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13 Changes To Cruising Due To The Pandemic That Will Be Permanent
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Feb 8, 2025
Has the pandemic taken the “fun” out of cruising forever? I explore which of the 13 big changes cruise lines have made to be able to resume cruising around the world, are here to stay. And which changes will be dropped as the risks from the pandemic eases., and answer the question - will the changes being made to cruising take the fun out of cruising for ever. Up-to-date listing of when cruise lines plan to resume cruising, and which are sailing: https://www.tipsfortravellers.com/cruise-line-cancellations/ BECOME A TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS MEMBER ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Become a Channel Member to get perks: https://www.tipsfortravellers.com/Join Become a Patron on Patreon and get perks: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers BUY MY CRUISE-THEMED T-SHIRTs --------------------------------------------------------- Check out my T-Shirt range: http://bit.ly/TFTStore FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers Instagram: http://www.instgram.com/garybembridge LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bembridge
View Video Transcript
0:00
has the pandemic taken the fun
0:03
out of cruising forever i'm gary
0:06
bembridge and in this episode of tips
0:08
for turbulence
0:09
i explore which of the changes that
0:11
cruise lines have made
0:12
to resume cruising right around the
0:14
world are actually here to stay and
0:16
which changes
0:17
will be dropped as the risks from the
0:19
pandemic
0:21
slowly eases first of all
0:24
what changes will be staying longer term
0:28
before the pandemic many many cruise
0:30
lines actually allocated passengers
0:32
different arrival times for check-in
0:34
often of course giving the earlier
0:36
and more attractive times to those
0:38
higher cabin categories like suites or
0:40
perhaps high loyalty level travelers now
0:42
this was made to
0:44
ensure the check-in and the boarding
0:45
process was less crowded
0:47
and much less frantic now very few lines
0:50
actually enforce them so many cruisers
0:52
and aftermath including me
0:54
ignore the times and basically came to
0:56
the port as early as we could
0:57
hoping to get on board as soon as
0:59
possible
1:01
designated and staggered arrival times
1:03
will be absolutely essential for
1:05
post pandemic cruising as lions do have
1:08
to conduct
1:08
much more intensive health screenings
1:10
which is going to make the whole
1:11
check-in process
1:13
much more time-consuming basically
1:15
forever
1:16
these designated arrival times will be
1:19
much more strictly enforced
1:20
going forward now on the plus side many
1:22
lines are starting to offer the chance
1:24
to book your own check-in
1:25
times so we can then better align them
1:28
with our travel plans which of course is
1:29
a concern
1:30
from people previously before the
1:32
pandemic there was the very token
1:35
tick box health questionnaire that no
1:38
one really paid attention to on either
1:40
side passenger or cruise line
1:41
it relied on passengers self-certifying
1:44
they were fit
1:45
and well and not been suffering from
1:47
things like vomiting
1:48
diarrhea that kind of stuff now there is
1:51
going to be new
1:52
and enhanced self-completion
1:54
questionnaires these are still going to
1:56
have to be completed there's going to be
1:57
temperature checks those have been added
1:59
but the really big change is there is
2:01
now going to be
2:02
some form of official medical
2:05
certification now currently
2:07
this is either undergoing a curve at 19
2:09
tests in the cruise terminal
2:11
or perhaps supplying a negative test
2:13
from a cruise line approved clinic
2:15
taking 72 to 48 hours before check-in
2:17
now which approach
2:18
on the test depends on which country
2:20
you're sailing from
2:22
but enhanced health screening with some
2:25
form
2:25
of medical certification will remain as
2:28
part of the pre-boarding process
2:30
even as this pandemic subsides now of
2:33
course the expectation is the testing
2:35
may be replaced or supplemented by some
2:38
form
2:38
of vaccine certificate some of the lines
2:41
like the norwegian group for example
2:42
have already gone public and confirmed
2:45
they are looking at the nuances of the
2:47
legalities
2:48
of requiring proof of vaccine for all
2:51
passengers
2:52
don't expect a return to only
2:55
self-certifying questionnaires
2:56
for health screening to get on a cruise
2:58
in the future
3:00
now once you're on board there is a
3:02
fantastic change
3:03
that has been made that i think we will
3:05
all welcome
3:06
staying the safety mustard drill has
3:09
been reinvented and will stay
3:10
reinvented there's now a three-step
3:13
process
3:13
first you watch a safety briefing video
3:15
on your cabin tv or the cruise line app
3:18
it ends normally with a unique code and
3:20
you call a special line
3:21
to prove you've seen the whole videos so
3:23
they know that because you've got the
3:25
code
3:25
then finally what you have to do you
3:26
have around two hours to go to your
3:28
designated muster station you scan your
3:30
cruise card there
3:32
and that proves that you know where to
3:33
go in the case of
3:35
an emergency now this is definitely one
3:37
change that will be staying
3:39
and it's a very welcome change too i
3:41
think it's actually going to make
3:42
cruising
3:42
more fun rather than less fun another
3:45
change
3:46
