(CNN) – Given all the problems facing the cruise industry in 2020, an operator’s announcement that all passengers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before boarding seems sensible.
But when Saga Cruises this week became the first to introduce the requirement, not everyone agreed – the British operator was inundated with so many responses, both good and bad, that it temporarily made its Twitter account private while dealing with them.
However, the Saga change will be watched with enthusiasm by many in the cruise industry interested in seeing if a vaccine rule will help start trips or prove as divisive as other attempts to get around Covid.
Saga, which primarily serves Britons over 50, told CNN Travel that the vaccinated passenger rule was motivated by the results of a recent customer survey, which suggested that 95% of regular Saga customers would support this policy change .
Saga Holidays CEO Chris Simmonds said in a statement that the decision was made in part because “many of our customers [are] among the first groups of people who received the vaccine. ”
“With that in mind and having spoken to our customers, we want to ensure that we are offering the safest experience possible while they are on vacation with us,” said Simmonds.
In addition to offering cruises, Saga also organizes tours and holidays with all inclusive. Travelers will also need to be vaccinated before embarking on this vacation.
Before boarding a Saga ship, passengers must have received the two Covid-19 jabs at least 14 days before departure.
Saga’s operations are currently paused, but the company plans to restart cruises in May 2021. If the vaccine’s launch in the UK goes according to plan, by then, a substantial number of Britons over 50 should be been inoculated against the coronavirus.
Saga said the crew, who are largely younger, would not need to be vaccinated before working on board, saying other protocols would be in place to protect the team until they can receive the vaccine.
The announcement raises the question of whether Covid’s mandatory vaccination prior to boarding could become the norm for passengers and / or cruise staff.
“Multilayered approach”
The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), a global body representing 95% of the world’s cruise fleet, said that “a multi-layered approach” to safety on board “is the right way to mitigate risks”.
Bari Golin-Blaugrund, a spokesman for CLIA, said the measures implemented by cruise lines are being constantly evaluated and will evolve “as the pandemic and circumstances change over time”.
Golin-Blaugrund declined to comment on whether CLIA would apply a rule of only vaccinated passengers to its member cruise companies.
“We share the excitement about developing a vaccine for Covid-19 and we are optimistic that it will help facilitate the global recovery from the pandemic,” she told CNN Travel.
“At the same time, we understand that the vaccine will take some time to launch.”
The Saga confirmed to CNN Travel that it will still instigate other safety measures on board its trips, including reduced capacity, Covid-19 test before departure, social distance, increased airflow in the cabin and improvement of medical facilities on board .
British cruise goer Sara Roberts, 59, who was a passenger aboard the Coral Princess hit by the virus in spring 2020, told CNN Travel that she believes a widespread return to cruises will only happen if and when passengers are confident that the ships are safe from Covid.
“Vaccination is a good way to go as long as it is proven that the vaccine works,” said Roberts, who expressed concern about the current waiting time in the UK between administering the first and second doses.
Following his experience last year, Roberts also has lingering concerns about cruise travel in general.
“We have been sailing with most cruise lines for the past 15 years and it has always been my favorite type of vacation,” she said.
“However, our experience aboard the Coral Princess made me realize that you are not in control of your own destination on a cruise. Therefore, I would not consider embarking on another in the foreseeable future until Covid is no longer a risk. “
Global perspective of the cruise line
Carnival cruise ships out of action docked in Miami, Florida in December 2020.
DANIEL SLIM / AFP via Getty Images
For cruise companies serving passengers from all over the world and of all ages, it can be difficult to establish an exclusive vaccination policy for passengers.
There is also the possibility that port cities will only allow travelers to disembark from cruise ships if they have proof of vaccination, which would take the decision of cruise lines.
When asked whether Royal Caribbean, which owns the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line alongside Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises, would adopt a passenger-only vaccination policy, spokesman Jonathon Fishman told CNN Travel that the company “was still in the process to finalize the details for our return to service. “
“As soon as we have more information about our needs, we will notify our guests,” he added.
MSC’s travels were interrupted during the holiday season due to the new Italian blockade, but MSC Grandiosa is expected to restart Italian travel this weekend.
British cruise line Fred Olsen said it had no news to share on the matter yet.
Roger Frizzell, who represents Carnival Corporation – the cruise giant that owns Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Holland America and P&O Cruises – also said that no firm decision was made.
“The new vaccines represent an important step forward for people around the world, including the travel, hospitality and cruise industries,” said Frizzell.
“We are reviewing the various vaccines, but we have not made any decisions about the next steps at this time.”
In the meantime, Norwegian Cruise Line said that “all vaccination-related options” were being explored for guests and crew – but that the safety of the crew would come first.
“It is our intention that all crew members are vaccinated before boarding our ships to start their tasks, subject to the availability of the vaccine,” said a Norwegian spokesman.
Crew perspective
Crew members on board the MSC Grandiosa in August 2020.
MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images
Conny Seidler, who worked as a dancer aboard the Costa Deliziosa during the first half of 2020, said she had long expected Covid’s pre-shipment vaccination to become mandatory for the crew.
“You need certain vaccines to work on a cruise anyway,” says Seidler, citing the yellow fever and tuberculosis vaccine as examples.
“From a cruise point of view, it is obviously safer and less risky if the entire crew is vaccinated.”
Seidler, who is Austrian, recognizes that such a regulation could alienate some people, but she thinks that most crew members would welcome this rule.
Many crew members are unemployed and have gone through a difficult period working on the vessels hit by Covid after the pandemic.
“Honestly, I don’t think many crew members will be against the vaccine,” said Seidler. “I can imagine that most of the team will say, ‘As long as I can work, I’m happy to do it.'”
As for passengers, Seidler suggests that some may not want to travel unless they know that everyone on board has been vaccinated.
But Seilder believes that most large cruise lines will be hesitant to introduce a rule of vaccinated passengers only, because the global launch of the vaccine will not be fast enough and may deter some guests.
Still, Seidler assesses that the more people vaccinated on board, the safer the environment will be and the more likely the cruise to restart successfully.