CRUISE NEWS ROUND-UP Health and Safety Protocols Edition
Our round-up of the measures cruise lines are taking to ensure cruising will return safer than ever before
Healthy Sail Panel with Royal Caribbean and NCL Cruise industry leaders, Royal Caribbean Group
of Royal Caribbean Group, “bringing aboard
and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd have
these respected experts to guide us forward
As cruise lines prepare to return to the water, the safety of guests and crew have been their highest
come together to work collaboratively on the
demonstrates our commitment to protecting our
priority. We’ve seen cruise lines consulting with experts in public health and publish their new health
development of enhanced cruise health and safety
guests, our crews and the communities we visit.”
and safety programmes to ensure that cruising is enjoyable as it ever was and safer than ever before.
standards.
Fain also revealed that the new program will focus
Responsible for seven cruise lines between them:
on four key aspects:
Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises,
Azamara Cruises, Silversea, Norwegian Cruise Line,
• Upgraded screening prior to boarding
Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises,
• Enhanced processes on-board
both leaders have gathered together industry
• A special focus on addressing the destinations
experts to create the Healthy Sail Panel.
• Procedures for addressing any reports of
It’s been great to see the cruise lines come together to share best practices, as in the case of the Healthy Sail Panel where cruise lines including NCL and Royal Caribbean have combined forces with leading minds within public health to share insights across the whole industry. We’re pleased to share this information for all of our cruise lines, so you can be reassured when you plan your next cruise.
The panel includes experts across the industries
exceptions
There are some differences in how the cruise lines will implement their enhanced safety protocols – but
of public health, infectious disease, biosecurity,
there are a lot of similarities that we’ve seen across the industry. As well as ensuring guest safety, some
hospitality, and maritime operations. The
Also commenting on the developments, Frank
team has already been working on its initial
Del Rio, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
recommendations. The cruise lines have also said
President and CEO said, “We compete for the
its workings will be ‘open source’ and could be
vacationing consumer’s business every day, but we
freely adopted by any company or industry which
never compete on health and safety standards [...]
would benefit from the group’s scientific and
While the cruise industry has always had rigorous
medical insights.
health standards, the unique challenges posed by
“This unprecedented disease requires us to
COVID-19 provide an opportunity to raise the bar
develop unprecedented standards in health and
even higher.”
of these could even bring a more enjoyable cruise experience. Many cruise lines are reducing their capacity on board, giving guests more space to socially distance but still enjoy the cruise experience they know and love!
safety,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO
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Digital Innovations with Royal Caribbean
NCL’s Peace of Mind Policy
Across the cruise industry, cruise lines have
Expedited boarding - Complete check-in
Over the past few months, Norwegian Cruise Line
Sharing the protocols in a letter to all cruisers, NCL
worked on innovative solutions to provide the
within the app and generate a mobile boarding
(NCL) has worked with experts and internal safety
President & CEO Harry Sommers said,
best care and safety for guests and crew without
pass with features such as scanning a passport
and medical teams to ensure future cruisers can
inhibiting too harshly on the cruising experience
and uploading a security photo.
travel with peace of mind. Their new Peace of Mind
“It is our belief that when taken as a whole, these
policy includes:
protocols will allow a vacation with Norwegian
many of us know and love. Many of our cruise line partners have integrated these new solutions through the use of smart technology, in particular Royal Caribbean’s smartphone initiatives.
Assigned staggered arrivals - More emphasis is placed on requiring passengers to arrive at a specified time, easing crowds in car parks, drop-off areas and terminals to allow for social distancing.
The cruise line has revealed technological
Cruise Line to be among the safest vacation • Enhanced and continuous screening protocols for guests and crew • Increased sanitation with a 24/7 disinfection schedule
enhancements to its cruise line apps which will
Muster 2.0 - Electronic mustering capability
• New hospital-grade air filtration system
allow guests to partake in an electronic muster
to allow passengers to do their required safety
• Responsible social distancing from check-in to
drill, check-in on-board, open cabin doors
drills separately in their own time, rather than
and more while maintaining crucial health and
gathering in large groups together.
safety practices such as social distancing and minimising common touchpoints. This reveal represents ways in which to limit contact and crowds, while also improving the overall onboard experience. These technologies will be released across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara and include:
Digital key - Select ships and staterooms will enable passengers to unlock their cabin doors with their smartphone. Currently, Royal
disembarkation • Enhanced medical resources with bigger medical teams and the latest testing kits • Expanded ship-to-shore safety and rest assured
options available. Moving forward, we expect to implement additional safety measures as we continue working with the CDC, global health organizations and domestic and international government agencies.
“We commit to taking every precaution to protect you, always placing the highest value on your wellbeing over profits so you can continue to explore the world with those you love, safely.”
we will only visit safe ports
Caribbean allows this through the use of its wearable WOW bands but this enables more guests to access the technology through their phones.
Stateroom automation - Control elements in passenger staterooms such as the TV, lighting and temperature from your phone which limits touchpoints.
On-board account - View on-board charges and credits in real-time, without the need to queue at guest services.
Daily planning - View the daily schedule on your phone and make reservations for shows, dining and shore excursions without the need to visit guest services.
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Cunard & P&O Cruises Sailing with Confidence
Measures on-board MSC Cruises
Through the Carnival Corporation, both P&O
such as screening guests before boarding and
MSC Cruises has also confirmed that they are
MSC Cruises’ Blue Ribbon Panel
Cruises and Cunard are part of the development of
introducing social distancing at levels right for the
offering preventative measures which go beyond
Another cruise line which is using the guidance of
the commitment to health. The cruise lines are also
time of return.
any of the guidelines previously seen. This includes
an expert panel is MSC Cruises. The Blue Ribbon
COVID-19 swab testing with results available
panel comprises a cross-functional task force of
P&O Cruises President, Paul Ludlow also added
to guests and crew before boarding, a step
in-house experts across fields such as medical
that they “will follow applicable guidelines to
further than the temperature checks and health
services, public health and sanitation, hotel
As well as the UK Department for Transport
further enhance our already stringent measures
questionnaires. These tests will initially be carried
services, HVAC and other shipboard engineering
(DfT), the cruise lines are working in conjunction
to keep our guests and crew healthy and well and
out for Schengen guests coming from a list of 26
systems, information technology and logistics to
with EU Healthy GateWays and CLIA. Cunard has
we will not resume sailings until this framework is
European countries. Those which are defined as
help guide its return to service.
also confirmed it will be reviewing every aspect
in place. This will include rigorous protocols pre-
‘risk areas’ by the European Center for Disease
of a Cunard cruise to ensure it meets the new
boarding, on ship and in the destinations we visit.”
Prevention and Control will require COVID-19
Speaking on the formation of the panel, Executive
swab testing 72 hours before embarkation. This is
Chairman of MSC Cruises, Pierfrancesco Vago
alongside health checks, temperature checks and
commented, “I am pleased to announce that the
detailed questionnaires which all guests will be
work of our task force is being further supported
required to pass before boarding.
by the formation and engagement of a Blue
working with other relevant public health agencies at the highest level.
protocols, as well as implementing measures
Ribbon COVID Expert Group for consultation Crew members will also undergo rigorous testing
on protocols and planning, as well as bringing
with a three-step process before joining the
additional specialized advice to augment our own
ship crew. Alongside this, all crew members will
existing resources and knowledge.”
undergo monthly testing and temperature checks every day.
The group has been designed to meet and exceed the guidelines provided by key international and
Fred.Olsen Safe Sailing Charter
For guests going ashore, similar health and safety
regional regulatory and technical bodies, including
measures will be in place. No independent shore
the World Health Organisation (WHO), EU ‘Healthy
The cruise line has been working hard with other
reviewed and updated as the situation evolves
excursions will be allowed, with MSC Cruises
Gateways’ and European Maritime Safety Agency
UK cruise lines, CLIA and Public Health England
over the coming months. Initially, just some of the
designing a collection of shore excursions that
(EMSA).
to establish its approach, as well as reviewing the
ways which Fred.Olsen has developed its Safe
uses guided in PPE and will conform to all
EU ‘Healthy Gateways’ guidelines to ensure that
Sailing Charter includes a dedicated sanitation
measures onshore.
the best protocols are put into place before sailing
team frequently cleaning with anti-viral solutions;
resumes.
development of agreed and comprehensive
The cruise line has confirmed it is ready to go and
processes to treat guests with symptoms on-
committed to giving guests the cruise experience
The Safe Sailing Charter has been developed to
board; pre-approved tour partners and small
that they know and love.
advise customers in all the ways which Fred. Olsen
groups; and additional port options.
is keeping guests safe, and will be continually
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Princess Cruises Cruise With Confidence Princess Cruises are constantly monitoring the
checks and secondary screenings will be given
global health map, as well as actively working
to all guests and crew, with certain individuals
with public health officials and medical experts
denied boarding upon results. Terminals will also
to ensure everything possible is done to prevent
have enhanced sanitation procedures for highly
illnesses on-board their ships.
touched services throughout, while full sanitation will be undertaken after each embarkation and
Pre-cruise, the cruise line are watchful of the
debarkation.
development in COVID-19, modifying itineraries to impacted areas and preventing any guests
Life on-board includes a rigorous daily cleaning
and crew who have recently travelled through
regimen and free-flowing hand sanitiser with
any high-risk locations from boarding. This is the
entrances to venues monitored by staff. Medical
same for anyone suffering from fever or flu-like
protocols will also be revised to ensure the team
symptoms prior to embarkation.
remains highly capable with special training for COVID-19. Alongside all this, Princess Cruises will
Upon embarkation, mandatory health screenings
also monitor world health developments, offering
which might include thermal scans, temperature
daily health broadcasts to all on-board.
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