After months of a global pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, cruise ships are finally beginning to reopen. With countries gradually opening their borders and allowing travel, the cruise industry is gradually coming back to life.
The industry had been at a standstill since March 2020, when global health officials started to issue warnings about contact with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This caused major cruise companies to cancel all cruises for the foreseeable future.
The first cruise line to open back up was Carnival Cruise Line. They announced plans to resume operations in August 2020 and they have been operating various cruises since then. Other major lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and MSC Cruises have also resumed operations in various parts of the world.
When cruise ships begin operating again, they must adhere to strict safety protocols put in place by local governments and health officials. These protocols include mandatory masks for all passengers, temperature checks when boarding, social distancing guidelines onboard the ship and additional cleaning measures. Additionally, many cruise lines have implemented “virtual queuing” for activities such as embarkation and disembarkation processes, shore excursions, dining reservations, etc., which limits contact between passengers and reduces wait times by allowing people to sign up online in advance.
Cruise lines have also begun offering Covid-19 insurance on board their ships for added protection for their passengers. This type of insurance covers any medical costs due to Covid-19 that may be incurred during the voyage or shortly after disembarking from it.
Despite these safety measures being put into place, there is still some hesitancy among potential passengers when it comes to taking a cruise during this pandemic era. Many are wary of getting on a crowded ship where social distancing is difficult if not impossible in some areas of the ship.
It remains to be seen whether or not cruising will make a full comeback following this pandemic but it is clear that the industry is slowly starting up again as countries begin to relax travel restrictions within their borders.
Conclusion: The cruise industry has slowly started reopening as countries begin relaxing travel restrictions within their borders with safety protocols in place such as mandatory masks for all passengers and temperature checks when boarding. Although some potential passengers remain hesitant due to concerns about social distancing onboard ships, it remains to be seen whether or not cruising will make a full comeback post-pandemic.
Is Cruise Ship Back Open? Yes, cruise ships are gradually beginning to reopen with safety protocols in place following months of lockdown due to the global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus.