Cruise with Confidence: Cruising in the Future
Like many aspects of life, the coronavirus has significantly affected the cruise and travel industry and it will take time for 'normality' to resume. This doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a stress-free cruise, simply that some things may be slightly different. In the meantime, we understand the situation and information is ever changing both locally and globally, therefore, we’ve put together the below guides so you can book with confidence.
Cruise Lines’ Updated Health and Safety Procedures
Here are what cruise lines are doing to ensure their guests' safety before and during a cruise holiday:
Amadeus
As well as their already high cleanliness standards, Amadeus have further enhanced their measures in the wake of Covid-19, to include:
- Health questionnaires and temperature checks for guests, as well as frequent medical examinations and Covid-19 tests for crew
- Increased cleaning of frequently touched surfaces such as handrails and door handles
- Social distancing of at least 1.5 metres, with masks mandatory where this is not possible
To find out more about what they are doing visit Amadeus' cruise line page.
AmaWaterways
To ensure that they can welcome guests and crew back onboard in a safe manner, AmaWaterways have introduced improved health and safety protocols, including:
- Frequent temperature checks for both staff and crew
- Increased cleaning of public areas, staterooms and shared equipment
- An onboard Public Health Officer to make sure protocols are followed
To find out more about what they are doing, visit AmaWaterway's cruise line page.
American Queen Steamboat Company
American Queen Steamboat Company have introduced a range of measures to ensure that guests and crew are safe onboard during river cruises:
- Health screening and temperature checks
- Additional training for housekeeping staff
- Increased frequency of sanitation, with a particular focus on high touch points
If you want to read more about what they are doing, visit American Queen Steamboat Company's cruise line page.
APT River Cruises
Enhanced health and safety measures onboard include:
- Regular cleaning of public areas, hand railings and air filters
- No self-serve buffets
- Professional health and safety training for crew
To find out more about what they are doing, visit APT River Cruises' line page.
Aurora Expeditions
To ensure that expedition cruises are safe for both guests and crew, Aurora Expeditions have introduced several enhanced protocols, including:
- Negative covid tests required to be allowed to cruise
- Deep cleaning between voyages and frequent sanitation of public areas, cabins and high touch points
- Free medical consultations for those who display symptoms
To find out more about what they are doing visit Aurora Expeditions’ cruise line page.
Avalon Waterways
After the COVID-19 outbreak, Avalon Waterways have enhanced their health and hygiene measures to ensure that guests and crew can be welcomed back into a safe environment. Protocols include:
- Health screening and temperature checks for guests and crew
- Social distancing through reduced ship capacity and more dining venues
- Frequent disinfection and deep cleaning of public areas, dining venues, staterooms and shared items
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Avalon Waterway's cruise line page.
Azamara Cruises
To ensure high standards of health and safety onboard their ships, Azamara have introduced new measures, including:
- Boarding restrictions for those having travelled to areas with a high risk of infection
- Hand sanitiser throughout the ships and on shore excursions
- 24-hour medical facilities
To find out more about what they are doing visit Azamara Cruises' cruise line page.
Carnival Cruises
Alongside their already stringent hygiene measures, Carnival Cruises have further enhanced their onboard cleaning measures, including:
- Up to twice daily cleaning of staterooms and suites
- An increased number of hand wash and sanitiser stations around the ship
- Increased sanitation of frequently touched surfaced and a deep clean of public areas every night
Find out more about what they are doing by visiting Carnival Cruise' cruise line page.
Costa Cruises
To enhance their already rigorous health and safety protocols, Costa Cruises have introduced new measures across their fleet, including:
- Temperature checks for crew and guests
- Social distancing throughout their ships thanks to reduced capacity and changes to the restaurants
- More frequent cleaning of public spaces and staterooms
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Costa Cruises' cruise line page.
CroisiEurope
Working to further ensure guest and crew safety onboard their ships, CroisiEurope have introduced the following measures:
- Pre-cruise questionnaire and temperature checks at embarkation
- Social distancing onboard
- Training for crew on health and safety measures
To find out more about what they are doing, visit CroisiEurope's cruise line page.
