The industry is prepping for a comeback. Where is the CDC?

The industry is prepping for a comeback. Where is the CDC?

MSC Cruise has put together a Blue ribbonCovid group to put in protocols for safety.

By Johanna Jainchill
The past week has seen major movement in the shaping of protocols around the resumption of cruising. Last week, the European Union released guidelines for the resumption of cruising. Yesterday, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. revealed that they had assembled a panel to develop health and safety protocols for the industry to resume operations. MSC Cruises has put together a Blue Ribbon Covid Expert Group that will advise it on sanitation and health protocols.

What's missing from all of these advancements is any word from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will ultimately determine when large cruise ships can resume sailing from U.S. ports. The agency has said nothing about the cruise industry since updating its No Sail Order on April 9 to expire on July 24.

The cruise industry has not publicly said that the CDC is being uncooperative, but in a conversation with Travel Weekly last month, CLIA CEO Kelly Craighead praised Europe for enabling the industry to "participate in dialogue about thoughtful resumption protocols" but said that with the CDC it was "having some challenges with having that kind of engagement and dialogue with them."

CLIA said it had been actively engaged in the development of the guidance published last week by the EU.

UBS analyst Robin Farley said in a note to investors in June that according to her sources, the reason CLIA announced a voluntary suspension of cruises through Sept. 15 is "likely so that [the] CDC would not have to extend its No Sail Order while negotiations continue."

"It sounds like there needs to be an agreement with the CDC in place about 30 days before ships can restart," Farley said.

However, Farley also said that according to Royal Caribbean Group management, the company "is in constant communication with the CDC in a constructive dialogue, and at this point, they are going back and forth with iterations of an agreement."  And one of the co-chairs of the Royal/Norwegian panel, Mike Leavitt, a three-term governor of Utah and former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said that the CDC was "very pleased to know the panel was being proposed. We described the membership and told them how we were going to work and we pledged transparency and they received it warmly."

But publicly, at least, the CDC has been quiet. And several industry stakeholders have privately said the CDC is being unresponsive and uncooperative with the industry. The CDC did not respond to outreach from a Travel Weekly reporter.

It has been suggested that the CDC has been hamstrung by the Trump administration, such as in a scathing New York Times report in June that detailed the CDC's failures overall in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In one example of its shortcomings, the article cited the CDC's No Sail order and reported that the CDC wanted the order to be indefinite, but that the White House intervened, and so the agency replaced it with the order the ends in July.

It's not the only article on the agency's failures: the Washington Post this week reported that the CDC's mishandling of the coronavirus is similar to the mistakes it made with the Zika outbreak in 2016.

CLIA and the cruise industry may not want to rock the boat and cause any further delay, but given the fact that so many travel advisors depend on the ability to relaunch operations in the world's No. 1 cruise market, ASTA CEO Zane Kerby might have spoken for the industry at large when he called the CDC's communications about travel "uneven at best." In a letter to its director, Robert Redfield, on June 9, he said that prioritizing of the restart of the cruise industry is one of four main goals the CDC should tackle.

"In the absence of clear communication, the entire population remains essentially in the dark, left to rely on a patchwork of regional, state and local pronouncements to inform their decision-making with respect to travel," Kerby wrote. "Airlines, hoteliers, cruise lines, tour operators, car rental companies, insurance providers and others are similarly left to their own devices as to when to restart operations in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic."

P&O Cruises sells Oceana

P&O Cruises sells Oceana

P&O Cruises ship Oceana has been sold and will not return to service when operations resume following the Covid-19 cancellation of sailings.

The UK line confirmed that Oceana “will leave the fleet from July this year” but the identity of the buyer has not been revealed.

Passengers with bookings on the ship will be offered a 125% future cruise credit or refund, although all the company’s sailings are paused until October 15.

The sale of 1,950-passenger Oceana for an undisclosed sum comes ahead of the arrival of giant new ship Iona, which has been delayed from its original debut in Southampton in May due to the global cancellation of cruises due to the pandemic.

A sister ship to 5,200-passenger Iona is due to join the fleet in 2022.

Parent company Carnival Corporation revealed plans last month to speed up the disposal of ships after registered a $2.4 billion adjusted net loss in the three months to May 31 as the coronavirus pandemic shut down global cruise operations.

The cruise giant said “preliminary agreements” were in place for the disposal of six ships, expected to leave the fleet in 90 days, with others likely to follow.

Oceana originally entered service in 2000 operating for sister brand Princess Cruises as Ocean Princess.

P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “Whilst we and many of our guests will miss Oceana, her departure will allow us to focus on our remaining ships in the fleet, as capacity expands with the delivery of Iona later this year followed by her sister ship, scheduled for 2022.

“During this pause in our operations, we need to fit the fleet for the future and ensure we have the right mix of ships once we resume sailing.

“I am so sorry to disappoint those guests who were booked on Oceana but I hope they will be able to find a similar alternative holiday, whether that is ex-UK from Southampton or a fly-cruise itinerary.”

Cruise Ship Repairs Start at Harland & Wolff; Yard Eyes New builds

Two massive cranes at the Harland and Wolff dockyard.

Harland & Wolff is surging back onto the cruise ship repair scene as the ship repair facility is hosting a trio of Viking ships, the Sky, Sun and Sea, in Belfast

Since acquiring Harland and Wolff in December 2019, the new Harland & Wolff team has been quick to realize their strategic ambitions to enter the cruise sector, according to a statement from the shipyard.

Strict protocols were put in place to ensure compliance with all public health guidelines, some of which will be maintained for the foreseeable future as a precautionary measure. While undertaking dockings during the COVID-19 lockdown and with OEM’s unable to travel the yard, teams have made extensive use of video conferencing, enabling OEMs to be virtually involved during maintenance activities onboard the vessels, according to the shipyard.

