‘Fewer than 50 Covid cases among 100k UK cruisers’
Tom ParryClia cruise lines experienced fewer than 50 Covid cases while carrying more than 100,000 UK passengers on domestic sailings this summer, according to the association’s chair.
Ben Bouldin told TTG each case, reported between 20 May and 23 August, had been “managed extremely well” and handled “in full collaboration” with port and public health authorities and the Department for Transport.
He said the figure demonstrated health and hygiene protocols were “absolutely working” onboard ships since operations restarted in May.
A number of lines will restart international itineraries this month after Fred Olsen became the first company to cruise overseas from the UK since the pandemic began in late August.
Bouldin, Royal Caribbean International’s vice-president EMEA, said the successful “seacation” season had given the industry “a lot of optimism” – but he insisted leaders were “not naive to the challenges that lay ahead”.
“We know that getting into genuine international cruising remains very difficult and we know there are going to be further bumps in the road,” he said, speaking on Thursday (16 September), the day after Clia’s Executive Board met with maritime minister Robert Courts.
After the hour-long meeting Courts thanked lines for their “dedication and hard work” and promised “even greater cooperation” between government and the cruise sector.
“We have a set of protocols that the minister confirmed are best in class and we have a lot of confidence from the government that we are managing our return to service very well,” added Bouldin. “They are extremely supportive of us getting back to what we do best, which is cruising internationally.”
Echoing the thoughts of MSC Cruises UK and Ireland boss Antonio Paradiso at this week’s ITT Conference, Bouldin said he believed the summer’s domestic season would be looked back upon as “one of the most significant things we’ve done” to bring new consumer into the cruise market.
“It’s hard to say that right now but in a few years time I think we’ll look back and say ‘yes Covid was difficult and having to do domestic cruising didn’t feel overly sexy at the time, and it’s certainly not the most profitable’, but it has brought in new people and they will stay with us because the holidays we are delivering are phenomenal," said Bouldin.
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