Can Cruises Shine Again? (WSJ -9/11-12, 2021)

[OlsSalt]

Strong, forward looking statement today in the Wall Street Journal from SS President Roberto Martinoli - Off Duty feature article about the state of cruising today and various cruise lines efforts to mitigate future infection threats. 

[Lois R]

Hi😀is this an article in The WSJ? Is there link?

[WesW]

This may not work for you as I pulled the article from my WSJ account but here is the article:

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruises-are-back-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-safety-before-you-climb-aboard-11631290608?wsj_native_webview=ipad&ns=prod/accounts-wsj

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, WesW said:

This may not work for you as I pulled the article from my WSJ account but here is the article:

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruises-are-back-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-safety-before-you-climb-aboard-11631290608?wsj_native_webview=ipad&ns=prod/accounts-wsj

 

 

Thanks for trying.  Could not read the whole article without a subscription.  

[OlsSalt]

Highlights:  

 

---Carnival passenger identified as a "covid" case, was evacuated and the ship was able to prevent further spread.

 

--Cruise model does give you a chance to control the environment, more than other sectors of hospitality. (MCS President)

 

--reported only 27 positive cases among the estimated 1.6 million passengers that have sailed in 2021 (Bereel Ajamil &Partners)

 

--CDC continues to say non-vaccinated people should avoid all cruises, vaccinated people get tested before boarding, and anyone with serious risk should not cruise at all (CDC)

 

--Cruising is a risk-benefit tolerance decision - Johns Hopkins

 

--Crusing pause allowed re-evaluation of all facilities, allow improvements, retrain staff, and change

protocols

 

--Some lines created "Healthy Sail Panels" - including high profile persons

 

--The virus exists. We cannot deny it. Because of the nature of the virus, it might happen that someone (infected) might arrive at the ship. But it will not get out of control. We can stop it at the beginning. (SilverSea Roberto Martinoli)

 

Crowd Control: most are sailing under-capacity 50% to 70%, more distancing in the dining rooms and smaller guide to passengers ratios during shore excursions. Outside is general fine, but use of gyms may be regulated by reservations

 

Misc:

--Health Checks - differ for each line

--Fresher Air: new ventilation and cleaning systems, including robots

--Onboard Adjustments: more space, more al fresco dining, more plexiglass, different food service --deliveries, some inside cabins not sold but reserved for quarantine

--Bubbles on Land: more private islands for cruise lines instead of open destinations, allow protection of passengers as well as the port hosting country.

 

Final line: Covid has showed us it is a moving target.

[QueSeraSera]

2 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Covid has showed us it is a moving target.

Evolution shows its ugly viral face.

But I believe cruising will shine again

[Lois R]

Olsalt,, thank you for posting the highlights of the article for those of us who can't see it......(or don't want to have to subscribe). Appreciate it🙂

[OlsSalt]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Olsalt,, thank you for posting the highlights of the article for those of us who can't see it......(or don't want to have to subscribe). Appreciate it🙂

 

Thank you. Hate recommending anything that requires a paywall online, but wanted to alert anyone to this feature article is they saw a copy of this WSJ edition in a hotel lobby,  or wanted to visit their local library.

 

It was nice to read a relatively positive article, instead of the previously fear-laden and often highly inaccurate ones about the entire cruise industry -though it did also include the very tiresome "floating petri dish" illusion (aspersion?) , which I hope I never hear again.  Progress.

 

But I particularly liked the Silver Sea President's statement which hit all the right notes - candid, positive and firm. Just the attitude we need to see on this topic. Bravo.

[OlsSalt]

Anyone taking a tour of the docked Queen Mary in Long Beach, will visit the Isolation Ward in the front of the ship - infection control on ships is as old as the industry itself. I regret the media presumption the cruise industry was indifferent to this concern. I can't think of cruise ship I have been on that did not put high emphasis on healthy passenger conduct snd sanitation.  

 

Just the opposite of the media misperception, I learned more about good public health habits on cruise ships, long before it became common conversation for "covid". I didn't learn to use my knuckle to push elevator buttons on land. I learned that on a cruise ship.  I learned to be very aware of the chain of hand -mouth -eye- nose contacts. And how easily that chain between clean hands and inadvertent touching can be broken.

