Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

“This unprecedented disease requires us to develop unprecedented standards in health and safety” Renowned for its innovative and pioneering spirit, Royal Caribbean Group aims to lead the way when it comes to developing new and enhanced health and safety standards, protocols and best practices. Joining forces with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), the company has established a Healthy Sail Panel, which comprises a group of globally recognised professionals who specialise in various disciplines, including public health, infectious diseases, biosecurity, hospitality and maritime operations. The panel is co-chaired by Mike Leavitt, former governor of Utah who led the US Department of Health and Human Services, and Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration. “This unprecedented disease requires us to develop unprecedented standards in health and safety,” says Fain. “Bringing aboard these respected experts to guide us forward demonstrates our commitment to protecting our guests, our crews and the communities we visit.” The panel members worked through the summer with in-house teams at Royal Caribbean Group and NCLH to develop recommendations on advancing health and safety. “We want to be meticulous as we review every aspect of our operations to identify where we need to improve and how best to do that,” says Fain. “We’re evaluating all possibilities, so we’re encouraging everyone to bring their ideas to the table – we have time on our side, so we will make the most of that time to ensure we get it right.” Fain expects that cruise lines will need to introduce multiple measures. “This could include everything from staggered embarkation and check-in to temperature checks, testing options for our guests and crew, reduced sailing capacity, social distancing, enhanced sanitisation and disinfection protocols, 1 6 KEYNOTE Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, which is now part of Royal Caribbean Group’s joint venture with TUI Cruises, sailed its first post-pandemic voyage in Norway this August