Has the pandemic taken the “fun” out of cruising forever?
I am Gary Bembridge, and in this episode of Tips For Travellers, I explore which of the
changes cruise lines have made to resume cruising around the world, are here to stay. And which
changes will be dropped as the risks from the pandemic eases., and answer the question
- will the changes being made to cruising take the fun out of cruising for ever
First of all, what changes will be staying long term?
Before the pandemic, many cruise lines allocated passengers different arrival times for check
in, often giving the earlier and more attractive times to higher cabin category or loyalty
level travellers. This was to make the check in and boarding process less crowded and frantic.
As very few lines enforced them, many cruisers (including me) ignored these times and came
to the port early anyway, hoping to get on board as soon as possible.
Designated and staggered arrival times will be essential for post pandemic cruising, as
lines have to conduct a more intensive health screenings which makes the check in process
much more time consuming.
These designated arrival times will be more strictly enforced, going forward. On the plus
side, many lines will be offering the chance to book check in times moving forwards, so
we can better align them with our travel plans.
Before the pandemic, there was the token tick box health questionnaire - that no-one really
paid much attention to on both sides. This relied on passengers self-certifying they
were fit and well, and had not been suffering from things like vomiting, Diarrhea and so
on.
New enhanced self-completion questionnaires still have to be completed and temperature
checks have been added, but the big change is there is now some form of official medical
certification.
Currently this is either undergoing a Covid-19 test in the cruise terminal, or supplying
a negative test from a cruise line approved clinic taken 48 hours before check in. Which
approach depends on the country you are sailing from.
Enhanced health screening with some form of medical certification will remain as part
of the pre-boarding process, even as this pandemic subsides. Of course, the testing
may be replaced by some form of agreed vaccine certificate.
Some of the lines, like the Norwegian group have gone public confirmed they are looking
at the legalities of requiring proof of vaccine for passengers.
Don't expect a return to only self-certifying questionnaires for your health screening in
the future.
Once on board there is a great change made that I think we will all welcome staying. The
safety muster drill has been reinvented.
There is now a three-step process. First, you watch the safety briefing video on your
cabin TV or the cruise line App. It ends with a unique code that you call into a dedicated
line to prove you have seen the whole video.
Then finally, you have around 2 hours to go to your designated muster station to scan
your cruise card there to prove you know where to go in case of an emergency.
One change that will be staying, and very welcome too.
Another change ramped up due to the pandemic, and here to stay, is the use of technology,
and specifically linked to your mobile phone or a wearable smart device unique to each
cruise line.
Cruise lines have turbo-charged their Apps to create a more touchless and less paper-based
cruise experience.
So now apps like Carnival's HUB, Royal Caribbean's Royal app, Viking's Viking Voyager and MSC
Cruises' MSC for Me and so on you will have to use to check in, complete health questionnaires,
pre-book and book excursions, dining, shows and spa treatments, make purchases, review
your on-board account and also use to access things that used to be printed and handed
out.
So, the Daily Program will be accessed on the App and QR codes will bring up menus in
the restaurants.
Of course, not only does the replacement of paper daily programs, accounts and menus mean
a more touchless experience, there is also an environmental benefit to this ongoing change
through using less paper, ink and creating less waste.
Many lines are also rolling out wearable devices, these are large coin-sized discs that are
wearable as pendants, wristbands and so on.
They include Princess Ocean Medallion, which other Carnival Corporation lines are adopting,
MSC's MSC For Me wristband, Virgin Voyages Band and Royal Caribbean's new "Tracelet".
These smart devices can open your cabin door, access information around the ship on interactive
screens, check you in and off the ship.
They also act as a track and trace device to help identify which guests have been in
contact with anyone testing positive, enabling ships to potentially identify and only have
to quarantine those guests and not entire ships if there is any outbreak.
These technology changes are here to stay for sure.
Buffets have been reimagined and now are served by the crew rather than being self served.
This change was underway on some ships already, like Holland America, and looks to be a permanent
change as it is seen as a positive and better public health option on going.
What changes will be going as soon as the lines can phase them out ?
Ships will eventually return back to sailing at full capacity, as and when the need for
physical distancing diminishes.
Depending on the region, ships are returning to service at between 50% and 70% capacity
to enable the distancing required by the various government health authorities, and of course
to ensure guests feel confident coming back on board.
Having fewer guests on board as cruising returns means more space, less lines and more attention
from the crew. So, something to enjoy while it lasts, as it will be going over time.
As cruises resume some venues (like nightclubs and spa saunas) are closed, they are restricting
numbers in other venues (like theatres, restaurants, bars, pools, Kids' clubs, the casino) and
have scrapped some events, like deck parties.
As most ships return, you have book to attend many of the open venues and to attend activities
so they can control numbers.
Over time all of this should change, venues will open, caps on numbers will go and you
can go back being free to be more spontaneous and less restricted. How soon we don't know!
Many cruises returning are limited to either their embarkation country residents only,
or groups of residents.
For example, in Europe Costa Cruises were only for Italian residents, MSC Cruises were
for EU Schengen zone country residents only, the German lines like Mein Schiff and Hapag
Lloyd were open to German, Swiss and Austrians only, and in Singapore, Japan and Taiwan only
local residents could go on each of those cruises. Australia is reported to be looking
at Australian resident only cruises, as is the UK.
Over time, this change will be scrapped as international travel opens and frees up with
greater use of testing, vaccines and so on.
In the USA the CDC requires all cruises out of US ports to be no longer than 7 nights
until at least November 2021.
Also around the world most cruises returning have been short - lasting a few days to a
week at the lines choice
Over time, cruising will almost certainly return to variable lengths, including 3
month World Cruises. The shorter cruise only length will not be a change that endures.
Although much of 2021 looks like it may be shorter cruises, certainly out of the USA.
To be able to call into many ports, and to try to minimise risk of bringing Covid onto
the ship, the lines require passengers to do cruise line excursions if they want to
get off the ship in ports as cruises restart. There is no self exploring allowed at all.
It's a tightly controlled cruise line excursion or nothing.
This largely unpopular change will have a limited life. How quickly it gets lifted will
vary as countries and ports balance the public health risks and economics of having guests
out self touring, drinking , eating and shopping.
As cruising resumes, compulsory mask wearing at embarkation, disembarkation, inside the
ship when not seated eating and drinking and when 6-foot physical distancing is required.
Once the mask advice changes by country health authorities, like the US and EU CDCs, the
requirement for compulsory wearing on ships will change in line with that. However, as
we have seen in Asia, who have been through SARS and now Covid, I think we will see people
choosing to wear masks on ships even when not compulsory any longer.
There are some changes that it is too early to say if they will stay or go
One great change for crew out of the pandemic, is the requirement in some regions to stop
having crew sharing cabins. This has been easier with ships sailing at lower capacity,
as lines have been using inside and oceanview cabins to enable crew to have their own cabin,
and selling and placing passengers in balcony and above cabins.
It is unknown at this stage if the move to crew having their own cabins be a permanent
change in the industry.
The pandemic led to cruise lines introducing much more flexibility on changing and cancelling
cruises, even at really short notice in some cases. They also cut the time before paying
final balances to 60 or even 30 days depending on the line.
Many travel industry people believe across travel greater flexibility is here to stay.
I am sceptical, but one to watch. I hope it will be a change that stays.
I hope you found this interesting and helpful. I have hundreds more Tips For Travellers episodes
full of cruising advice and tips, so what not enjoy another one right now?