The yard said the cruise Industry is under financial strain during the pause in operations and has worked with its financial partners to put in place several extended credit term schemes, allowing owners to fully capitalize on periods where vessels are out of service and have works undertaken during this out-of-service period.

Viking Sky and Viking Sea docking in Belfast.

In addition, yard executives said they not only want to target drydock and repair projects but return to building ships, most likely starting with small expedition-type vessels. 

John Wood Group CEO of Harland & Wolff said: “We are delighted to welcome Viking Sky, Sun and Sea to our facilities in Belfast, this is the first time we have had three cruise vessels docked in Harland & Wolff for many decades. Harland & Wolff was once a market leader in this sector and this is a title we are keen to hold again. On the doorstep of the Mediterranean, the UK is in a prime location for refits, conversions and revitalizations. With our vast facilities set in 85 acres, we can handle several large cruise ships concurrently, as demonstrated by the arrival of three vessels from Viking for minor repairs and upgrade works. With two of the largest docks in Europe and the only yard in the UK that can accept the majority of the works cruise ships demand, we look forward to increasing our presence within the cruise sector as we move forward.

"In order to future-proof our yard we are currently scenario-planning to ensure we can welcome all future cruise vessels as they continue the trend of increasing in size," Wood said ."The cruise sector will be a key cornerstone of our business going forward. With 70% of shipyards closed during the global pandemic, we are now seeing the implications of this as we start to emerge from the crisis, we have witnessed a substantial increase in inquires from the cruise sector with numerous live inquires at this time. It is possible that owners will face delays as they try to get vessels back into service as the industry ramps up again, global availability of drydocks essential to returning vessels into service where they have slipped out of class will be fully occupied not just with cruise vessels but overall sectors that have had dockings cancelled”

Cruise industry defends record after a critical TV documentary

Cruise industry defends record after a critical TV documentary

The cruise industry has defended its record in tackling the coronavirus crisis in the wake of a critical ITV documentary screened on Thursday.

The hour-long ‘Billion Pound Cruises: All at Sea’ focused on the plight of various Princess Cruises ships and Holland America Line vessel Zaandam which were caught up in the pandemic.

It highlighted the impact on passengers and crew and detailed the number of deaths involved.

The documentary featured passenger footage taken onboard Diamond Princess, which was thrust into the spotlight as the virus became a pandemic due to an outbreak on the ship as it was docked in Japan which led to guests and crew being quarantined.

However, global cruise industry body Clia said: “While the tragic reality of the pandemic has meant that its impact has been felt across all walks of life, Clia believes that the industry’s rapid response is one reason why the number of cases linked to ships was a small fraction of the global total.”

The association stressed that health and safety are “integral” to the cruise industry, which is currently at standstill across most of the world due to government restrictions.

A Clia spokesperson said: “No other form of travel provides such high transparency in public health reporting, or requires such stringent cleaning and hygiene protocols.

“Within 48 hours of the WHO [World Health Organisation]  announcing an international emergency, Clia ocean cruise lines introduced enhanced screening protocols worldwide, including health and travel history checks prior to the embarkation of every passenger and crew member.

“Upon the declaration by the WHO of a pandemic, Clia ocean cruise lines voluntarily suspended operations worldwide, making the cruise industry one of the first to do so.

“Some ships had to travel thousands of miles to return to port, and repatriation was complicated by international air travel and border restrictions; Clia cruise lines have also successfully repatriated many thousands of crew members, and have been working non-stop with governments and health authorities to secure the safe return of crew members to their homes.”  

Vestas wins new orders for wind turbines in the US, Canada, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Vietnam

Vestas wins new orders for wind turbines in the US, Canada, France, The Netherlands, Italy, Japan and Vietnam

Vestas has received an order for 278 MW of V150-4.2 MW turbines for a 302 MW project in the US including previously purchased 4 MW components. The order includes supply and commissioning of the turbines as well as a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, designed to ensure optimised performance for the lifetime of the project. Turbine delivery will begin the second quarter of 2021 with commissioning scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021. The project and customer are undisclosed.

In Canada, Vestas has received a 151 MW order of V136-3.45 MW turbines delivered in 3.6 MW Power Optimised Mode from Capital Power for the 97 MW Whitla Wind 2 and 54 MW Whitla Wind 3 projects in Alberta, Canada. The order includes supply and commissioning of the turbines as well as a 10-year service agreement, designed to ensure optimised performance for the lifetime of the project. Turbine delivery and commissioning are scheduled for 2021.

Whitla Wind 2 and 3 expand on the 202 MW Whitla Wind 1 Project, installed in 2019 and featuring the same turbine type.  Whitla Wind 1 was selected as one of four projects by the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) in Alberta’s first renewable energy auction, a competition that attracted global participation.

Alberta plans to add up to 5,000 MW of renewable energy to the grid by 2030. The province is the third-largest wind market in Canada, which ranks 9th in the world for installed capacity. The wind has been the number one source of new electricity generation in Canada for more than a decade.

In France, international renewable energy developer Valeco has placed a 42 MW order for three wind projects, consisting of the supply and installation of eight V100-2.0 MW wind turbines delivered in 2.2 MW Power Optimised Mode and eight V117-3.45 MW wind turbines in 3.0 MW operating mode, as well as Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreements, designed to maximise energy production for the sites.

The name and location of the projects are undisclosed. Turbine delivery and commissioning are scheduled for the first half of 2021.

Vestas has over 5.1 GW capacity installed and over 2,300 wind turbines in France. These numbers place the company as the main contributor to the expansion of wind energy in France, where last year the company had a 40 per cent market share.

Also in France, Elicio has placed a 32 MW order for the Le Haut Plateau wind project, consisting of the supply and installation of nine V136-3.45 MW wind turbines delivered in 3.6 Power Optimised Mode, as well as an Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement for at least the next 20 years.

Turbine delivery will begin in the third quarter of 2021, with commissioning scheduled for the fourth quarter of the same year.

In The Netherlands, Vestas has won a 36 MW repowering order with Vattenfall for the Jaap Rodenburg II project. The wind project will be installed in the Province Flevoland, near Almere and will feature ten V117-3.45 MW turbines with 91.5-metre towers delivered in 3.6 MW Power Optimised Mode to maximise energy production in the site’s medium to high wind conditions, while meeting the local tip height requirements. This repowering project will replace the 10 V66 turbines and will more than double the installed capacity at the location.

The project will feature a VestasOnline Business SCADA solution, lowering turbine downtime and thus optimising the energy output. The contract further includes supply, installation and commissioning of the wind turbines, as well as a 10-years Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement.

Deliveries are expected to begin in the first quarter of 2021, while commissioning is planned for the second quarter of 2021.

In Italy, the company has received a 49 MW order for two projects located in the Campania region, consisting of six V110-2.0 MW wind turbines delivered in 2.2 MW Power Optimised Mode and ten V117-3.45 MW wind turbines in 3.6 MW operating mode.

The supply and installation contract also includes a 5-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement.

Turbine delivery and commissioning are planned for the first half of 2021. The names of the wind parks are undisclosed as per customer request.

With a 70 per cent market share in 2019 and with over 4.3 GW total capacity installed, Vestas leads the market as the main contributor to the expansion of wind energy in Italy.

In Japan, Vestas is working with Tokyu Land Corporation and Japan Wind Development, having secured a 76 MW order for Chitose Wind Farm and Noheji Mutsuwan Wind Farm in the Aomori prefecture.

Due to the typhoon and earthquake-prone environment of the region, an extended collaboration between all project partners was required when designing a turbine solution to maximise wind capture in the sites’ challenging wind and weather conditions.

The order includes the supply and supervision of four V117-3.45 MW and six V105-3.45 MW turbines that are all delivered in 3.6 MW Power Optimised Mode at Chitose Wind Farm, as well as eleven V105-3.45 MW turbines in 3.6 MW Power Optimised Mode at Noheji Mutsuwan Wind Farm.

With a robust design for tough wind sites, the turbine variants are well-suited for the sites’ challenging climatic conditions and all turbines will feature customised 94m towers to accommodate seismic loads, high turbulence and extreme wind speeds.

Vestas will also provide multi-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreements for both wind farms. With an energy-based availability guarantee, the agreement will ensure optimised performance and long-term business certainty.

Delivery of Vestas’ turbines will begin in the first quarter of 2021 with commissioning scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021.

Vestas installed its first turbines in Japan in 1995 and has since then installed a total of 650 MW, making Vestas the leading wind energy provider in the Japanese market.

In Vietnam, Vestas has won an 84 MW order to supply, transport, install and commission a total of 20 V150-4.2 MW wind turbines, in which it worked closely with the customer to customise a solution featuring V150-4.2 MW turbines at a hub height of 145 metres to help optimise the wind energy production for the project.

The order takes Vestas’ firm order intake for the V150-4.2 MW in Vietnam to over 600 MW since its first order win in March of last year, underlining the turbine variant’s excellent fit to deliver high and efficient energy production in Vietnam’s low to medium wind speeds.

The project and customer are undisclosed, but the construction of the project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021, ahead of the current wind feed-in tariff deadline in Vietnam.

AIDA Cancels Most Cruises Through August; Could Still See Gradual Summer Start

AIDA Cruises announced that it is cancelled cruises through August 31, but added believes it will resume its cruise operation later this summer.

The news does not apply to individual departures from AIDAprima, AIDAperla and AIDAdiva.

"AIDA Cruises is in close and constant contact with all of the relevant authorities discussing the brand's interest in restarting cruise vacations, when the time is right, under adapted conditions and in full compliance with all sanitization and hygiene standards and protocols for physical distancing," the company said.

Fincantieri Acquires Control of Support Logistic Services

Fincantieri subsidiary INSIS acquired a majority share in Support Logistic Services (SLS), a company based in Guidonia Montecelio specialized in the production, installation and maintenance of radar, satellite and radio communications systems for military and civil applications, according to a press release.

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, commented: “This operation fits into our far-reaching strategy to consolidate and safeguard a supply chain made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. A dedicated corporate division will coordinate the various companies, which will continue to operate independently according to their intrinsic business approaches. This will allow them to retain key resources, expanding the pool of expertise of our Group”.

Fincantieri said the operation falls within the group’s strategy to strengthen its competence in high-technology activities.

As such, it is consistent with the development plan conceived for the newborn Electronics, Systems & Software Division to foster and improve innovation, its main competitive strength. 

 SLS is renowned for its products and solutions’ quality, as well as for the high level of service it is able to guarantee. These distinguishing features have allowed the company to create and maintain a sound client portfolio in a complex and fragmented market. With 2019 revenues amounting to about 9 million euros, expected to further increase this year, almost half of the company’s 35 employees are engineers, systems analysts, design engineers and qualified technicians.

In recent years, Fincantieri has undertaken several actions to diversify and expand its product and service portfolio, steering it towards higher added-value solutions, the company said. 

Costa Cancels Cruises Into August

Costa Diadema above

Costa announced a further pause for all its cruises until August 15, 2020, and the cancellation of all cruises in Northern Europe for the remainder of the 2020 summer season, according to a statement.

