Princess Cruises, which operates the Diamond Princess cruise liner, has announced a search for a "best-in-class" cleaning and disinfection service, to get the ship operational again after a weeks-long quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama. 

Hundreds of people on board the ship were found to have contracted the coronavirus, the worst outbreak outside of mainland China. Disembarkation began this week after a 14-day quarantine, but some passengers who left have since tested positive for the virus causing concern that the quarantine may have failed. 

Cleaning of the 115,875-ton passenger vessel will not be an easy task. Princess Cruises said jobs that need doing include "the removal and proper disposal of all towels (bath, face, hand), bed linens, mattress pads, pillows, duvets, shower curtains, and mattresses," as well as the disinfection of curtains and other soft furnishings, while the extensive ventilation system will need cleaning, along with public areas such the spa, gym and restaurants. 

While Princess Cruises is being public about the disinfection work, it may struggle to attract passengers back to the ship, which was headline news for weeks. The cruise industry as a whole is fearing a major slowdown over the outbreak.