CRUISE LINES LOOK TO FUTURE.
Two of the world’s largest cruise operators have teamed up to assemble a panel of health experts to help them meet the coronavirus-related requirements of authorities around the world. Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which include several cruise lines, launched the panel to share findings and recommendations with the industry. Here are some points:
1 SLOW BOAT TO SOLUTIONS
The timeline shows there are no quick answers: The group started meeting in June and hopes to deliver a plan by the end of August. Major cruise lines that operate in the U.S. have paused operations until
mid- to late September.
2 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Although they are fierce competitors, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian joined forces “to make sure we do everything possible, without exception, without any shortcuts, (to show) that cruising is safe,” said Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
3 BIG NAMES
Co-chairs of the panel are former Utah governor Mike Leavitt, s administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush, and Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration under President Trump. The others are experts in public health, infectious disease,
pandemic preparedness, epidemiology, hospitality and cruise
operations.
4 NOW, AND THEN
The no-sail order calls for cruise lines to submit detailed plans to “prevent, mitigate and respond to the spread of COVID-19 on board cruise ships.” The panel’s two phases include finding improvements cruise lines can use as they craft their responses for the CDC, and, later, looking for innovations, which could require
more time and research.
5 MAKING LEMONADE
The CDC says cruise travel “markedly increases the risk and impact of the COVID-19
disease outbreak…,” but Gottlieb believes the confined environment could also provide an opportunity to create a protective bubble around passengers and “substantially” reduce risk. Leavitt said he expects the panel’s work to apply beyond cruising, considering the types of venues on ships. “This presents an opportunity,” he said, “because there are retail stores on a cruise ship, restaurants, recreational areas, a motel.”