One of the Costa Cruises ships, in an image provided by the company.
Spain longs for international tourism.
And the main cities and ports that received cruise passengers have not seen these visitors pass through their streets for more than a year.
Some time ago there was even debate about whether these arrivals should be regulated, but now they are expected like May water.
Something that vaccination will accelerate, since large shipping companies such as Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have announced their gradual return with cruises only for the immunized population.
Thus, the first barrier to being able to enjoy these trips will not be the price in many cases, but having received (or not) one of the vaccines.
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Cruises in suspense due to the coronavirus
The tourism industry has suffered the most from the impact of the coronavirus crisis. And within this, the cruise sector has been in an induced coma since the beginning of the pandemic (they have gone from 29.7 million passengers in 2019 to only 400,000 since the middle of March last year, according to CLIA, the International Association Cruise Lines). The travel measure only for the immunized population, very restrictive and even discriminatory, is the one used by the largest companies in the sector to get some air. Although there are those who consider it to be hasty, as Alfredo Serrano, CLIA director in Spain, explains: “There is an open debate. We believe that as long as there is no mass vaccination, the measures that were already in place work and are sufficient.The important thing is to work so that there is not another blank summer for the sector ”.
This formula will cause a reduction in the target audience of these trips, since it limits especially the youngest, who will receive their dose later. It is true that the profile of the usual cruise passenger is around 50 years old, according to the data that CLIA manages. This explains the step taken by shipping companies such as Norwegian Cruise Line (itineraries through Greek islands and the Caribbean for summer), Royal Caribbean (Israel, Bahamas, United Kingdom ...), Virgin Voyages (United Kingdom and Caribbean), P&O Cruises UK (United Kingdom ) and Saga Cruises (UK) who have chosen to enforce this requirement for next summer.
Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, two of the giants in the sector, will accept only passengers with full vaccination (the two doses when necessary) and thus try to give certainty to their customers. Kevin Bubolz, general director for Europe of the company, defends this position and believes that the itineraries and available ships will even be expanded: “The first cruises are already almost sold out. There is a lot of interest and as the weeks progress there will be more people vaccinated and more possible travelers, "he assures in statements to EL PAÍS.
The requirements between these shipping companies are similar: passengers and crew must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before the trip. In the case of Norwegian Cruise Line, this will continue until October 31. Later, they insist, it will depend on the evolution of the health emergency. "We are very excited to return, and we have to do it in the safest way possible to offer an experience similar to the one before the coronavirus," Bubolz says.
The security protocol is quite demanding: in addition to being immunized, passengers will have to undergo an antigen test before boarding. “Vaccinations, combined with strong preventative health and safety measures at various levels, will help us provide a safe and healthy vacation environment that we believe outperforms any other vacation option on land or at sea. "Says Norwegian's managing director for Europe.
Royal Caribbean is betting on a similar route.
"There is nothing we would like more than to welcome everyone back on board and that today's necessary measures, such as vaccines, are unnecessary in the near future," acknowledges this shipping company.
Ben Bouldin, vice president of the company for Europe, Middle East and Africa, tells EL PAÍS that the intention is to expand the itineraries available soon: "We are eager to return to sail in other parts of the world."
Children yes, children no
One of the differences between the two firms is the exceptions to the requirement to be immunized. On Norwegian Cruise Line trips there will be no and those under 18 years old (who are not being vaccinated at the moment) will not be able to board. “Everyone is welcome, but for now we have had to make a decision and we will only allow the vaccinated to board,” explains Bubolz. In Royal Caribbean, for its part, they do include nuances. "Passengers who are under 18 years of age must have a negative test to board," explain spokespersons for the firm.
The other major shipping company in the world, Carnival Corporation, has brands that will operate only with vaccinated tourists (P&O) and others that will not require it (Costa Cruises). At least for the moment, while immunization becomes widespread and is no longer a restrictive barrier as it is now, especially in Europe. This also explains that among those who are committed to allowing the boarding of the unvaccinated are some of those that work the most in Spain and the Old Continent: the aforementioned Costa (itineraries through the Mediterranean), MSC (Mediterranean, northern Europe and the Caribbean ) or TUI Cruises (Canary Islands and Greece).
On the part of MSC, the company highlights that it was the first to sail last summer with its sanitation and hygiene protocol. Costa Cruises has also implemented a very strict security protocol, in force since September when it set sail again. Something similar to what has been done by TUI Cruises, which already operates in the Canary Islands: “Part of our hygiene concept is the covid-19 test that is mandatory for all guests before the trip”, a requirement common to all cruise companies.
Other measures shared by shipping companies are the measurement of daily body temperature, the reduction of the capacity of ships and the use of masks in public areas, among others. In this way they try to reactivate an industry that needs oxygen to survive. "There are talks so that the Spanish autonomies for the sector will once again accept the arrival of shipping companies, even if it is with trips only between Spanish ports such as in the Canary Islands," said Serrano.