Crytal Cruises
Crystal Cruises have introduced their Crystal Clean policies to ensure guest and crew safety, with measures such as:
- Temperature checks and health screening for guests and crew
- Contactless dining
- 24/7 medical facilities with equipment for virus testing
If you want to find out more about what they are doing visit Crystal Cruises' cruise line page.
Cunard
As Cunard invite guests back onboard, they have enhanced their health and safety measures from start to finish on each cruise, including:
- Health declarations and temperature checks before boarding
- More frequent cleaning of public spaces and accommodation
- Restaurants and onboard facilities adapted for social distancing
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Cunard's cruise line page.
Emerald Waterways
With Emerald Waterway's Cruise With Confidence policy, guests can expect to find stringent protocols to ensure their safety throughout, including:
- Pre-cruise health survey
- Frequent cleaning and sanitation of public areas and suites
- Hand sanitiser made available in suites, public spaces, corridors and on land transport
To find out more about what they are doing visit Emerald Waterway's cruise line page.
Fred. Olsen
Fred. Olsen Cruises have reviewed and updated their safety protocols to introduce their Safe Sailing Charter, including:
- New insurance cover
- Dedicated sanitisation teams using hospital approved protocols to frequently clean all surfaces and cabins
- 100% fresh air to reduce the use of air recirculation systems
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Fred. Olsen Cruises' cruise line page.
Great Rail Journeys
Guests can embark on holidays once more with Great Rail Journeys knowing that their health is a priority thanks to the following measures:
- Frequent cleaning onboard ships of public spaces and cabins
- Face masks and social distancing
- A travel insurance policy which covers cancellation or illness due to Covid-19
To find out more about what they are doing visit Great Rail Journeys' cruise line page.
Hapag-Lloyd
Hapag-Lloyd have introduced new health and safety measures including:
- Pre-cruise health questionnaires and temperature checks at embarkation
- Reduced ship capacity to enable social distancing
- Increased cleaning including high touch points every 30 minutes, cabins and suites
To find out more about what they are doing visit Hapag-Lloyd's cruise line page.
Holland America Line
To ensure that all guests and crew can stay healthy throughout their cruise, Holland America Line have updated their sanitation protocols to include:
- Cleaning of staterooms up to twice daily, with an additional deep clean for rooms in which a guest shows flu-like symptoms
- Hand sanitiser stations in high-traffic areas
- Frequent cleaning of handrails, handles and lift buttons, with deep cleaning and fogging of public areas and venues each night.
Find out more about what they are doing on Holland America Line's cruise line page.
Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten's updated onboard health and safety policies include:
- Temperature checks for staff and crew
- Frequent cleaning of public spaces
- Social distancing onboard and when embarking and disembarking
Find out more about what they are doing on Hurtigruten's cruise line page.
Marella Cruises
Enhanced health and safety measures onboard Marella cruise ships include:
- Pre-cruise health questionnaire and temperature check
- Social distancing throughout including in entertainment venues, bars, restaurants and at the pool
- Staff and crew who are Covid-19 trained
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Marella Cruises' cruise line page.
MSC
With MSC's Stress Free Cruising policy, guests can expect:
- Health screenings and temperature checks prior to boarding
- Reduced venue capacity
- Increased medical staff and COVID-19 testing equipment
Find out more about what they are doing on MSC's cruise line page.
Norwegian Cruise Line
To ensure guest and crew safety onboard their ships, Norwegian Cruise Lines have introduced the following measures:
- Temperature checks before boarding
- Staggered check ins and social distancing throughout the ships
- More medical facilities such as oxygen, COVID-19 testing and isolation accommodation
Find out more about what they are doing on NCL's cruise line page.
Oceania
Putting guest and crew health and safety at the forefront of what they do, Oceania's enhanced hygiene measures include:
- Temperature checks and additional for screening for those thought to be at risk
- Reduced capacity onboard ships and at venues
- Public health officer on each ship to ensure protocols are followed
Find out more about what they are doing on Oceania's cruise line page.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises will enhance their health and safety measures in the following ways:
- Pre-embarkation health screening for guests and crew
- Enhanced onboard cleaning, especially on frequently touched surfaces such as chairs and tables
- COVID-19 trained medical personnel
Find out more about what they are doing on Princess Cruises' cruise line page.
