Tuesday, September 22, 2020

A Healthy Return to Cruising

 

Who's ready to start cruising?!?!  I know that I am!!

Royal Caribbean's Healthy Sail Panel has just published their list of recommendations to safely resume operations. You can find the full report via the link below. Hopefully these suggestions will help us get back on the oceans very soon.

There is nothing out of the ordinary - many of the same types of suggestions are you seeing being implemented in your home towns. And many of the recommendations can be scaled down, modified, or discontinued over time (such as temperature checks and face masks).

I have always felt that cruise ships did an excellent job of keeping the ships clean and encouraging good hygiene for the crew and guests. Much of what the Panel recommended seemed in line with what the ships have been doing for years. The Panel encouraged additional screenings before and during the cruise - particularly for their crew members.

I'm hopeful that by the time the ships are sailing, these pandemic related recommendations (particularly face coverings) will be discontinued pretty quickly. I think we are all in agreement that wearing a mask onboard is not the vacation environment that we dream about.

The report did not touch specifically on food service or entertainment venues. But it seems logical that if everyone onboard is healthy, there is not much change necessary. Time will tell if changes will be made in regards to distancing.

Suggestion 59 talks about onshore experiences. "During the initial return to sailing, cruise operators should only allow guests debarking from a ship at a destination port to participate in cruise line-sponsored or verified excursions as a way of limiting potential exposures in the destinations they visit." As they become available, we'll be sure to point our clients to these "verified excursions" to aid in offering a wonderful vacation experience.

View the full report here...

Comment below the date of your next cruise and tell us what you are most excited about experiencing onboard. I'm booked in March 2021 on the Harmony of the Seas and I can't wait to sail with my extended family and plunge down the Ultimate Abyss.

Not yet booked? Take advantage of Royal Caribbean's Cruise with Confidence Policy and book your next trip by September 30, 2020. Give us a call to book your next dream vacation. 1-800-645-1481


Sincerely,
Cheri