"The decision is linked to the uncertainty on the gradual reopening of ports to cruise ships and the restrictions that may still be in place for the movements of people due to the COIVD-19 global pandemic. In addition, the Company is also communicating the cancellation of all future cruises of the Costa Victoria," the company said. 

In the meantime, Costa said it is working alongside all relevant authorities to define health protocols for a potential restart of cruises as soon as possible.

Pullmantur Fleet Will Likely Be Scrapped

The end may be nearing for the Monarch, Sovereign and Horizon as the trio of former Pullmantur ships could be heading for dismantling in Turkey, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Pullmantur filed for reorganization under Spanish insolvency laws in June, with Royal Caribbean Cruises essentially taking the ships back from the Spanish brand at the same time, and telling Cruise Industry News the vessels were being transitioned to cold lay-up.

Crew members aboard the fleet said important items of value have been removed from the vessels, which will now end up in Aliaga, Turkey, a coastal town known for its ship-scrapping business. 

A request for further information sent to Royal Caribbean Cruises went unanswered.

The Pullmantur Fleet:

Horizon
Built: 1990
Capacity: 1,828
Notes: Launched as the Celebrity Horizon. Has also spent time under the Island Cruises and CDF umbrellas.

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MonarchBuilt: 1991
Capacity: 2,850
Notes: Launched as the Monarch of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International in 1988; moved to Pullmantur in 2013.

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Sovereign
Built: 1988
Capacity: 2,850
Notes: Launched as the Sovereign of the Sea for Royal Caribbean International in 1988, becoming the largest cruise ship in the world at the time. Transferred to Pullmantur in 2008.

Carnival UK Lays Off One-Third of Staff

Carnival UK has announced a sweeping round of job cuts. 

"The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected the holidays of our guests but it has also impacted every part of our business; our future deployment; the guest experience; our supply chain and our people on ship and onshore," said President Simon Palethorpe in a prepared statement. 

"Due to this impact, we have had to make some really tough decisions to ensure that we can sustain and protect our business for the future. Following a period of collective consultation, nearly a third of our shore-based staff will very sadly be leaving our business on June 30 and another significant proportion will take a period of sabbatical," said Palethorpe. 

"We are devastated to have to take this action which has affected so many talented and dedicated colleagues.

"We appreciate it is a very difficult and unsettling time for everyone but we have followed a clear and fair consultation process and considered all individual suggestions for new ways of working.

"At the current time as our operations are paused, we are working at the highest levels to develop a comprehensive restart program to phase our ships back into service with enhanced and approved protocols that will keep everyone on board well and still give our guests an amazing holiday."

Buffet Not Going Anywhere at Royal Caribbean

Buffet Not Going Anywhere at Royal Caribbean

“We will continue to have a buffet at Royal Caribbean," commented Linken D’Souza, vice president of food and beverage operations, on a recent webinar aimed at travel agents.

The company's iconic Windjammer venue, however, could look a bit different across the 26-ship Royal Caribbean International fleet. 

Scenarios, said D’Souza, range from employee service to individual portions to individual (i.e.disposable) tongs, among many options.

"We're continuing to work through a lot of the deals. Rest assured the buffet will exist," he said.

"There will be (modifications) that ensure we have a healthy return to service," continued D’Souza. "Your favourites and what you’re used to at the Windjammer will be there.”

The Windjammer has also gone through dramatic changes, even before COVID-19.

The big adjustments come in the breakfast lineup, now featuring an avocado toast bar, a carving station and improved bakery and pastry options.

Cruise lines are not resorting to rock-bottom pricing

Cruise lines are not resorting to rock-bottom pricing

By Johanna Jainchill

Cruise lines and Wall Street analysts report that cruise pricing, for the most part, has not gotten to the low levels seen after the fallout of the 9/11 attacks and the 2008 recession.

To be sure, there are deals out there, and some executives have said that Covid-era prices have fallen across the board -- but not to the rock-bottom levels seen in prior crises. Execs, analysts and industry watchers have said this is primarily because demand is expected to exceed capacity, at least at first, because lines are likely to relaunch only a few ships at a time at reduced capacity.

"We note that since cruise lines are taking so much capacity out of service and not pricing to fill what is in service, they could potentially eliminate some of the lowest-margin demand that they might normally turn to when filling a ship," UBS Analyst Robin Farley said in a recent note.

In discussing the strong pricing for 2021, Brad Tolkin, co-CEO of World Travel Holdings, agreed that reduced capacity was a big factor. "There will be a lot less of ships to top off within the last 90 days," he said. But he also said that future cruise credits (FCC) the cruise lines have been using for cancelled 2020 sailings play a role.

"The cruise lines know they have these supersized FCCs out there; most are at least 25% more than the value of the cruise," Tolkin said. "They have to keep pricing up to absorb that somehow."

On top of that, he said that people who have the FCCs are upgrading.

"The people that took these FCCs said, 'I love cruising, and I'm getting on a cruise; I'm taking the FCC,'" he said. "If they spent $3,000 on a cruise before, now they have $3,500, $3,600 to spend. They're spending it and buying up."

Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean said that another reason why lines are holding the line on pricing is that they know that they will have lower occupancy and they don't want to compromise quality.

"We know that initially, we're not sailing at 100% occupancy and we'll have to have lower load factors  I think all the cruise lines are planning that," Freed said. "And we're going to need to have more staff on board and still offer the quality people expect from Royal Caribbean. If suddenly we downgrade the product onboard people will say, 'they're not the same brand I thought they were ' So you do keep your price integrity up in order to fund what we need to fund."

Freed also anticipated that people will pay more for experiences that include Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay private island.

"It's a safe, enclosed environment; it's a private island, it's got all the fun and thrill and chill that people want now," she said. "I think itineraries with Perfect Day at CocoCay or our private island of Labadee will demand a better price."

UBS's Farley also said that, according to an executive from a privately-owned cruise line, he expects "only single-digit price declines" by keeping only the lowest-priced cabins empty.

"He believes that cruise lines will keep ships in various stages of warm and hot and cold layup so that they will be able to add ships into service without delay if there is demand," Farley said.  "A month of notice is more than enough time to staff a ship and start operations. Airlift is not that much of an issue since the cruise lines can charter flights from the Philippines and Indonesia, for example, when they are ready to bring the crew back to a ship."

Carnival UK insists sales team cuts are ‘forced necessity’

Carnival UK insists sales team cuts are ‘forced necessity’

Carnival UK has confirmed its sales team will be reduced following a consultation launched as a result of the Covid-19 crisis but insisted the move was a “forced necessity” due to social distancing measures and limitations on agency visits.

The cruise giant completed a consultation period on Tuesday, with 450 roles – nearly a third of Carnival UK’s shore-based staff – being made redundant.

Several staff of P&O Cruises, Cunard, Princess, Holland America Line and Seabourn highlighted their jobs were at risk on social media channels in recent weeks. Among those who posted are Chloe Palmer and Neal Hussey, who were both in the P&O Cruises sales team; Richard Cross, who worked in Cunard’s sales team; Princess Cruises’ commercial director Chris Barnaville; Andrea Jones and Charlotte Brailsford, who were both in the Princess agency sales team.

Carnival UK declined to confirm how many trades facing sales roles had been lost.

In addition to the redundancies, Carnival UK confirmed that “another significant proportion” of staff will take a period of sabbatical, a group understood to include Cunard’s UK sales director Gary Anslow. Travel Weekly believes Anslow has taken a six-month sabbatical and will return early January.

P&O Cruises’ president Paul Ludlow said the company was “devastated to have to take this action which has affected so many talented and dedicated colleagues”.

Despite the reduction in an agency facing roles in the sales team, Ludlow insisted the brand’s commitment to the trade “remained as strong as ever”.

During the consultation period, a member of staff, who was at risk and asked to remain anonymous, said the move was “completely the wrong decision”, claiming 60% of P&O Cruises’ UK bookings come from travel agents.

In a statement, Ludlow said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has not only affected the holidays of our guests but it has also impacted every part of our business; our future deployment; the guest experience; our supply chain and our people on the ship and onshore.

“Due to this impact, we have had to make some really tough decisions to ensure that we can sustain and protect our business for the future. Following a period of collective consultation, nearly a third of our shore-based staff will very sadly be leaving our business on June 30 and another significant proportion will take a period of sabbatical.

“We are devastated to have to take this action which has affected so many talented and dedicated colleagues.

“We appreciate it is a very difficult and unsettling time for everyone but we have followed a clear and fair consultation process and considered all individual suggestions for new ways of working.

“At the current time as our operations are paused, we are working at the highest levels to develop a comprehensive restart programme to phase our ships back into service with enhanced and approved protocols that will keep everyone on board well and still give our guests an amazing holiday.

“Our commitment to the travel trade remains as strong as ever. The reduction in the sales team was, very sadly, a forced necessity due to social distancing and the limitations of the shop and office visits.

“We remain committed to developing new ways of working to best support our agent partners encouraging agent feedback and including training and regular communication through our 15,000 strong agent Shine programme. We would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our sincere thanks to all our agent partners for their mutual work supporting our guests during our pause in operations and we look forward to working together as we develop our re-start plans.”

Cruise restart protocols to go ‘way beyond’ other sectors

Cruise restart protocols to go ‘way beyond’ other sectors

The UK cruise sector is working closely with the government, public health bodies and maritime authorities on restart protocols that will go “way beyond” other sectors, according to Clia.

Andy Harmer, director of Clia UK & Ireland, said a focus on the resumption of air travel and safety measures at airports was being mirrored by cruise lines and ports.

In a column on Travel Weekly’s website, he said: “A lot of work is going on in the background to transform the experience of taking a cruise. The industry is working in collaboration with the government on a ‘door to door’ strategy – from the time of booking through to the passengers’ return home – that will go way beyond protocols in place or proposed for any other travel sector.”

He added: “Clia has been working closely with the Department for Transport, Port Health, Public Health England and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to develop the roadmap to resumption – what will happen from the time of booking to embarkation at the port, onboard, ports of call, disembarkation and customer follow-up.

“We are also engaged with public health professionals as we review the customer journey, from minimising the likelihood of onboard cases by a screening of each guest before departure, through comprehensive onboard management and repatriation plans should case occur on board.”

Harmer welcomed comments made recently by the prime minister that cruise was a “great British industry” which would be supported by the government “in any way that we can”.

And he said plans for a pan-European framework should pave the way for the sector’s restart, adding: “We expect interim guidance from [joint action scheme] EU Healthy Gateways to be published this week, supporting the resumption of cruise activity in a coordinated way.”

Costa Victoria sold for scrap

Costa Cruises confirmed that the Costa Victoria has left its fleet, with ownership transferred to a subsidiary of the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard. The ship awaits demolition.

Earlier this month, Costa parent company Carnival Corp. said plans were in place to remove six ships within 90 days, with more to come. Carnival Corp. accelerated plans already in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Last week, the 23-year-old Costa Victoria arrived in Piombino, Italy, where San Giorgio has a subsidiary yard, according to the city’s mayor. In a Facebook post, the mayor said that the 1,928-passenger ship was being prepared for demolition. 

