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what exactly is it like onboard a cruise
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that has resumed sailing with all the
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and protocols i'm going to show you how
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and work and what you can expect when
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again new protocols and procedures have
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changed the way cruisers operate so how
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and work in practice i'm gary bembridge
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and although i am still unable to cruise
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channel thomas medic from the czech
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has been able to and has given me
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incredible footage so i can show you
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what cruising is now like thomas and his
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they cruised on msc grandiosa which has
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been cruising out of genoa
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with around about 60 of usual capacity
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from eu countries i want to show you and
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nine key aspects of the new cruise
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that really stood out to me first of all
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travelers are allocated a very specific
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now this is to enable physical
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distancing in the terminal
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and importantly time for a detailed
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screening which includes a covered 19
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that's conducted on everyone this
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pre-embarkation test by the way
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is included in the fair takes around
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70 minutes to get your result now if you
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your carry-on bags are disinfected and
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head on board it can take up to an hour
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to get on board with all of these new
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secondly on arrival in your cabin
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there's a briefing pack now this has
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detailed information about the safety
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and rules also there is a supply of
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have to be worn inside the ship when
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and in other settings when social
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distancing is not possible
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now masks can be removed when you're
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drinking for example mosques were worn
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by passengers in many settings across
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including many choosing to wear them
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moving around outside
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now wearing of masks in all settings has
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become required in various countries or
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and so it's not surprising to see this
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on the ship sailing out of italy it's
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masks were also worn by the crew at all
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and even the entertainers when
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performing in places where they were
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to passengers you know such as when the
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dancers were performing in the large
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msc grandiosa atrium walkway the other
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item included in the safety pack
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is a wearable device this helps to
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collect data on where passengers
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were on the ship so if there is a
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covered case on the ship
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they then have data to do a smarter
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and don't necessarily have to quarantine
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as they can focus only on people that
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come into contact with that person
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so that's quite a good plus now this is
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a great incentive of course
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for guests to comply and carry them at
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although it's not compulsory because i
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guess people are concerned about data
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now a similar device is also being used
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by the carnival corporation groups costa
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which have adapted the princess cruises
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for their startup cruises in europe to
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do the same thing now
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their device replaces a cruise card and
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you can use it to pay for purchases
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or to drink remotely and even open cabin
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there is one really positive change that
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has happened and this
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is a totally new approach to the master
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dual security briefing
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passengers aren't required to go to the
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master station for the whole
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briefing everyone watches a safety
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on their cabin tv it ends with a unique
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and then all guests have to do is call
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this code to a dedicated line
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by their cabin telephone to prove
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they've seen the whole video
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after that guests have around about two
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to their actual designated muster
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station they scan their cards
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to prove they know where to go in the
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so maybe one really great change to come
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out from all these covered protocols
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is this new muster drill approach i
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think it's much better
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the fifth change i want to highlight is
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that every guest has their cruise card
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and their temperature taken every day
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before lunch in the lido
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and in the evening before dinner in the
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main restaurant the thermometers
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which are handheld they bluetooth
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connected to tablets and they appear to
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to everyone's profile on the ship so
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that guess the ship can identify
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and act if something looks out of place
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the next area to highlight is excursions
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it's been very well publicized that you
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only leave the ship import on a cruise
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as part of the new protocols allowing
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these are really strictly controlled
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with temperature checks
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before and after wearing of masks
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smaller group sizes use of individual
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earpieces to listen to the guide
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commentary that means you can keep
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distance from others and you cannot
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for any reason including going into
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shops or bars for example
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i may see cruises through one family off
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one of the early msc grandiosa cruises
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for leaving the tour for this reason so
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really strictly enforced
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msc have reduced the cost of excursions
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and you can buy packages for three
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excursions for about a hundred euros
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to make these a bit more accessible
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though many cruisers of course want to
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freely go into ports this will not
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happen until countries
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are comfortable with that happening now
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for now cruisers like
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thomas and others on these cruises are
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happy to have this limitation
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i certainly am one of those like thomas
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what about dining the key area of change
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is the buffet now the lido buffet has
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survived on msc cruises
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and in fact other lines starting up too
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no self-service and food is behind clear
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and all is served by the crew now this
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is something of course
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that was already in place on some lines
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even before the pandemic
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but now there is absolutely no
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of items to assist with distancing there
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and chairs that are marked not to be
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restaurant as well so that ensures
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people spread out when it comes to
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the lower capacity impact is clear to
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fewer people around the ship generally
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like the pool deck for example you can
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really see it as you look
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around the ship now around the ship
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there are of course loads of signs and
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rules to enable physical distancing
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as already mentioned tables and chairs
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are blocked in some venues
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there are limits on how many people can
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attend the theaters at any one time
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there's one way systems exist and around
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the pool the deck chairs are spaced out
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advising people they can't move them
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around of course there are
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more cleansing procedures taking place
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but across the ship passengers will
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deep cleaning of pretty much everything
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including deck chairs
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equipment and so on so loads and loads
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hopefully this insight and look at what
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is actually like on board a cruise with
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new protocols has been interesting and
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it's helped allay your fears about how
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will be when cruising opens for you
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thanks again to thomas for filming all
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of the experience and letting me
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share them with you i have loads more
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cruise updates and tips videos so why
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watch another one right now
