Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Plan To Test All Cruise Ship Passengers

Last Updated 3 years ago

The healthy sail panel create by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings LTD announced a 72 Step plan to protect passengers when cruising returns including mandatory COVID-19 testing.

The Healthy Sail Panel is group made up of experts in the fields of medicine, science, infectious diseases, biosecurity, hospitality and maritime operations that was created to bring a healthy return of cruising. The main goal of the panel is to protect the public health of passengers, crew members and the communities that cruise ships visit.

Royal Caribbean Group operates the following cruise lines:

Royal Caribbean
Celebrity
Silversea
Azamara
TUI
Hapag-Lloyd

Norwegian Cruise Lines Holdings LTD. operates the following cruise lines:

Norwegian
Oceania
Regent
Seven Seas

The group of experts were brought together to advise major cruise lines on what steps they should take to protect passengers.

The 72 step plan introduced by the heathy sail panel included some key plans on what passengers could expect when cruising returns to the United States including:

Testing, screening and exposure reduction
Sanitation and ventilation
Medical response and contingency planning
Destination and excursion planning
Mitigating risks for crew members

COVID-19 Testing For All Passengers and Crew Recommended:

One of the key changes when cruising returns will most likely be the addition of COVID-19 testing.

Included in the report was the plan to implement testing for all passengers and crew.

All passengers joining a ship, regardless of method of travel to the ship should be tested for COVID-19 between 5 days and 24 hours before boarding. Passengers will have to provide proof of the negative test result before boarding. There also could be a secondary test upon arrival implemented.

All crew should be tested for COVID-19 between 5 days and 24 hours prior to leaving their home location to join the ship. Crew must then present proof of a negative test before boarding and quarantine for seven days onboard. At the end of the 7 day quarantine, the crew member would be tested again before starting their duties.

According to the plan, passengers embarkation could involve the following process:

Get tested for COVID-19 within 5 days of arriving for boarding.
Present negative COVID-19 test to cruise operators.
Undergo health screening to identify any potential COVID-19 symptoms.
Undergo temperature screening using a contactless device.

“We understand our responsibility to act aggressively to protect the health and safety of our guests and crew, as well as the communities where we sail, and we asked the Panel to help us learn how to best live up to that responsibility,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. “We were inspired by the depth of the Panel’s work and their determination to help us establish the strongest protocols in the travel industry.”

Once onboard the cruise ship passengers could see the following additional health protocols if the plan goes into effect:

Guests and crew will be required to wear face masks in accordance with CDC guidelines
Capacity of ships restricted to allow for social distancing
Social distancing guidelines of 6 feet enforced
Floor markers and signage to enforce social distancing
Daily temperature checks for all guest and crew
Cruise line operated shore excursions only at port stops (Guest can’t explore on their own)

The 65 page plan was put together for all large cruise lines to follow in a joint effort for the U.S. cruise industry to return to sailing. The panel was created by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Lines LTD. but the findings of the plan are open to freely be adopted by any company or industry that would benefit from the group’s scientific and medical insights. As such, the Panel welcomed observers from: