JULIE’S VIEW: A RETURN TO THE SEAS

In recent days we have seen an uptick in cruise bookings (yay!).

While cruises hit rough seas when the coronavirus began to spread it looks like today most cruise lines are making enormous efforts to provide as clean and safe a travel experience as possible. They are spending millions on the latest technologies to clean surfaces and air, in addition to requiring extensive vetting of passengers and layers of medical support on board.

If you are considering a return to cruising I’ve provided links to the various programs and protocols of the suppliers we book most often.

• Norwegian/Regent/Oceania/ Royal Caribbean/Celebrity/Silversea/Azamara: These two large cruise groups (NCL and RCL), representing all the cruise lines listed above, have teamed up to form a Health and Safety program they are calling Sail Safe. Each line will display these protocols as their own, but the collaboration speaks to the extensive nature of the efforts being made.
  • NCL holdings is installing Atmos Air Filtration systems across its entire fleet. Virgin Voyages already uses this technology.
  • RCL Group upgraded to MERV13 filters, which changes air in any space 12-15 times per hour and kills coronaviruses as well as cold and flu viruses.
• Viking River/Ocean: Short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV-C) lights and high-density filters, which kill 99.99% of all airborne viruses and bacteria plus an onboard testing center are implemented on all ships.
• Crystal: Crystal Clean has a 100% fresh air system into each stateroom.
• Windstar: Many small ship groups have equipped ships with UV-C light to kill bacteria and viruses, including coronaviruses.
• National Geographic/Lindblad: Premium Purity program has been in place since last summer.  

–Julie, January 2021