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I wrote recently about some of the companies that have been mistreating their employees and customers during the pandemic, and I want to tell you today about another case study. It comes from the cruise industry.

If you’ve ever been on a cruise, you’ve probably heard the captain and crew claim that their top priority is the safety of their passengers. It’s a staple of the announcements that go over a ship’s loudspeakers. But the recent actions of several major cruise lines aren’t consistent with those claims: The companies put a higher priority on continuing to operate their ships — and make money — than on protecting their passengers and employees.

I’m going to focus on a single ship in today’s newsletter: the Eclipse, which is operated by Celebrity Cruises, part of the Royal Caribbean Cruise company. But the pattern extends to some other ships and companies, as well. To read more on the subject, check out recent coverage in The Times, The Guardian and The Miami Herald.