Q&A: Clia

INTERVIEW

“The cruise sector is

proven to be resilient”

Clia UK boss Andy Harmer speaks to cruise adviser about how the organisation is helping its members and the industry as a whole face the coronavirus pandemic

During these trying times many are turning to Clia, the cruise industry’s association, for answers. Whether that’s cruise line members wanting to move as one industry, or travel agents seeking advice about moving bookings and avoiding outright cancellations. We spoke to Clia UK boss Andy Harmer to fi nd out more.

cruise adviser: What is Clia doing to help the trade during the pandemic? And to calm industry nerves? Andy Harmer: As our colleagues across the cruise industry and the communities we serve are facing a challenge that is unprecedented in scale, it’s important that Clia can provide continuous updates to our travel agent members.

As a global organisation, Clia monitors factual updates and data from around the world to share with our colleagues and partners within the travel trade. Our main platforms to share such information are the Clia social media channels, cruiseexperts. org, and our weekly newsletters. Through weekly videos, social media posts and our newsletters, we aim to provide messages of support as well as important updates from Clia and our cruise line members. Agents can fi nd the latest Clia statement and FAQs on the ongoing Covid-19 situation on cruiseexperts. org and cruising.org, and we are currently working on new website resources which will provide useful information including videos, facts and fi gures, and industry updates.

What are agents reporting back? Like many sectors, travel agents have been looking to the government for support. The government’s announcement that it would support employers and employees has come as very welcome news to many businesses and individuals.

Clia has been making clear to the government our support for specifi c, practical measures to alleviate pressure on the travel trade community – including making temporary changes to existing Package Travel Regulations.

Why was a 30-day suspension decided on, as opposed to longer or shorter? We can look at the 30 days as a check-in point. All Clia cruise line members have announced full and voluntary suspensions of worldwide operations, as we work to address this public health crisis. We will use this time during the temporary suspension to continue to focus on our public health protocols and policies.

What does the industry need to do to survive? The cruise industry is a strong, close-knit community and it is because of this collaborative culture that our sector has proven to be resilient in the face of previous global challenges. Make no mistake: this current situation is affecting all of us. Whether you are a crew member working onboard ship, or your role is shoreside in ports, or with travel agencies, we all rely on each other to give our customers the best travel experience possible. Travel agents are vital to the cruise industry – around 75 per cent of cruise holidays are booked through travel agents – and we are committed to seeing agents through this crisis, just as we are our member lines.

How do we rebuild consumer confidence in cruise? Clia has a longstanding member health policy that requires screening of all embarking passengers and crew to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Clia’s ocean-going members implement outbreak prevention and response measures and their ships must be fitted with medical facilities and shipboard medical professionals available around the clock, 24/7, to provide initial medical care in the event of illness and to help prevent disease transmission.

The cruise industry’s already strict protocols have been strengthened across the board as the world has learned more about the challenge faced, under the guidance of international health authorities. We will continue to play our part informing the public – both our loyal customers and those who are new to cruise – of the extremely high level of health and hygiene measures that exist on board ships for their protection.

While it’s easy to focus on one industry because of its high profile in travel and tourism, this is a situation that goes well beyond any one industry. We know of no other form of entertainment or travel that has the reporting requirements or the screening protocols in place year in and year out, outside a global health crisis.

CANCELLATIONS As cruise lines suspend sailings across the world, below are details of temporary changes to cancellation policies*. You can see more here and on our live blog

A-Rosa

AmaWaterways

APT Touring

Azamara, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity & Silversea

Celestyal

CroisiEurope A-Rosa River Cruises has temporarily suspended all its cruises on the Danube, Rhine, Rhone, Seine and Douro up to and including April 14, 2020.

In a statement A-Rosa said: “We are currently liaising with all our tour operator and travel agency partners to provide them with all the latest information for their customers. We are o ering free re-booking to a later date in either the 2020 or 2021 season and guests will receive an additional on board credit of €50 per person. They will also receive a special discount of 30 per cent o a future A-Rosa cruise.” AmaWaterways has suspended operations until May 31, 2020.

Guests who were booked on a cruise that is being cancelled have the option of receiving a future cruise credit, equal to 115 per cent of the value of all services purchased through AmaWaterways, or receiving a full monetary refund.

The future cruise credit is applicable on all European or Mekong River cruise sailings any time before December 31, 2022. APT Touring has announced it is suspending cruises until May 31, 2020.

APT said its future holiday credit is equal to 100 per cent of the value of the booking if paid in full. If not paid in full, the deposit will be held in credit with no fees. Credit is valid for travel on any APT or Travelmarvel tour or cruise up until the end of 2021. Credit can be used for multiple bookings if desired for the original traveller. Credit can be partly transferred to a person accompanying clients on the alternative trip. It is not transferable to another person, nor is it redeemable for cash. Royal Caribbean Cruises, which operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea, has suspended cruises until May 12, 2020.

