A panel of leaders in the fields of public health, biosecurity,
epidemiology, hospitality and maritime operations say that by “relentlessly
focusing” on testing, the use of face coverings, enhanced sanitation and other
measures, the risks associated with COVID-19 can be mitigated on cruise ships.
The “Healthy Sail Panel,” formed by Royal Caribbean Group and
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, has been developing the recommendations since
June.
On Monday, it submitted a report detailing 74 best practices to the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in response to a CDC request for
public comment that will be used to inform future public health guidance and
preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships.
The report says
the recommendations are based on the idea that “cruise travel can be resumed most
safely by creating as much of a ‘bubble’ as possible, by preventing SARS-CoV-2
from coming on board a ship. In the event that the virus does enter the ship
environment, the goal is to prevent severe COVID-19 outcomes for individuals
who contract the illness and to prevent transmission that could result in an
outbreak on board.”
The panel
recommends every cruise operator focus on five areas: testing, screening and
exposure reduction; sanitation and ventilation; response, contingency planning
and execution; destination and excursion planning; and mitigating risks for
crew members.
Within each
of the five categories, the panel suggests strategies, such as using
contactless devices to take the temperature of all guests and crew as part of
the boarding process and each day of the cruise and using touchless
technologies to expedite check-in and reduce congestion in the cruise terminal.
In addition,
the report says cruise lines should closely control shore excursions, and in
the initial return to cruising should only utilize “private, cruise-line owned
and operated destinations or ports” and should only allow guests to participate
in “cruise-line sponsored or verified excursions as a way of limiting potential
exposures in the destinations they visit.”
The panel
also recommends cruise operators return to service with trip lengths of no more
than 10 days at first.
“The Healthy Sail Panel spent the last four months studying how to
better protect the health and safety of guests and crew aboard cruise ships,” says
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration and co-chair of the panel.
“Taken as a comprehensive approach, we believe the Panel’s robust
public health recommendations will help inform strategies for a safe resumption
of sailing.”
Both Royal Caribbean Group chairman and CEO Richard Fain and
Norwegian Cruise Line president and CEO Frank Del Rio say their companies will
use the recommendations to develop new, detailed operating protocols that will
be submitted to the CDC and other authorities for approval. And the report is available for other cruise lines to use as well.
The CDC’s “No Sail Order” expires September 30, but the Cruise Lines
International Association, whose members represent more than 95% of global
cruise capacity, has agreed to voluntarily suspend U.S. operations through
October 31.