Carnival Corp. had said in an earlier release that San Giorgio is the only Italian company listed in the Register of Environmental Ship Reclamation & Recycling Facilities and able to carry out green ship recycling projects. 

San Giorgio is the shipyard that carried out the recycling and demolition of the Costa Concordia after the ship ran aground and partly sank in January 2012.

Saga To Get New Ship in October

Spirit of Adventure inside the Meyer Weft Hanger.

Saga has announced it will take delivery of the new 1,000-guest Spirit of Adventure this October, pushed back from July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Group has been working with industry bodies and the Government to establish operational practices that would enable a return of operations in both Tour and Cruise businesses as the current restrictions are lifted," Saga said, in a statement.  "The Group's new mid-sized ships are ideally placed to offer 'safe sailing' and all these measures will be in place by the end of August."

The new ships inaugural cruise will now depart from the UK for the Mediterranean in early November. 

Genting Cruise Lines Announces Comprehensive Onboard Health Protocols

Genting Dream Cruise.

Genting Cruise Lines has announced a new comprehensive onboard health plan for its Star Cruises and Dream Cruises brands.

“At Genting Cruise Lines, the safety and health of our guests and crew are of paramount importance to us," said Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines. “As a responsible cruise company, it is our duty to adopt a pro-active approach to meet and also strive to exceed the growing expectations and concerns of the public. As such, we have carefully reviewed our prevention and response plan with the COVID-19 pandemic in mind to devise and provide enhanced and comprehensive measures across our fleet.

"We have taken the positive opportunity during this hiatus period to also implement comprehensive crew training to reinforce effective cleaning procedures, health and hygiene protocols and efficient guest interaction, which we will adopt as the new safety norm for our fleet and we hope for the industry too.

“The public will be pleased to know for instance, that all of Genting Cruise Lines’ ships allow for 100 per cent external fresh air to be filtered and supplied to each passenger cabin as well as onboard public areas ensuring a constant and healthy flow of fresh air throughout the vessels. Besides that, isolated wards are available in the Medical Centre and cabins can be converted into quarantine rooms if required.”

Genting Cruise Lines will also further collaborate with the China Cruise & Yacht Industry Association (CCYIA) to contribute to the publishing of a white paper for the cruise industry’s prevention and response plan against COVID-19, providing a comprehensive and unified standard for the cruise industry to ensure the safety and well-being of all cruising guests and crew, the company said.

 A further vote of confidence was also provided by the Asia Cruise Terminal Association (ACTA). In endorsing the measures, Chairman of  the ACTA, Singapore Cruise Centre said: “ACTA and all its members endorse Genting Cruise Lines’ initiative and pledge to support these procedures throughout its member ports located across the region including in China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan.

Preventative Measures:

I. Embarkation and Disembarkation

• Mandatory temperature screening and pre-boarding health declarations for all guests.
• Infrared fever screening system at the ship gangway.
• The higher frequency with increased levels of sanitization and disinfection at the ship gangway and passenger walkways.
• Stringent checks for all embarking individuals including crew travel documents; guests aged 70 years and above to provide a doctor’s certificate of fitness for travel.
• Online check-in for guests to receive designated arrival time at the cruise terminal to minimize crowd congestion.
• Additional waiting areas for cruise boarding & disembarkation (with staggered times).
• Compliance with all local port and health authorities’ regulations.

II. Guest accommodations

• The higher frequency with increased levels of sanitization and disinfection in guest cabins with hospital-grade disinfectants, including:
  • Twice daily wipe-down of guest cabins.
  • Fogging of vacant guest cabins.
  • Twice daily wipe-down and fogging of guest cabin alleys.
• Clean and disinfect guest bathrooms with heavy-duty alkaline bathroom cleaner and disinfectant.
• Timely removal of food items from cabins to prevent spoilage and cultivation of microorganisms and bacteria.
• Timely housekeeping cabin turnover; bed sheets and linens professionally cleaned and disinfected at high temperatures
• Injection of diluted cleaning solution into drains to avoid clogged pipes and to prevent bacterial growth.
• In case of sickness, thorough cleaning and disinfection with hospital grade disinfectant or steam sterilization.

III. Common Public Areas

• All public areas onboard will undergo a two-tier sanitization process with a thorough cleansing, fogging and wiping using a hospital-grade disinfectant. Onboard venues and cleaning. .Frequency:
  • Elevators: Every 2 hours
  • Public areas and facilities: 2 – 10 times daily
  • Spa and amenities: Min 2 times daily
  • Other Public Areas: To adjust disinfection frequency accordingly
• Common public areas sanitized from 1-4 times daily and frequent touchpoints (handrails, lift buttons, table-tops, door handles etc.) sterilized every hour or less.
• Frequent usage of heavy-duty neutral PH floor-cleaning agent to disinfect all floor areas of the ship.
• Sanitizer dispensers are available at various public areas and crew members stationed at key onboard venues to provide hand sanitation.

IV. Food Hygiene Practices & Standards

• F&B restaurants/bar areas, including galleys, will be cleaned and sanitized 3 times daily, during and after service.
• Guests are encouraged to wash hands before entry and use sanitizer dispensers available at F&B outlet entrances/exits.
• Guest seating will ensure ample spacing; disposable cutlery will be provided, upon request.
• Self-service at F&B buffet restaurants will be suspended. All food & beverages will be served to guests by crew members wearing face masks & disposable gloves.
• Culinary use of wild animals and related products are strictly prohibited.
• Stringent procurement guidelines will be enforced and product sourcing from highly affected regions will be strictly prohibited.

