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Plain Sailing
It might not be plain sailing for the cruise industry but enhanced health and safety protocols together with successful restarts and a healthy pipeline point to recovery.
Words: Catherine Martin • Photography: © MSC Cruises
While the global pandemic has had unexpected benefits for both society and the environment – a welcome slowdown in pace of life and a marked reduction in harmful CO2 emissions – its impact on businesses operating in the hospitality, travel and tourism sectors has been, in a word, catastrophic. There’s no denying that the lockdowns sweeping the globe have hit operations, jobs and revenues across the board, but for a sector that was in the midst of unprecedented growth, the repercussions have been particularly hard to take.
“The reality of 2020 sits in stark contrast to the year that immediately preceded it,” confirms Kelly Craighead, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). “In 2019, the global cruise industry welcomed nearly 30 million passengers, creating jobs for 1.8 million people around the world and contributing over US$154 billion to the global economy. With this growth came increased recognition of cruising as one of the best ways to experience the world, and our industry was focused on achieving previously unthinkable milestones to pave the path for a brighter and more sustainable future.”
Refurbishments, newbuilds and a renewed focus on design and the ensuing guest experience were high on the agenda for many a cruise line, but along came a virus that saw even the bestmade plans grind to a halt. “As with the rest of the world, our plans for 2020 were turned upside-down at the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, culminating in the voluntary suspension of cruise operations worldwide in mid-March,” continues Craighead, speaking in CLIA’s State of the Cruise Industry Outlook for 2021. “In the months that followed, our industry wasted no time engaging leading experts and government authorities to strengthen already robust public health measures and to put people and communities first.”
Published at the end of 2020, CLIA’s report outlines the immediate response to the pandemic and addresses the enhanced protocols required for a return to service. According to the association, which represents 57 cruise lines accounting for 95% of global capacity, there were more than 200 sailings between July and December 2020, demonstrating that new protocols were operationally successful. Full passenger and crew testing on embarkation as well as additional screenings throughout the trip were just some of the measures put in place, along with compulsory face masks, physical distancing and ventilation strategies.
A return to the water for cruise ships in parts of Europe and Asia has instilled confidence amongst both operators and passengers that such journeys can be taken safely. Singapore Tourism Board’s CruiseSafe Certification kickstarted the sector when it launched in October 2020, with Genting and Royal Caribbean amongst the first to sign up. The scheme’s strict guidelines stipulate that ships are to operate at a reduced capacity of up to 50%, are for Singapore residents only, and must depart and return to the same port with no stop-offs in between. The stamp of approval confirms that sailings meet comprehensive health and safety requirements and has so far been a resounding success, so much so that Royal Caribbean has announced that Quantum of the Seas will continue sailing from Singapore through to October 2021, marking its longest season yet. Genting meanwhile restarted service on World Dream with Singapore as its debut homeport; more recently, the group has resumed sailings from Hong Kong, offering two- and threenight ‘seacations’ for the city’s residents.
In the UK, cruising restarted on 17 May 2021 in line with the easing of restrictions for indoor hospitality spaces. Sailings are once again only for domestic travellers, though some operators have been wary of diving straight in. Cunard for example has launched a series of staycation voyages on board Queen Elizabeth, but it will be
KELLY CRAIGHEAD, CLIA
mid-July before they take to the water, while P&O has announced that cruises on Arcadia, Aurora, Azura and Ventura have been cancelled until the end of August, and on Britannia and new ship Iona, until late September.
Operations on mainland Europe are faring a little better. MSC will run cruises in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe through summer 2021, commencing with MSC Orchestra’s departure from Venice on 5 June. In total, MSC is set to deploy ten ships for the season, with an impressive 15 embarkation ports for Mediterranean itineraries. Costa Cruises meanwhile has been sailing again since 1 May, with Costa Smeralda departing from Savona in northwest Italy.
The USA has lagged behind somewhat, owing to the CDC’s No Sail Order through 2020. New phases of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order for ships operating in US waters were issued in May, meaning a restart is in sight. Norwegian Cruise Line has announced plans to sail to Alaska from August pending CDC authorisation, while Carnival Cruise Line is hoping to commence in July. Pipping them to the post however is Royal Caribbean Group, which has received approval to resume sailings; its luxury ship Celebrity Edge will depart from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale as soon as 26 June, having successfully met all new standards for delivering a safe and healthy cruise experience for guests and crew.
Given that North Americans accounted for more than half of all cruise passengers in 2019 and the Caribbean was by far the most popular destination, the restart of operations in the USA will have a positive impact on the sector as a whole. Getting back out on the water is top of the agenda for all cruise lines, and the health and safety of both passengers and crew has a major role to play. With talk of vaccination passports in some parts of the world, verified health is becoming a ticket to travel, but for the most part, the onus is on the operator to provide a safe experience and effectively communicate protocols to guests to put their minds at ease. As a result, major operators have set about establishing their own sets of standards for hygiene on board. Carnival Corporation’s Cruise Health Program involves mandatory mask-wearing, regular testing and of course the now ubiquitous sanitising station, while Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings launched Sail Safe, a science-backed health and safety programme across its three brands. The scheme states that all crew and passengers must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to embarkation; it promises reduced occupancy, contactless food service and enhanced cleaning across the ship, and there will also be a dedicated public health officer and infectious disease prevention officer on board. And to further reassure guests, NCL has partnered with AtmosAir Solutions to install continuous disinfection air purification systems across its 28-ship fleet.
