As vaccination efforts increase in many parts of the world, the cruise industry is preparing to resume travel. Current plans involve many of the major cruise lines, resuming most of their operations this summer, although some routes are not expected to return until the end of 2021.
NBC News spoke with nine current and former cruise ship workers from around the world about their experiences and what it has been like to work in an industry that has been severely affected by the pandemic. The workers we spoke to did not want to be identified for fear of retaliation from the cruise lines that employ them.
Most of the workers are back on land, but still in limbo, making beaks until the cruise returns. They are also waiting to receive their Covid-19 vaccines, which, they said, some companies have said is a requirement to return to work. The industry attracts workers from many different countries, so access to vaccines varies widely, which will have an impact when they can get back on board the ships.
Of the workers with plans to return to the cruise, each had a different account of what it was like to be on board when the pandemic began. Some managed to land and return to their country in a matter of weeks, while others spent months at sea, waiting until they could dock at a port and return home.
For essential cruise ship workers, such as engineers, the wait was particularly long, as they had to keep the ships and keep them operational, as cruise ships cannot be left unattended for months on end. An engineer told NBC News that he remained on board a Norwegian Cruise Line ship from the start of the pandemic until September.
“I experienced the whole process from the beginning when everything was normal and suddenly there were only 100 of us on board,” said the engineer, who opted for anonymity for fear of losing his job. “It was an experience never done before in my life.”
He said that once the pandemic ended operations and passengers disembarked, the contracts of most non-essential members of the crew were terminated.
“But the company was unable to provide flights for them because of the pandemic and therefore they remained on board for a long time without pay,” he said. “We were all shocked at how quickly things changed and how uncertain that was.”
Norwegian has not responded to these complaints or to several requests for comment.
However, he said that people still felt “blessed” during this early stage, as they were safe and healthy. But things changed when people were forced to isolate and Covid-19 spread on board.
“Hundreds of people were isolated in the cabins and, from time to time, an ambulance came to pick up some crew members with the worst symptoms,” he said. “The situation started to get more difficult. Months went by and people were longing for their families. “
The engineer said that eventually all but about 100 essential workers were repatriated. Those who remained were not allowed to leave the ship to avoid the possible spread of the infection.
“Ports can define any entry conditions they prefer and often prevent certain people from disembarking,” said James Kraska, professor of international maritime law at Harvard Law School. “During the pandemic, they have protocols in place to prevent people from disembarking. If the ship does not want to comply, you are free not to visit the port. “
The engineer told NBC News that after four months at home, he is back on the ship, working to keep him ready for the cruise to resume. He has not yet received his Covid-19 vaccine, but he should soon receive it.
“I work 10 hours a day,” he said. “We are salaried workers, but we never have days off, because we take care of all the machines on board. Therefore, it is not possible to be turned off. “
Although it was difficult, he said he feels fortunate to be able to have a steady job, as he loves to work in the industry and many have been forced to leave him to survive. Others have managed to gather temporary work in other areas while they look forward to the day when they can return to work on board.
A South Caribbean-based Royal Caribbean Cruise Line worker was able to return home in late May and has spent time on land working on her family’s farm while waiting to be hired again.
She is looking forward to returning to the sea, but said it was a challenge to be on board last year, especially after the Covid-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic. She said the ship she was on was unable to enter its original destination port and was forced to find an alternative.
“We were just floating,” said the spa worker, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. “People have gone crazy. The crew and the guests were scared, many were ready to go home, but everything changed at the last minute. “
Then a guest tested positive for Covid-19 and the ship was blocked for weeks, according to the worker. Most of the guests disembarked, but some were awaiting repatriation with the crew.
“Due to government restrictions, many of our crew had to wait longer than expected for repatriation,” said Royal Caribbean spokesman Jonathon Fishman. “We use everything in our power to bring our crew home safely and our number one priority is the health and safety of our crew.”
The worker said that at the end of April, those on board could leave their rooms for an hour and a half a day. Finally, in May, she said she left the ship only to embark on another in Barbados, where she waited until she could return home.
The worker, who said she worked in the cruise industry five years ago, most recently worked in a ship’s dressing room. However, given Covid-19’s protocols, she thinks that returning to that role will be very difficult, so she is training to be an onboard sales associate.
She said she received an email from Royal Caribbean stating that she would need to be vaccinated before returning to work, but she does not expect to be vaccinated in her country until September. Fishman said that “Royal Caribbean’s intention is to vaccinate our crew”.
Another Europe-based Norwegian Cruise Line employee said she was fortunate to land in early March. She said she was on a ship sailing in Asia and was one of the first to have the cruise canceled. She stayed on board for about a month.
Since returning home, it has been difficult, as she and her partner work in the industry and have gone from two fixed wages to none. She said she has been helping a charity and working part-time in a store to keep herself busy and pay some bills, but is looking forward to going back to the sea and resuming her role as a cruise consultant.
“I had [other] job opportunities, but the job I have on board is my absolute dream and I’m not ready to give it up ”, said the worker, who opted for anonymity for fear of retaliation.
She is optimistic that the excitement she sees in various Facebook groups dedicated to cruise ships will bode well for the industry once cruises are resumed.
Although some of the major cruise lines initially planned to welcome travelers in January, that schedule had to be postponed because of the pandemic.
In a statement provided to NBC News, Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, said it has been working with scientists, medical experts and health officials to develop security protocols that will allow it to resume operations, which include regular testing of members of the crew. . None of the workers NBC News spoke to worked for Carnival.
“We also implement [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] protocol and we started repositioning our ships in U.S. waters in preparation to start sailing again later this year, ”said Carnival spokesman Roger Frizzell. “Our strategy at first is to scale up our initial return with specific vessels in selected markets. Ultimately, we look forward to sailing again in markets around the world with most of our ships, representing all of our brands, by the end of the year. “
Royal Caribbean said it has also been working with experts to develop a safe plan to resume service.
“The new Covid-19 vaccines present a new opportunity to do just that and are a way of building protection for everyone involved,” the company said in a statement. “We continue to research all the options available for the destinations we visit.”