V. Entertainment and Recreational Activities

• Theatres will be sanitized before and after each show; 3D glasses disinfected before and after guest usage (if applicable).
• Cleaning and disinfection of all toys, games and Kids’ Club facilities twice daily and/or after every use.
• All duty-free shops and entertainment venues will be disinfected twice daily before and after service.
• All recreational equipment will be disinfected every 2 hours before guest usage.
• Guests capacity will be limited to half the venue capacity to provide ample space between guests.
• Sanitizer dispensers will be readily available at various venues including entertainment venue entrances/exits.
• Tour coaches will be limited to half capacity & sanitized frequently; training for tour operators based on guidance from the WHO.
• Spa & Gym facilities will be sanitized prior to and after usage by guests.

VI. Fresh Air Ventilation Systems

• 100% external fresh air is filtered and supplied to cabins and onboard public areas.
• Air filters and cooling coils thoroughly checked, cleaned and replaced to ensure healthy air quality.

VII. Medical Centre

• Isolated wards available in the Medical Centre
• Contaminated items and medical waste will be properly sealed and disposed of according to health and safety guidelines.
• Used face masks and protective equipment disposed at designated central collection points.
• Medical equipment and waste bins cleaned, disinfected and washed twice daily with hospital-grade disinfectant.

VIII. Crew Members Practices & Standards

• Twice daily temperature checks.
• All Frontline crew are required to wear face masks.
• Housekeeping and F&B crew required to wear disposable gloves.
• The designated crew may also wear protective garments and eye protection if required.
• All crew to use anti-bacterial hand soap for at least 20 sec to sanitize hands.
• Medical Centre Isolation Area staff related to suspected cases are required to:
  • wear adequate personal protection (face mask, eye protection, disposable gloves & disposal outer garment.
  • follow proper handwashing practices before and after work duty.
  • update personal health information daily.
• Provide Training Workshops and pertinent information on health and safety preventive measures.
• Reduction of crew movement. 

Explorer Dream to Resume Cruising in Taiwan

Explorer Dream to Resume Cruising in Taiwan

Explorer Dream's stunning painted Hull.

Genting Cruise Lines has announced the restart of cruise operations for Dream Cruises with Explorer Dream operating two and three-night “Taiwan Island-Hopping” itineraries that will start on July 26, departing from Keelung and calling at Penghu, Matzu and Kinmen islands.

“After months of detailed planning with the authorities to ensure the safety and health of guests and crew, we appreciate the approval of Explorer Dream resuming cruise operations in Taiwan. Dream Cruises will be the first cruise line in the world to begin sailing after the global cruise industry was shut down due to the pandemic,” said Tan Sri KT Lim, Chairman and CEO of Genting Hong Kong.

“Our new standard operating procedures to ensure passenger safety draws on our first-hand experience from the charter of two of our ships in Singapore to house foreign workers and cooperating with DNV GL, the world’s largest classification society, for Explorer Dream to receive the world’s first “Certification in Infection Prevention for the Marine industry (CIP-M)."

Genting has 25 years of history with the island as both a destination and as a homeport and because of Taiwan’s popularity among travellers.

Taiwan’s low numbers of COVID-19 cases compared to global figures has also been lauded by experts as one of the most effective response scenarios in the world, Genting said, in a press release. 

Genting Dream

Dream Cruises will offer special island-hopping cruises calling into the popular ports and islands of Peng Hu, Matsu Island and Kinmen where Taiwanese guests will again be able to enjoy short getaways.

“We thank Taiwan for its initiatives to re-start their economy and the tourism industry and the trust they have placed in Dream Cruises. As well, we appreciate the support of the travel industry in the restart of our cruise operations. This is truly a remarkable achievement which was made possible by the Taiwan authorities’ swift and effective handling of the COVID-19 crisis and their foresight in resuming the tourism industry to benefit all the ports, the economy and the lifestyle of the people of Taiwan,” said Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Line.

Genting Cruise Lines has also introduced the “Certification in Infection Prevention (CIP) for the Marine industry (CIP-M).

The Explorer Dream will be the first cruise ship in the world to receive the CIP-M certification, which will further verify the procedures and systems in place for the proper prevention, control, and mitigation of infection.

In accordance with Taiwan’s regulations prior to resuming sailing, the Explorer Dream has undergone a thorough deep cleaning and observation of strict quarantine procedures for her crew. The majority of the crew will be from other Genting Cruise Lines ships who have been quarantined for the last three months and all will undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine on land after the ship arrives in Keelung on June 30.

Upon negative test results, an additional seven-day isolation period onboard the Explorer Dream will provide a total of 21 days of exhaustive preventive procedures before operations begin on July 26.

To safeguard the well-being of guests, stringent health screening processes and guidelines prior to embarkation, disembarkation and social distancing measures onboard, as well as thorough sanitization and disinfection and enhanced hygiene practices for guest cabins and crew member quarters, public areas and recreational facilities, along with safe food and beverage handling procedures will be in place.

New hybrid superyacht design revealed

New hybrid superyacht design revealed

A new design of superyacht will see a combination of hybrid propulsion and solar panels for minimal environmental impact and high-energy efficiency.

The concept is built around a 60-metre long catamaran with capacity for up to 36 passengers.

The level of sustainability will enable the new generation vessel to access to harbours that would otherwise be closed to large motor yachts, according to the developer, smart technologies firm Wärtsilä and yacht designer Stefano Pastrovich.

The new generation “cost optimised” vessels will serve the charter and luxury hotel sectors.

Wärtsilä Italia senior sales manager Giammario Meloni said: “Efficiency and environmental performance are key pillars of Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine approach, which emphasises the need to collaborate with world-class partners.

“This project encompasses all these ambitions, and we look forward to co-developing with Stefano Pastrovich a totally integrated solution that combines energy efficiency, sustainability and onboard comfort.”

