(Alliance News) - With tests, vaccinations and isolation areas, cruise ship companies are hoping for smoother sailing this travel season after fears over Covid-stricken ships rocked the industry last year.
Cruise companies have lost tens of billions of dollars while hundreds of thousands of people have lost jobs as countries banned ships from their ports.
The industry's woes started in February last year when the Diamond Princess and its 4,000 passengers spent weeks in quarantine in port in Japan as coronavirus infections on board climbed, reaching 700.
While cruises may have to wait until July to use ports in Florida, ships have been gingerly returning to sea in other markets, with strict health protocols to avoid a repeat of last year's misfortunes.
Carnival PLC's Costa Cruises set sail on Saturday for the first time in more than four months, with its flagship vessel setting sail from Savona. The Italian government had banned cruises in December.
The Costa Smeralda was only a quarter full, with 1,500 passengers.
All passengers and crew were first tested for coronavirus and mask-wearing was mandatory for the trip. The 1,300 crew were quarantined for 14 days before reporting for duty.
Other ships were setting sail from Barcelona and the southern French city of Marseille.
Costa's rival MSC returned to sea much earlier, in August. Since then, Patrick Pourbaix, director general of MSC France, says the company has carried "more than 60,000 passengers on around 30 cruises, worry-free".
While Costa and MSC do not insist on passengers being vaccinated, they have to take a Covid test before embarking while strict social distancing will be required aboard.
The two firms additionally will only offer excursions within a "health bubble" keeping contact with local people to a bare minimum.
If suspected cases appear, MSC has an isolation area and medical teams aboard ships, Pourbaix said, adding that sick passengers would be taken to the first port.
Although to date few vessels and few itineraries have emerged as available for the European summer season, there is no shortage of demand.
Sommer notably indicates that Norwegian Cruise Line's 35 first cruises put on sale are already fully booked.
According to a CLIA survey, two out of three cruise passengers polled say they are ready to recover their sea legs this year.
"Cruises enjoy an unmatched level of (customer) satisfaction at around 98%," Arino said. "Client loyalty is very strong."
By Katell Prigent
source: AFP
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