Royal Caribbean Group meanwhile formed the Healthy Sail Panel, a taskforce of medical and scientific experts who are pooling their knowledge to develop protocols for the travel industry. The group has also appointed a Global Head, Public Health & Chief Medical Officer, a new role that ensures the Healthy Sail Panel recommendations are implemented across Royal Caribbean’s four brands.
Over at MSC Cruises, enhanced health and safety protocols have been aided by an unexpected uptake in technology solutions. Speaking at Seatrade Cruise Virtual, Bernhard Stacher, Vice President of Global Hotel Operations, explained that QR codes and apps have been part of the MSC offer for some time but were previously underutilised; the impact of Covid-19 has accelerated the need for such solutions, and adaptation is now almost 100%.
Along with technology and innovation, Seatrade Cruise Virtual addressed a number of topics across its three-day programme, from the future of dining and social environments to the guest experience. Given that the design
of cruise ships is generally locked in years in advance, there was little to discuss in the way of Covid-induced change, however the recent focus on the on-board guest experience will serve the sector well at a time when shore excursions are limited. Whether through design solutions or a wider variety of facilities and services, the idea that the ship is the destination has been gaining momentum for some time and the pandemic will no doubt accelerate this thinking.
There were plenty of challenges to discuss at Seatrade Cruise Virtual, with one of the more prominent themes being a shortage of crew. Due to the uncertainty of a restart, many have left the cruise sector in favour of land-based hospitality roles, leading to concerns of a major shortage, particularly given the new tonnage set to launch over the coming months. But despite the concerns, leaders across the sector have been optimistic that the industry will return. Demand is there, as evidenced by the launch of Norwegian Prima, which became the brand’s most in-demand ship ever, taking record bookings in the first week of sales. Operators of smaller ships are seeing strong demand too, with some passengers clearly opting for lowcapacity vessels to avoid mixing with others.
Much like the wider hospitality sector, the global pandemic hasn’t necessarily brought about change, but rather accelerated the shifts that were already under way. Growth in the expedition sector for example is being further bolstered by an increased consumer desire to travel to remote destinations away from builtup, overpopulated urban areas, while ecofriendly vessels and sustainable operations could see a boost owing to a renewed focus on climate change. Wellbeing is on the agenda too, and as a result, operators are re-examining their on-board facilities to cater to rising demand for spas, fitness centres and personal training programmes; again, this sector was already experiencing growth both on land and on the water, and the current health crisis will only strengthen the case.
Looking ahead, the cruise ship industry is set to grow as planned, albeit at a slower pace. The organisers of Cruise Ship Interiors Expo recently published a report – available to download for CSI Plus members – based on insight from its community of ship owners, cruise line executives and designers. Asking a series of open-ended questions to gauge perspective and assess market conditions, the report explores the refurbishment and newbuild sectors as well as interior design trends. According to the findings, there were no reports of refurbishment cancellations as a result of the pandemic, and if anything, cruise lines have used the stoppage as an opportunity to upgrade vessels, which has come as welcome news to the supply chain. Most respondents felt that the refurbishment market will play a major role in future strategies, with multi-phase light upgrades – involving HVAC systems, upholstery or loose furniture – taking precedence over full-scale refits that often involve a ship being out of action.
The newbuild market is also showing resilience with the order book as busy as ever. While there were notable delays to maiden voyages through 2020 – and significant delays expected to continue – the report states that only a small proportion of newbuild work has been cancelled. Shipyards Fincantieri, Meyer Werft and Chantiers de l’Atlantique all report busy orderbooks, with the latter set to deliver 10 ships by 2025. In total, 37 vessels are expected to be delivered before the end of 2021 and a further 30 in 2022. The healthy pipeline is being led by MSC Cruises, with 12 ships on order, followed by Viking, with 10 new ships in the works.
In all, the report paints a positive picture of the cruise industry going forward, with the new supply balanced by the retirement of older vessels. And while there’s been much debate over the spread of disease on a cruise – critics claim the confined environment is a petri-dish for germs – those within the sector believe that the bubble of a ship is far safer than any other environment in the travel and hospitality sectors, particularly when you take into account the limit on shore excursions for passengers and restrictions of stepping ashore for crew. The challenge going forward will be in joining the dots and creating an end-to end travel experience that takes into account the entire journey.
Speaking at Seatrade Cruise Virtual, Paul Austin, Head of Safety, Security, Crisis & Business Continuity Management at Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services, explained that prior to joining a cruise, passengers will likely take land transfers and a flight as well as stay in a hotel – parts of a journey over which a cruise line has no control, and are arguably riskier due to the mixing with others. Austin’s role involves ensuring that third-parties such as land-based tour operators and transfer services adhere to the same set of standards as a cruise line, so that the safe-travel bubble can be maintained. This idea of a single operator providing an endto-end journey for the passenger could well be the overarching approach the sector needs to aid recovery.
