RISK FACTORS
Investing in our common stock offered involves a number of risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors set forth below, the risk factors set forth under “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and the risk factors that are incorporated into this prospectus supplement by reference to the section entitled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report and our Quarterly Reports. See “Incorporation by Reference” in this prospectus supplement and “Where You Can Find More Information” in the accompanying prospectus. Some statements are “forward-looking statements.” For a discussion of those statements and of other factors for investors to consider, see “Forward-Looking Statements” in this prospectus supplement.
Risks Related to Our Business
COVID-19 has had, and is expected to continue to have, a significant impact on our financial condition and operations, which impacts our ability to obtain acceptable financing to fund resulting reductions in cash from operations. The current, and uncertain future, impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, including its effect on the ability or desire of people to travel (including on cruises), is expected to continue to impact our results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, growth, reputation, litigation, cash flows, liquidity, and stock price.
The spread of COVID-19 and the recent developments surrounding the global pandemic are having material negative impacts on all aspects of our business. We have implemented a pause of our guest cruise operations across all brands and such pause may be prolonged. In addition, we have been, and will continue to be further, negatively impacted by related developments, including heightened governmental regulations and travel advisories, recommendations by the U.S. Department of State, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other regulatory authorities, and travel bans and restrictions, each of which has impacted, and is expected to continue to significantly impact, global guest sourcing and our access to various ports of call.
To date we have incurred, and expect to continue to incur, significant costs as we pause our guest cruise operations, provide air transportation to return our passengers to their home destinations, repatriate shipboard team members and assist some of our crew that is, or will be upon docking, unable to return home, with food and housing. We will continue to incur COVID-19 related costs as we sanitize our ships and implement additional hygiene-related protocol to our ships, as well as prepare for the resumption of guest operations. In addition, the industry may be subject to enhanced health and hygiene requirements in attempts to counteract future outbreaks, which requirements may be costly and take a significant amount of time to implement across our global fleet cruise operations.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 on some of our ships, and the resulting illness and loss of life in certain instances, we have been the subject of negative publicity which could have a long term impact on the appeal of our brands, which would diminish demand for vacations on our vessels. We cannot predict how long the negative impact of media attention on our brands will last, or the level of investment that will be required to address the concerns of potential travelers through marketing and pricing actions.
We have received, and may continue to receive, lawsuits, other governmental investigations and other actions stemming from COVID-19. We cannot predict the quantum or outcome of any such proceedings, some of which could result in the imposition of civil and criminal penalties in the future, and the impact that they will have on our financial results, but any such impact may be material. We also remain subject to extensive, complex, and closely monitored obligations under the court-ordered environmental compliance plan supervised by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, as a result of the previously disclosed settlement agreement relating to the violation of probation conditions for a plea agreement entered into by Princess Cruises and the U.S. Department of Justice in 2016. We remain fully committed to satisfying those obligations. COVID-19 presents enormous challenges for the Company, which could result in material adverse impacts.
We have insurance coverage for certain liabilities, costs and expenses related to COVID-19 through our participation in Protection and Indemnity (“P&I”) clubs, including coverage for direct and incremental costs
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