Via Bloomberg News:

The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure today opened an inquiry into Carnival Corp.’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreaks that have resulted in more than 1,500 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus aboard its cruise ships, as well as dozens of passenger and crew deaths.

In letters sent Friday to Carnival President and Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald [photo], the U.S. Coast Guard, and the CDC, Peter DeFazio, the Oregon Democrat who chairs the committee, requested a wide-ranging collection of internal Carnival documents and correspondence related to its outbreak response.

The congressional probe, which cites Bloomberg Businessweek’s recent cover story detailing Carnival’s challenges and delays in addressing the Covid-19 outbreaks, marks a serious turning point for the Florida company.

All cruise lines that operate within the United States kept sending cruises out well into mid to late February with minimal precautions. One cruise in late January included a Royal Caribbean cruise ship Oasis of the Seas which was chartered by Atlantis gay cruise company.