ramped up due to the pandemic and also
3:48
here to stay
3:49
is the use of technology and
3:51
specifically linked to your mobile phone
3:53
or a wearable smart device that is
3:55
unique to each cruise line
3:57
cruise lines have absolutely
3:58
turbocharged their apps to create a
4:01
more touchless and much less paper-based
4:03
cruise experience and this will stay so
4:05
apps like
4:06
carnival's hub raw caribbean's royal app
4:09
vikings viking voyager msc cruises ms
4:11
for me
4:12
and so on you will now have to use to
4:14
check in
4:15
to complete your health questionnaire to
4:17
pre-book and book excursions
4:19
dining shows spa treatments make
4:22
purchases
4:23
review your onboard account and also
4:25
you'll use that to access things that
4:27
used to be printed
4:28
and handed out so things like the daily
4:32
program you'll access on your app you'll
4:34
use
4:34
qr codes to bring up menus in the
4:36
restaurants this
4:37
kind of stuff now of course not only
4:40
does the replacement of
4:42
paper daily programs accounts menus mean
4:45
a more touchless experience there's also
4:48
a positive ongoing environmental benefit
4:50
to this change because
4:52
the cruise lines are going to be using
4:53
less paper less ink creating less
4:56
weight so that's another positive change
4:58
now many many
4:59
of the lines are rolling out the
5:00
wearable devices they're
5:02
sort of large coin-sized discs that you
5:04
can wear as pendants wristbands and that
5:06
kind of stuff
5:07
they include things like princess ocean
5:09
medallion which actually other carnival
5:11
corporation lines are adopting
5:13
msc cruises msc for me wristband virgin
5:16
have their
5:17
voyages banned royal caribbean have a
5:19
new tracelet device
5:20
now these smart devices they can open
5:22
your cabin door you can access
5:24
information around the ship on various
5:25
interactive screens
5:26
that check you in and off the ship they
5:29
also
5:30
importantly act as a track and trace
5:32
device which helps identify
5:34
which guests have been in contact with
5:35
anyone testing positive
5:37
and this enables ships to potentially
5:38
identify and only have to quarantine
5:41
those guests and not entire ships
5:43
if there is an outbreak and we saw this
5:44
actually happen recently when there was
5:46
a scare
5:46
on quantum of the seas in singapore
5:49
these technology changes are here to
5:51
stay for sure
5:52
and they will actually make it a more
5:53
environmental easier smoother touchless
5:56
experience buffets have also been
5:58
reimagined
5:59
and are now served by the crew rather
6:01
than being self-serve and this change
6:03
was underway already on some ships like
6:05
for example holland america
6:06
and it also looks to be a permanent
6:08
change as it seemed to be
6:10
more positive a better public health
6:12
option ongoing
6:14
so that's what's staying what changes
6:15
will be going as soon as the lines
6:17
can phase them out ships will of course
6:21
eventually return back to sailing at
6:23
full capacity
6:24
as and when the need for physical social
6:27
distancing
6:27
diminishes and reduces now depending on
6:31
the region
6:31
ships are returning to service at
6:34
between 50 percent
6:35
and 70 capacity to enable the distancing
6:38
required by the various government
6:39
health authorities
6:40
and of course to ensure guests feel
6:42
comfortable coming back
6:43
on board by having more space and
6:45
distancing now
6:47
having fewer guests on board as cruising
6:49
returns means more space
6:51
less lines more attention from the crew
6:54
so of course something that we can all
6:55
enjoy
6:56
while it lasts as it of course will be
6:58
going over time
7:01
as cruisers resume some venues like
7:03
nightclubs
7:04
and saunas in the spa they're closed
7:07
they are restricted numbers in other
7:08
venues like
7:09
theaters restaurants bars pools kids
7:11
clubs the casino
7:12
and they've even scrapped some events
7:14
like deck parties for example
7:16
as most ships return you even have to
7:19
book to attend many of the open venues
7:22
and to go to various activities so they
7:23
can control the
7:25
numbers now over time all of this of
7:27
course should change
7:28
venues will all start to reopen again
7:30
the caps on numbers will go
7:32
and you'll be able to go back to being
7:34
free much more spontaneous much less
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restricted about
7:38
what you do how soon we don't know how
7:40
this is going to be lifted but of course
7:41
over time it will go
7:43
many cruisers returning are limited to
7:45
either their embarkation country
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residents only
7:48
or groups of residents so for example in
7:50
europe costa cruises were
7:52
only for italian residents msc cruisers
7:55
were for eu schengen zone
7:56
country residents only the german lines
7:59
like mine chief and habakkuk lloyd
8:01
were open to germans swiss and austrians
8:03
only and in singapore japan and taiwan
8:06
only local residents could go on each of
8:08
those respective cruises australia
8:11
is being reported to be looking at
8:12
australian resident only cruises as
8:14
is the uk initially over time this
8:17
change of course will also be scrapped
8:20
as international travel
8:21
opens and frees up with greater use of
8:23
testing vaccines
8:25
and as protocols get proven and tested
8:28
now in the united states the cdc
8:30
is requiring all cruisers out of us
8:32
ports to be no longer than seven
8:34
nights until at least november 2021.
