There’s a phrase that is particularly appropriate to the travel industry – “The only thing constant in travel is change.” That’s never been more true than with the health and safety challenges of the past pandemic year. Royal Caribbean Group is meeting those challenges by using existing digital innovations, as well as participating in a scientific-based Healthy Sail Panel to stay at the forefront of a safe return to sailing vacations.

Mobile App Supports a Safe Return to Cruising

Royal Caribbean Group introduced a guest-empowering mobile app in 2017 and it is now available on many Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises ships. It was originally designed to eliminate what has typically been considered primary pain points of travel – lines, crowds, and paper. Today, these features and capabilities also help pave the way for a safe and healthy return to sailing by enabling crucial health and safety practices, such as physical distancing and minimizing common touchpoints.   

• Muster 2.0 – one of the least-loved, but most important, parts of a cruise vacation – the safety drill – is transformed into a faster, individual experience that guests can complete at their own time.
• Scheduled arrival time – staggered arrival times for guests help eliminate crowds by managing the ebb-and-flow in parking lots, drop-off areas, and terminals to allow for physical distancing from car to stateroom.
• Expedited boarding – by completing check-in with the app, scanning passport information, and uploading a ‘selfie’ security photo, guests can generate a mobile boarding pass and qualify for an expedited boarding process. Debuted in 2018, the innovative, digital experience minimizes check-in and security lines at ports, allowing guests to get on board seamlessly and safely in minutes.
• Digital key – guests can unlock staterooms with their smartphones by downloading a digital key, available in just a few taps for select ships and staterooms.
• Stateroom automation – using their smartphone, guests have the ability to control elements inside their staterooms, such as the TV, lighting, window shades, and temperature, limiting touchpoints while achieving higher levels of stateroom customization.
• Onboard account – guests can view onboard charges and credits in real-time from anywhere on the ship without waiting in line or on hold.
• Daily planning – onboard activities, entertainment shows, dining, and shore excursions are all viewable and open for reservations through the guest mobile app.

Healthy Sail Panel

Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings created an expert panel called the “Healthy Sail Panel” to help cruise lines develop a comprehensive set of health and safety protocols for the cruise industry. The panel consists of a diverse group of globally-recognized, leading experts in areas of science and public health with varied backgrounds in medical practice and research, public health, infectious diseases, biosecurity, hospitality, and maritime operations, that are directly relevant to current public health challenges resulting from COVID-19.

Although the panel was organized and financed by the two cruise groups, the work of the panel is available to the entire cruise industry and regulators. Other sectors of the travel industry are also welcomed to make use of their recommendations.

The Healthy Sail Panel’s five areas of focus are:

1. Testing, screening, and exposure reduction – Take aggressive measures to prevent COVID-19 from entering a ship through robust education, screening, and testing of both crew and guests before embarkation.
2. Sanitation and ventilation – Reduce transmission via air management strategies and sanitation practices.
3. Response, contingency planning, and execution – Implement detailed plans for addressing any positive infection onboard, including contingencies for onboard treatment and evacuation.
4. Destination and excursion planning – Closely control shore excursions.
5. Mitigating risks for crew members – Enhance protection for crew members.

Read the panel’s full report of 74 detailed steps to safeguard the health of guests, crew, and communities.

Cruise lovers anxious for a safe return to sailing can feel assured that Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships are taking every step to provide a healthy environment for your vacation. When you’re ready to cruise, talk to your Covington vacation advisor for help planning your trip.