In a statement, the company said: “Given global public health circumstances, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd has decided to extend the suspension of sailings of our global fl eet. We are working with our guests to address this disruption to their vacations, and we are genuinely sorry for their inconvenience. We are also working with our crew to sort out the issues this decision presents for them.

“We expect to return to service on May 12, 2020. Because of announced port closures, we expect to return to service for Alaska, Canada and New England sailings on July 1, 2020.” Celestyal has suspended all cruises between now and April 30, 2020. The company will recommence sailings on May 1, 2020.

In a statement, the line said: “For all named and fully paid guests impacted by this temporary suspension, Celestyal will o er the choice of either a future cruise credit valued at 120 per cent of original booking value or a refund of original amount paid. “Guests will have until the end of December 2021 to use their credit against any of our itineraries. Anyone that has not used their credit within the specifi ed period, will automatically receive a refund equal to the original amount paid to Celestyal.” CroisiEurope has postponed all cruises until April 15, 2020.

In a statement the line said: “Our passengers who are impacted by these changes will receive full credit and be able to apply this credit to a cruise at a future date and, in addition, receive a voucher for £150 per person for a future cruise (booked on individual basis). “For all new bookings made between March 16 and May 1, 2020 for all departures until August 31, 2020, our passengers may cancel free of charge up to 30 days from their departure date (excluding booking fees and any ancillary charges).”

Cruise & Maritime Voyages

Crystal Cruise & Maritime Voyages has suspended all cruises until April 24, 2020.

All a ected passengers will be o ered an future cruise credit voucher of 125 per cent of the value of their cruise, plus added value benefi ts. This credit voucher can be used against the best deal of the day including the current 2021 buy one get one free o ers and 2020 late saver deals. Crystal has cancelled ocean voyages up to and including the May 3, 2020 (Crystal Serenity) and May 18, 2020 (Crystal Symphony) departures. Crystal has cancelled river voyages up to and including the April 23, 2020 (Crystal Bach), April 24, 2020(Crystal Debussy), April 25, 2020 (Crystal Mahler) and April 24, 2020 (Crystal Ravel) departures. Crystal has cancelled Crystal Esprit’s voyages up to and including the April 26 departure.

Crystal is o ering a 100 per cent refund of cruise fare, port charges, taxes, and fees paid, and any air and hotel packages booked through Crystal. Or, a future cruise credit equal to 125 per cent of the cruise fare paid – valid on any Crystal experience (Ocean, River, Yacht or Expedition) embarking until December 31, 2022 – along with a refund of port charges, taxes and fees, and air and hotel packages booked through Crystal.

Cunard & P&O Cruises

Emerald Waterways/ Scenic If guests are unable to redeem the future cruise credit by December 31, 2022, they may request a refund of the original cruise fare paid. P&O Cruises and Cunard have suspended any new cruises until May 15, 2020.

P&O is o ering all guests impacted by the suspension a 125 per cent future cruise credit, which must be used by the end of March 2022. The Scenic Group (Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises) has suspended all river cruise operations until April 30, 2020.

For guests whose river cruise departures are within this period of suspended operations, the Scenic Group is o ering the choice of either a future travel credit valued at 125 per cent of the booking, or the option of a refund to the value of the amount paid. Guests choosing a future travel credit will have up to 24 months to travel on a Scenic Group river cruise.

Fred Olsen Cruise Line Guests with a departure on or after June 1, 2020 can transfer their booking to an alternate departure without penalty up to 30 days prior to departure. Fred Olsen Cruise Line has suspended its operations until May 23, 2020. Brabant, the line’s river ship, will resume its itineraries from April 23, 2020.

G Adventures

Hurtigruten

Marella Cruises The line has updated its Booking Reassurance Guarantee, so that it extends to all cruises departing in 2020. Guests can transfer to any 2020/21/22 cruise by giving at least 14 days notice prior to departure. G Adventures has suspended all tours until May 31, 2020. This excludes the Norwegian expedition departure – Norwegian Arctic Encompassed – on May 29, 2020.

Any traveller booked on a tour departing between those dates will be eligible for a 110 per cent travel credit of all land services, including pre or post nights and transfers, which can be used on any tour departing within the next two years. Hurtigruten has suspended its global expedition cruise operations until April 28, 2020 and its Norwegian coastal cruises until April 19, 2020.

All guests booked on cruises between March 12 and June 30, 2020 can rebook their cruise for free on any coastal or expedition sailing between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021. Rebooked cruises will receive a 10 per cent discount on top of the 100 per cent cruise fee. If clients booked their fl ights through Hurtigruten, the voucher also covers fl ights. Vouchers are valid until July 1, 2021. Marella Cruises has suspended all cruises until April 16, 2020.