8:37
also around the world most cruises
8:39
returning have been short lasting a few
8:41
days
8:42
to a week this has been largely a choice
8:44
of the lines now over time
8:46
cruising of course will almost certainly
8:48
return to variable lengths including
8:50
those grand three-month world cruises
8:53
the shorter cruise only length will
8:55
not be a change that endures i just
8:58
doesn't seem
8:58
likely i think much of 2021 looks like
9:01
it's going to be shorter cruises
9:02
certainly out of the usa but it is
9:03
something that will change
9:05
to be able to call into many ports and
9:08
to try and minimize the risk of bringing
9:09
covert onto the ship
9:11
the lines require passengers to do
9:13
cruise line
9:14
only excursions if they want to get off
9:16
the ship in ports as cruisers have
9:18
restarted
9:19
no self-exploring is allowed at all it's
9:21
a really tightly controlled
9:22
cruise line excursion or nothing now
9:25
this is largely
9:26
an unpopular change but it will have
9:29
good news is a limited life how quickly
9:30
it gets lifted
9:32
will vary i think as countries and ports
9:34
balance the public health risks
9:36
and the economics of course of having
9:37
guests out self touring drinking eating
9:40
and shopping but everybody's going to
9:42
want this ultimately to be
9:43
lifted as cruising resumes compulsory
9:46
mask wearing
9:47
at invocation disembarkation inside the
9:50
ship we're not
9:51
seated eating and drinking and when six
9:54
feet
9:54
physical distancing is not possible
9:58
of course once the mask advice changes
10:00
by country health authorities
10:01
like for example the us and the eu cdcs
10:04
the requirement for compulsory wearing
10:06
on ships will change
10:08
in line with that however as you've seen
10:10
in asia
10:11
who've been through sars and alcovet i
10:13
think we will see
10:15
a lot of people choosing to wear masks
10:16
on ships even when it's not compulsory
10:19
any longer but compulsory
10:20
masks wearing at some point will go
10:23
there are some changes
10:24
that it's too early to say if they will
10:26
stay or go so let's take a look at those
10:29
one great change for the crew out of the
10:31
pandemic is a requirement in some
10:33
regions to stop
10:34
having crew sharing cabins this of
10:36
course has been easier with
10:37
ships sailing at lower capacity as some
10:40
of the lines have been using things like
10:41
inside and ocean view cabins
10:43
to enable crew to have their own cabin
10:46
and then selling and placing passengers
10:48
in balcony and higher grade cabins
10:52
it's unknown at this stage if the move
10:54
to crew having
10:55
their own cabins will be a permanent
10:58
requirement and change in the industry
11:00
this is something
11:00
that we need to watch out for the
11:03
pandemic led to cruise lines introducing
11:05
much more flexibility on changing and
11:08
cancelling cruises even at really short
11:10
notice in some cases they also
11:12
cut the time before paying final
11:13
balances to 60 or even 30 days
11:16
depending on the line before a cruise
11:19
now many
11:19
of the travel industry people that i
11:21
have followed
11:22
believe across travel greater
11:25
flexibility is here to stay i am
11:27
skeptical but this is an area to watch i
11:29
do hope
11:30
that this increased flexibility will be
11:32
a change it stays but we just don't know
11:34
i hope you found this interesting and
11:36
helpful i have hundreds and hundreds
11:38
more tips for travis episodes full of
11:40
cruising advice
11:41
and tips so why not enjoy another one
11:45
right now
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