Spotlight
Cruise Industry Builds Positive Momentum for Restart of Operations By Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises
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ruising offers one of the best ways to see the world, and this holds truer today than ever before thanks to the enhanced health and safety protocols that cruise lines have adopted in response to the global pandemic. It is safe to say that COVID-19 has been the greatest challenge to ever confront our industry. From the global halting of operations, to the relentless effort to repatriate passengers and crew in the face of border closures and travel restrictions, over the past 12 months we have witnessed the unwavering resiliency, unity, and innovative spirit that defines our industry and all those who are a part of it. Despite facing such arduous challenges, the cruise industry did not give up; instead, it forged ahead and immediately shifted focus to find ways to return to the sea with multiple layers of protective health and safety measures. Cruise lines resolved to make science-led, people-first decisions at every step, consulting with scientists, medical experts and local governments to develop COVID-19 protocols to mitigate risk while still maintaining the magic of a cruise holiday.
10 FIRST QUARTER 2021 | TRAVEL & CRUISE
“…THE LEARNINGS FROM THESE EXPERIENCES COULD SERVE AS A BLUEPRINT FOR RESUMPTION IN NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN.”
These measures are being put to the test as we speak, with impressive results. More than 350,000 passengers have sailed on a variety of modified itineraries from Europe and parts of Asia under strict protocols since last summer, with more countries anticipated to come online in the near future. Although we do not always hear about the sailings that occur without a hitch, the success of these initial voyages clearly demonstrates that the new protocols are working as designed – to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 among passengers, crewmembers, and the destinations cruise ships visit. The feedback from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive, and this is consistent with research and booking trends. A recent survey from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) shows widespread support for the measures that cruise lines have agreed to adopt. Even more encouraging is the fact that demand for cruising remains high, with nearly 75% of cruisers from across the world indicating that they are likely to cruise again in the next few years, and two out of three cruisers indicating that they will cruise within the next year.
