Cruises | Sail in complete safety

After a year and a half on dry land, many of you are feeling the call of the sea, and some have (quietly) started shopping for their next cruise. However, it can be difficult to imagine life on board, as it seems to us to come from an ancient world! Vaccination proof, barrier gestures, flexibility policies: this is how cruise passengers have adapted to new health requirements to set sail safely.

Lea Carrier
Press

Learn from the past

We have all seen the images of the Diamond princess and its 3,700 passengers immobilized in a port in Japan for 14 days. About ten deaths, several hundred infections … But it was in February 2020, when we still knew very little about the virus and its transmission. The cruise industry has since learned. A lot. “The event opened our eyes to the potential situations that could arise on board, and it made sure that the companies put everything in place to be ready. No one wants to relive what the Diamond princess has lived, ”says Isabelle Côté, coordinator of cruises and European tours at Tours Chanteclerc.

And the vaccines have arrived. Because cruise passengers, who carefully put their ships back in the water, rely mainly on vaccination to resume their activities. In the United States, big industry players like Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Disney Cruise Line, governed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US public health agency, are demanding all have proof of vaccination to board their ships, with the exception of children under 12 years old. Ditto for the staff. In addition, a negative antigen or PCR test must be presented at most 48 hours before boarding.

In Europe, companies benefit from a little more flexibility. The luxury cruise line Ponant, for example, only requires proof of vaccination for its shipments in so-called “red” or “orange” areas, ie countries where the epidemic situation is not under control. Note, however, that these protocols are subject to change, as the health situation evolves rapidly. The protocols in effect with Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises, for example, are until December 31. We therefore recommend that you check their websites regularly for the latest information.

Reinforced health protocols

The extreme proximity on cruise ships naturally calls for strict infection prevention and control protocols. But we had to strengthen them. The Cruise Lines International Association, which brings together the biggest names in the industry, has issued 75 recommendations in this regard to its members. This includes the wearing of the mandatory mask when traveling inside the boat or when physical distancing cannot be respected, and reducing the capacity on the boats to ensure more space per traveler. The same goes for the restaurants and theaters on board. Frequent testing, regular surface disinfection and increased ventilation are also recommended.

On the ground

Regarding stopovers, which are an integral part of cruises, the protocol varies depending on the port authorities and the cruise line. In some cases, travelers will be able to get off the boat freely and visit the place on their own, as is currently the case in the Grand Port Maritime de Martinique. Elsewhere, such as at the port of Marseille, passengers will be grouped in groups of 25 with a guide in what is called a “sanitary bubble”, in order to avoid the risk of contagion during the excursion. It is also possible that a negative test or proof of vaccination is required to visit the premises.

Book with peace of mind

Currently, the Canadian government recommends avoiding cruises. According to Chantal Lapointe, director, growth strategy and travel partner relations, at CAA-Quebec, it would be safer to wait until next spring to sail again and, if possible, 2023. Until then, what will the situation look like? epidemiological? “What we tell our members who book travel for 2022 and 2023 is to make sure the terms and conditions are flexible. This is the first criterion to look at ”, insists M^me The point.

Most cruise lines have flexible purchasing and booking policies. Voyages Traditours, for example, will refund a deposit in full up to 151 days before the departure date, if it is before June 30, 2023, without conditions. We are clarifying this because in other cases, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, the passenger will be entitled to a refund or credit if they test positive for COVID-19 within two weeks of boarding.

“Someone who reserves today for later takes no risk,” reassures Sebastien Forest, president of Voyages Traditours. At the speed that places are flying, he advises not to wait to book your cruise: “The perception of many travelers is that May, June, July would be a good time to start traveling again. It will go quickly. ”

What if there was an outbreak on board?

Because you also have to prepare for the worst, what would happen if a positive case was declared on board? The protocols differ slightly depending on the cruise line, but are broadly similar. A passenger who shows symptoms of COVID-19 will be taken care of by the ship’s medical team and placed in isolation. If the test is positive, the crew will search for the contacts of the sick person, who will be tried to evacuate as quickly as possible.

While most cruise lines cover the cost of medical treatment on the ship, some, like Celebrity Cruises, also reimburse the cost of the cruise in proportion to the nights missed. In the event of an outbreak, companies give very few details on what to do next. Ponant, for example, assures that “an analysis of the risks on board” would decide the course of the rest of the cruise.