The vessel, moored in Yokohama, was by far the biggest coronavirus cluster outside the epicentre in China. Some have pointed the finger at Japan's authorities for how they handled the 14-day quarantine of hundreds of passengers.
US-based Chiron says that the image of thousands of people crammed together on board - ripe conditions for the spread of illness - is also wide of the mark. Chiron and other experts say that the cruise industry has successfully shrugged off past negative headlines and will quickly bounce back once the coronavirus passes.
"As with previous crises, there may be new-booking slowdowns as people get caught up in news cycles," said Chiron."Once this period concludes, there will be a surge of bookings and booking patterns will return to normal."Tara C. Smith, professor of epidemiology at Kent State University in Ohio, is not so convinced.