'We Will Be Back' Carnival cruise ships light up with message of hope amid coronavirus
ORLANDO, Fla. - Carnival Cruise Lines is sending a positive message to people around the world who have had to cancel travel plans and readjust their lives amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company lit up the side of all of their cruise ships from the U.S. to Australia with cabin lights, spelling out the words "we will be back" followed by a heart.
"We’ve been providing fun vacations for nearly 50 years & look forward to many more years to come. So tonight we will light up ALL our ships from the US to Australia with a special message," Carnival said in a tweet.
People who spotted one of the ships posted photos to social media, including from Port Canaveral.
"We were supposed to sail on the Carnival Breeze tomorrow. This picture from @CarnivalCruise instantly brought a smile to my face," tweeted traveler Carrie McLaren. "The cruise industry will be back and so will the amazing crew of the Carnival Breeze. I can’t wait to sail again when the time is right!"
Carnival, along with other cruise ships, has suspended travel due to the coronavirus outbreak. In the meantime, some of their cruise ships will be made available to use as temporary hospitals.
RELATED: Carnival offers cruise ships as floating hospitals amid coronavirus pandemic
The company said that as the pandemic adds pressure on land-based health care facilities, including a shortage of hospital beds, governments and health authorities can consider using their cruise ships as temporary health care facilities to treat non-COVID-19 patients. The ships can feature up to 1,000 hospital rooms.