies that the current administration revealed in late November when it comes to drug pricing specifically, which was certainly something they talked about a lot, but only getting to it a month or so ago. UM, Michael, thank you so much. Michael Ray is founder and chief executive officer at r X Saving Solutions, joining us on

the phone from Overland Park, Kansas. What a year and typically the end of the year New Year's Eve. It's a big day in a normal year for restaurants, but it's not going to be that way. In fact, restaurants are bracing for a New Year's Eve without much celebration after a year obviously without much celebration. Let's get into it with our at least young reporter ut Bloomberg News. She joins us on the phone from Trenton, New Jersey. UM,

at lease, nice to have you here. Tell us a little bit about the story you did with your colleagues about you know, kind of I can't even believe, like what this year has meant for the restaurant community, and the bad news is far from over. New Year's Eve is a huge day for restaurants. UM. To give you an idea of of what it means monetarily, there's an olive garden in Times Square where people are willing to pay four hundred dollars for the New Year's Eve celebration. UM.

And uh. Last year a lot of chains reported uh that versus a typical night they did Outback State Hostedent More Business, Olive Garden, did Applebe's eighteen percent more. It's it's huge, um One South Orange restaurateur, South Orange, New Jersey restaurateur told me on the typical New Year's Eve they could make twenty dollars um. This year at Papillon, she said, if they make three thousand dollars, she'll feel lucky. Yeah.

I mean the whole idea of like take out and ordering out, you know, I guess it's helped restaurants a little bit, but it's it's no comparison on a night like tonight, where typically the prices are tacked up big time, and we as consumers don't have a problem about kind

of overspending because we're celebrating a holiday. That's right. Um. Carlo Momo, who's um part of the Terra Momo Group family, which operates for properties in and around the Ivy League town of Princeton, New Jersey, told me that it's fun for the staff. New Year's Eve is fun that the folks who come after seven or so tend to stay. Everybody's happy, everybody has somebody something to look forward to, their freely spending and their generous to the staff, and

that's simply not going to happen this year. Yeah exactly, So, I mean, and there's also curfews right in a lot of towns and cities that even for someone who might try and do something, I guess even outside um, there are rules that are going to restrict what they can do. That's right in in New Jersey statewide. UM, restaurant indoor dining must end at ten o'clock, which then runs into well New Year's Eve. How do you do a countdown

at ten o'clock? So some restaurateurs are sending people off with wine bottles or sangria at fifteen percent off so that they can continue the party at home. Um. There. So there are some bright spots here. The Tara Momo Group, for the first time this year, is offering a one fifty dollar advanced order in advanced box that feeds for people. Um. And this is the first time they've done that. It's

got for what what's got shrimps, ribs, um. So there's there's room for innovation to yeah, right exactly, and we diply, you know, it's been pretty impressive at least when you think about some of those restaurants. I even know from those that we order online at home, restaurants that never did take out, that all of a sudden they were, you know, kind of some of those higher end restaurants, and people were because they were stuck home, they couldn't

go out. We're more inclined, uh to splurge. Um. When all is said and done, what's the restaurant industry going to look like post pandemic? I asked some of the restaurateurs whether they can hang on, and they said they have high hopes for the vaccine UM, and they think that they can get through the next three or four months around the time when the general population will start getting vaccinations. UM. Some told me that they are, uh,

they're doing drink specials. UM. They're they're publicizing exactly how they're sanitizing anything they can do. UM. But they say they're a little bit worried about this um, this newberry catchy strain that seems to be in the US from Great Britain. UM. So uh, they're they're also hopeful for help from Congress. I have to say, there's a great chart in your story and obviously forgive me for everyone who's listening on radio, but I'll just kind of walk

it through and it's quiet night. The survey a Pole Morning Consult Pole conducted December four through the six and most Americans have low key plans for this New Year's Eve, and at least you lay it out for us. Are going to cook dinner at home, twenty nine percent, streaming a movie, consuming liquor, small family gathering nineteen eighteen percent

consuming wine, and seventeen percent are going to bake. I think at least what I found kind of comical if you can do that in kind of a black year or dark year UM, is that there were two categories, consume liquor and consume wine. I love that that was breaking broken down into two categories. It's just a reminder. I mean, that has been one of the bright spots I feel like when it comes to UM kind of the dining out or drinking out, you know, people have

been just kind of consuming that big time. Yes, And what that chart doesn't show but is down in the text of the story, just seven percent of Americans intend

to go to a restaurant for New York. So think of that seven percent who can't stick around all night, who can't spend the way they wanted to spend um, and the staff that's not going to be compensated that way and have a good time, right And as somebody who reminded me who had been a waitress for a long time, they're like, it's these kinds of nights where people make a lot of money. It's a way for them to bank some money, you know, sock it away for those those days when it's a lot quieter, and

it's that's not what's happening this year. Alicia Young, great reporting. Thank you Alicia Young. She's reporter at Bloomberg News with us on the phone in New Jersey. Thanks for listening to Bloomberg Markets podcast. You can subscribe and listen to interviews at Apple Podcasts or whatever a podcast platform you prefer. I'm Monnie Quinn. I'm on Twitter at Annie quint on Twitter at pt Sweeney. Before the podcast, you can always catch us worldwide at Bloomberg Radio m H