 

Noro-virus has always been the travelers challenge, known throughout time by various comical names;  endemic, uncomfortable and often highly preventable with a few due cautions when traveling. Upper respiratory viruses have also been endemic on cruise ships too, well before "covid". Often euphemistically known as "cruise crud". It happened. 

 

So high passenger awareness seems to have been  already built into the industry. It was disheartening to see cruising singled out as a worst possible public health offender, when it was already under such heavy scrutiny and regulation. I remember years ago hearing "wash your hands" in both English and Spanish, coming over the tanoy daily on a long South American cruise.

 

Ironically, CDC eliminated outdoor buffets on our prior favored cruise line, due to open air health hazards and distance away from hand-washing stations. Now is sounds like out-door dining is back in fashion again. But no more trays of passed hor d'ouvres. Looking forward to experiencing his new and improved product.

[retiredand happy]

Very interesting statistics. I wish my city was as safe as the cruise ships. I look forward to my November expedition cruise. I will be doing all the things that I should have been doing in the past, but ignored: wash my hands often, sanitize often, keep my fingers away from my mouth and eyes and keep out of other people's personal space. 

[TLCOhio]

23 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Final line: Covid has showed us it is a moving target.

 

YES!!  Very good and highly-comprehensive article outlining a number of factors affecting cruising and travel in general.  That "MOVING TARGET" point is well worth spotlighting and repeating.  

 

As a Wall Street Journal regular subscriber, there were a few other highlights that might be worth sharing: “Cruise lines can exert a high degree of control aboard ship, but passengers face a lot of variables in port and on land. Ecuador, for example, requires masks to be worn at all times while visiting the blue-footed boobies on their uninhabited rocks in the Pacific. On MSC’s first Covid-era cruise in August 2020, a family left the group in Capri and were not allowed back onboard.  Before the pandemic, several companies including Disney, MSC and Holland America began buying up private islands in the Caribbean to use for their exclusive shore excursions, which in the Covid age let the lines extend the bubble they can create on board. Otherwise, it’s important to know where you’re going. “When going from a largely vaccinated vessel to a general public area,” said said Dr. Lucy E. Wilson, senior adviser to the University for Public Health and Pandemic Response at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, “there are widely variant virus levels and controls. You’re getting off, the crew is getting off, exposure is elevated. Covid-19 has showed us it is a moving target.' ”

 

Here is more that might be of interest: "Recent cruisers recommend packing your patience along with your sunscreen. 'I felt better and safer on board than at the airport, on the airplane or in the hotel,' said Carolyn Spencer Brown, chief content officer at Cruise Media who sailed with Viking and with Silversea this past summer. 'There is more space, more al fresco dining, new protocols like spit tests [a Covid-19 saliva test] and I had no concern about ventilation. But you have to be flexible.'   Some things, like getting aboard, might take a little longer. You may not be able to enter the dining room without washing your hands. Food service generally no longer features passed hors d’oeuvres or self-serve buffets, and you’ll see Plexi-glass popping up here and there.  Silversea has installed medical grade air filters (MERV 13 or HPA) to supply fresh air to all areas every hour."

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cruises-are-back-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-safety-before-you-climb-aboard-11631290608?wsj_native_webview=ipad&ns=prod/accounts-wsj

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 242,564 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Lois R]

Hi Terry,🙂 I was emailed a copy of that article from a friend I had met on my Greece sailing..........I am going to post the link too.......for those folks who don't want to subscribe to the WSJ.

 

https://telegra.ph/Cruises-Are-Back-Heres-What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Safety-Before-You-Climb-Aboard-09-19

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi Terry,🙂 I was emailed a copy of that article from a friend I had met on my Greece sailing..........I am going to post the link too.......for those folks who don't want to subscribe to the WSJ.

https://telegra.ph/Cruises-Are-Back-Heres-What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Safety-Before-You-Climb-Aboard-09-19

 

Appreciate this great newspaper link and follow-up by Lois.  YES, this reporting is very detailed and worth careful review.  As always, Lois is wonderful with her sharing and focus for getting back to safe traveling.  Keep researching, planning and hoping for the best!!

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Sydney to NZ/Auckland Adventure, live/blog 2014 sampling/details with many exciting visuals and key highlights.  On page 23, post #571, see a complete index for all of the pictures, postings.  Now at 234,010 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

[ronrick1943]

As times goes mon things we’ll change, they always do——cruising will shine again, I just can’t see it not happening.