Paul Gauguin Cruises
To ensure that their ship is COVID-safe, Paul Gauguin have introduced enhanced health and safety measures, including:
- Health screenings before boarding and disinfection of all luggage before it is loaded
- Temperature checks when boarding after shore excursions
- Daily cleaning of public spaces, twice daily cleaning of staterooms and hourly cleaning of frequently touched surfaces
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Paul Gauguin's cruise line page.
P&O
From pre-embarkation to onboard protocols, P&O Cruises have rigorous health and safety measures to ensure that guests and crew can be welcomed back. These include:
- Negative Covid-19 tests required before the cruise
- Social distancing and adapted dining, entertainment and onboard activities
- Shore excursions organised by the cruise line
To find out more about what they are doing visit P&O Cruises' cruise line page.
Ponant
With guest and crew safety in mind, Ponant have introduced rigorous health and hygiene protocols, including:
- Medical examinations of guests before boarding and temperature checks when boarding after shore excursions
- Five isolation cabins should the need arise
- 1m social distancing, with crew required to wear a mask or visor
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Ponant's cruise line page.
Regent Seven Seas
Enhanced health and safety measures onboard Regent Seven Seas' ships include:
- Pre-embarkation health screening for guests and crew
- Increased cleaning throughout with an onboard Public Health Officer to make sure that high standards are maintained throughout
- Social distancing through reduced ship capacity, smaller activity groups and less seating in entertainment venues.
To find out more about what they are doing on Regent Seven Seas' cruise line page.
Riviera Travel
Welcoming guests and crew back onboard, Riviera Travel ensure that their ships are a clean and safe environment with measures including:
- Daily temperature checks from guests and crew
- Social distancing at embarkation, during shore excursions and in public areas and restaurants
- State-of-the-art climate control to ensure that all air onboard is fresh and clean
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Riviera Travel's cruise line page.
Royal Caribbean
To make sure that guests and crew are safe onboard, Royal Caribbean have introduced several measures, including:
- Health screenings before embarkation.
- Deep cleaning of ships and terminals between each sailing.
- Increased cleaning onboard, including every 30 minutes in public venues and twice daily in staterooms.
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Royal Caribbean's cruise line page.
Saga Ocean Cruises
To welcome guests and crew back onboard, Saga Ocean Cruises have enhanced their onboard health and safety with measures including:
- Pre-cruise coronavirus testing
- Reduced guest capacity to facilitate social distancing
- Increased medical crew and facilities
To find out more about what they are doing visit Saga Cruises' cruise line page.
Scenic River Cruises
Onboard Scenic ships, enhanced health and safety measures include:
- Pre-cruise medical examination and health and safety briefing
- Frequent hand sanitising thanks to conveniently located dispensers
- Shore excursions which adhere to destination regulations
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Scenic's cruise line page.
TUI River Cruises
As TUI River Cruises welcome guests back onboard, they have introduced rigorous health and safety measures, including the following:
- Social distancing-friendly venues and restaurants
- Frequent cleaning of public spaces and disinfection of cabins
- Personal protective equipment for crew where needed
To find out more about what they are doing visit TUI River Cruises' cruise line page.
Uniworld Cruises
To enable that guests and crew are safe throughout their time onboard, Uniworld cruises have introduced the following health and hygiene measures:
- Health screening for guests and crew
- Frequent sanitation of staterooms and suites, public spaces, high touch points and buses for shore excursions
- Two seating times for dining, assigned tables and no self-service buffets
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Uniworld's cruise line page.
Virgin Voyages
Thanks to Virgin Voyages' Voyage Well policy, guests can expect stringent health and safety measures such as:
- All items being taken onto the ship will be fogged
- Onboard technology to facilitate a contactless experience such as virtual queues and no-touch payments
- A post-cruise notification process to inform guests should anyone become ill after their holiday
Find out more about what they are doing on Virgin Voyages' cruise line page.
Windstar Cruises
To ensure guest and crew wellbeing onboard their yachts, Windstar Cruises have enhanced their health and safety measures, including:
- Health screenings for guests and crew
- Extended dining times to reduce guest numbers in the restaurants
- Improved cleaning protocols including sports decks, equipment, tenders and public areas.
To find out more about what they are doing, visit Windstar Cruises cruise line page.