Pastrovich added: “Wärtsilä is the ideal partner for this project since we share a vision to be the very best at what we do. Bringing together our architectural and marine technology know-how will create a mega-yacht design on the leading edge of innovation.

“I’m convinced boutique cruise ships of this calibre could spark a turning point in the charter market, attracting a new customer base of millennials and cruise veterans.”

Coin ceremony held for MSC Cruises’ first LNG-powered ship

Coin ceremony held for MSC Cruises’ first LNG-powered ship

The traditional coin ceremony has taken place for MSC Cruises’ first liquified natural gas-powered ship, MSC World Europa.

The ceremony, which is a historical sign of blessing at the start of a ship-building process, took place at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on Monday.

The 200,000-plus gross ton MSC World Europa is scheduled to enter service in 2022 and will be “one of most technologically- and environmentally-advanced LNG-powered cruise vessels in its class”, the line said.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, said: “MSC World Europa is further proof of our commitment to environmental stewardship as she is set to reduce carbon emissions even further than many other existing cruise ships powered by LNG, which is currently the most environmentally-friendly fuel for commercial maritime operations.

“With this vessel, we also reconfirm our belief in investing in advanced environmental technology to meet our long-term goal of zero emissions from operations.”

Laurent Castaing, general manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, added: “We are proud to start the building of a ship which will set the standards for the cruise of the future. This is a major milestone in the history of our 20-year cooperation with MSC Cruises, which has already resulted in some of the most innovative cruise ships ever built.”

MSC World Europa will feature a new 50-kilowatt demonstrator system that incorporates solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology and uses LNG to produce electricity and heat onboard, the first time an LNG-powered fuel cell has been used on a cruise ship.

The line says the system will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by about 30% compared with a conventional LNG engine, with no emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides or fine particles.

MSC World Europa will also feature a new generation wastewater treatment system and other “cutting-edge environmental technology”.

MSC Cruises’ new flagship MSC Virtuosa is currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire and is due for delivery in 2020. The company also has firm orders with Chantiers de l’Atlantique for two additional LNG-powered ships, once each for the MSC World and Meraviglia classes of ships.

Carnival Corporation Downgraded to Junk Status

A person stretches at a park overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Carnival Panorama cruise ship as authorities encourage social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Long Beach, California Sunday, March 29, 2020. REUTERS/Patrick T. Fallon

Rating agency Standard & Poor’s on Tuesday downgraded bonds of Carnival Corp to junk status, forecasting continued weak demand for the cruise industry hammered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Standard & Poor’s cut its rating on the world’s biggest cruise operator’s secured bonds to ‘BB+’ from ‘BBB-‘, and its unsecured bonds to ‘BB-‘ from ‘BBB-‘. Both are now regarded as non-investment grade or junk bonds.

Carnival’s overall issuer credit rating was also lowered to ‘BB-‘ from ‘BBB-‘. Last month, Moody’s Investors Service also cut the company’s rating to junk status.

Earlier in June, Carnival reported a record $4.4 billion in preliminary quarterly losses after its business was crippled by the health crisis, forcing it to take major write-downs on the disposal of some docked ships.

The company, which in recent weeks fully drew down a $3 billion credit line and issued $6.6 billion in bonds and equity, has also been looking for further waivers on debt repayments due next year, without which it could breach some loan conditions.

“We forecast that the company’s credit measures will remain very weak through 2021 and anticipate that its adjusted leverage may potentially exceed 10x in 2021 following a significant deterioration in its performance in 2020,” S&P said in a statement.

S&P has a “BB” issuer credit rating, also a junk status, on Carnival rival Royal Caribbean Corp. (Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020.

Celebrity Cruises launches Virtual Pride at Sea

Celebrity Cruises launches Virtual Pride at Sea

Celebrity Cruises is rolling out new online tools and initiatives for trade partners to celebrate Pride.

The cruise line’s Virtual Pride at Sea includes enhancements to its agent hub Celebrity Central, including more LGBTQ+ brand and marketing resources such as flyers, images and video assets.

A range of LGBTQ+ friendly itinerary recommendations for 2021 has been prepared in a social media-ready format.

A dedicated diversity and inclusion training course is also available on Celebrity Passport to refresh agents on the diversity of Celebrity’s guests and crew.

The virtual events have been launched in the week that would’ve seen Celebrity Cruises host its fourth annual Pride at Sea party across its entire fleet, with the flagship party onboard new vessel Celebrity Apex.

A video capturing throwback moments from previous celebrations on land and at sea, including on Celebrity Edge last year, has also been produced.

Royal Caribbean brands extend cruise suspensions

Royal Caribbean brands extend cruise suspensions

Three Royal Caribbean Group brands have confirmed an extension to their suspension of cruises until September 15.

The company’s Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara lines have pushed back their restart to the proposed date announced by Cruise Lines International Association last week.

The announcement excludes sailings from China, which are suspended to the end of July, and sailings to Bermuda, which are suspended through to October 31.

It also does not include the company’s luxury line Silversea, which announced its latest return plans last month.

A statement by the RCL Group said: “Given ongoing global public health circumstances, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has decided to extend the suspension of most sailings through September 15, 2020, excluding sailings from China, suspended through the end of July, and sailings to Bermuda, suspended through October 31, 2020.

“We are working with our guests and travel partners to address this disruption to their holidays and are genuinely sorry for their inconvenience.”

Celebrity Cruises

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@CelebrityCruise

 In alignment with the Cruise Lines International Association's (CLIA) announcement, we've extended the suspension of all global sailings departing on-or-before 9/15/20. We know how important vacation is, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience https://bit.ly/3fRH1TK 

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