Miami, Florida, September 21, 2020.- Our highest responsibility and top priorities are compliance, protecting the environment, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, our crew members and the communities we visit. That ongoing focus is reflected in the core elements of extensive health protocols for a gradual resumption of cruise operations in the Americas submitted today by CLIA, our cruise industry association, to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The core elements submitted to the CDC incorporate input from Carnival Corporation and our nine cruise line brands, along with our fellow CLIA members.
Across the industry, we are engaged with some of the world’s top medical experts and scientists, who are providing valuable insight to inform the ongoing and evolving development of new and enhanced protocols based on the latest scientific evidence and best practices for protection and mitigation. The cruise industry will continue to share learnings and best practices while working together as one united industry focused on the well-being of guests, crew and the communities we visit.
Our Costa Cruises brand successfully restarted cruise operations this month in Italy, with important learnings and best practices being shared broadly across the corporation’s eight additional cruise line brands. In addition, the global cruise community continues to make significant progress in developing enhanced health and safety protocols. We look forward to collaborating with CLIA and our fellow cruise operators to work collectively with the CDC for a safe and successful restart to cruise operations in the U.S.
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT BACKGROUND
DETAILS FROM TODAY’S CLIA NEWS RELEASE
· CLIA announced the adoption of mandatory core elements of enhanced health protocols as part of a phased-in, highly controlled resumption of cruise operations in the Americas. To see full details on CLIA’s announcement, click HERE.
· Informed by leading scientists, medical experts, and health authorities, the core elements are the product of extensive work by CLIA oceangoing cruise lines and their renowned teams of science and medical experts advising on enhanced protocols for the return of cruise operations.
· The core elements encompass the entirety of the cruise experience, from booking to debarkation, and mirror the successful resumption of cruising in other parts of the world and include 100% testing of passengers and crew prior to boarding — a travel industry first.
· The core elements are also being submitted by CLIA on behalf of its members in response to the CDC’s Request for Information (RFI) related to the safe resumption of cruise operations.
· Measures will be continuously evaluated and adjusted against the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the availability of new prevention and mitigation measures, and do not preclude additional measures that may be adopted by individual lines.
· Implementation of these elements on board every oceangoing ship subject to the CDC’s No Sail Order is mandatory and requires written verification of adoption by each company’s CEO.
· Highlights of the core elements of enhanced cruise protocols include:
o Testing: 100% testing of passengers and crew for COVID-19 prior to embarkation.
o Mask-Wearing: Mandatory wearing of masks by all passengers and crew onboard and during excursions whenever physical distancing cannot be maintained.
o Distancing: Physical distancing in terminals, onboard ships, on private islands and during shore excursions.
o Ventilation: Air management and ventilation strategies to increase fresh air onboard and, where feasible, using enhanced filters and other technologies to mitigate risk.
o Medical Capability: Risk-based response plans tailored for each ship to manage medical needs, dedicated cabin capacity for isolation, and advance arrangements with private providers for shoreside quarantine, medical facilities, and transportation.
o Shore Excursions: Only permit shore excursions according to the cruise operators’ prescribed protocols, with strict adherence required of all passengers and denial of re-boarding for any passengers that do not comply.
UPDATE ON RESTARTS FOR TWO OF CARNIVAL CORPORATION’S BRANDS, COSTA AND AIDA
· Costa Cruises resumed operations on Sept. 6, with its first ship, Costa Deliziosa, sailing from Trieste with Italian guests and visiting Italian ports. Costa’s second ship, Costa Diadema, set sail from Genoa on Sept. 19 and the brand will expand with two additional ships sailing in the Mediterranean – Costa Smeralda in October and Costa Firenze in December.
· AIDA Cruises plans to restart operations on Oct. 17 with AIDAblu sailing a weekly seven-day itinerary from Rome and La Spezia visiting multiple Italian ports, followed in November by two ships sailing in the Canary Islands, and in December by two ships sailing in the western Mediterranean and United Arab Emirates.
· Both brands are resuming cruise operations with enhanced protocols developed in coordination with national and global health authorities, and modeled after shoreside health and mitigation guidelines as defined by each brand’s respective country and approved by the flag state, Italy.
COSTA CRUISES: ENHANCED HEALTH MEASURES ANNOUNCED FOR RECENT RESTART OF OPERATIONS
· Costa Cruises introduced the “Costa Safety Protocol” – developed with advice from medical experts, governmental and health authorities – that aligns with several global and national health guidelines.
· As part of the initiative, Costa obtained RINA’s Biosafety Trust Certification, a program that examines all aspects of life on board and confirms the correct management of health issues.
· The enhanced protocols include:
o Online check-in and self-certification
o Health screening for guests and crew prior to embarkation, including temperature checks and antigenic COVID-19 swab tests
o Rapid antigenic tests will identify guests who may need a PCR test for additional screening
o Physical distancing guidelines, reduced occupancy and staggered boarding times
o Face masks will be mandatory in public areas while on board
o Redesigned common areas, entertainment programs and restaurants
o Protected shore excursions managed by Costa to maintain health protocols
o Increased mitigation and sanitization efforts in all cabins and public areas
o Closely managing capacities at onboard experiences
o Additional hand sanitizer dispensers at check in and on board
o Self-service clinical thermometer kiosks on board
o Expanded shipboard health services and crew training
o Detailed response, isolation, contact tracing and disembarkation plans for suspected cases
AIDA CRUISES: ENHANCED HEALTH MEASURES ANNOUNCED FOR SCHEDULED RESTART IN OCTOBER
· AIDA will be introducing additional health and protective measures, which are subject to change prior its restart in October and November.
· Protocols were developed with medical experts, governmental and health authorities, and align with current guidance from the World Health Organization and Germany’s Robert Koch Institute.
· The renowned independent auditing company SGS Institut Fresenius and the classification society DNV-GL have examined and confirmed AIDA’s enhanced hygiene protocols.
· The enhanced protocols will include:
o Pre-boarding digital health questionnaires
o Health screening for guests and crew prior to embarkation, including temperature checks and pre-voyage COVID-19 testing
o Regular temperature checks for guests and crew
o Physical distancing guidelines of at least 1.5 meters (or five feet), reduced occupancy, staggered boarding times and staggered muster drill
o Routing systems on arrival, departure and on board to minimize large gatherings
o Face coverings will be mandatory for guests and crew in public areas and in outdoor areas whenever distance between non-family guests is less than 1.5 meters (or five feet)
o Redesigned common areas, entertainment programs and restaurants
o Buffet restaurants converted to service restaurants
o Guided shore excursions managed by AIDA to maintain health protocols
o Increased mitigation and sanitization efforts in all cabins and public areas
o Closely managing capacities at onboard experiences
o Additional hand sanitizer dispensers at check in and on board
o Expanded shipboard health services and crew training
o Modern medical centers equipped with test kits and diagnostic equipment for immediate evaluation, as well as an expanded team available 24/7
o Testing and isolation plans, crew training and expanded medical teams for suspected cases
CARNIVAL CORPORATION: HEALTH ADVISORS SUPPORTING ENHANCED PROTOCOLS
Carnival Corporation has been working with a number of world-leading public health, epidemiological and policy experts to support its ongoing efforts for developing enhanced protocols and procedures for the return of cruise vacations based on the latest knowledge around protection and mitigation.
The advisors include:
· Dr. Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA, author, former vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and 19th Surgeon General of the United States
· Dr. Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology, University of Reading School of Biological Sciences (UK)
· Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, Herbert S. Gasser professor of medicine, molecular microbiology, pathology & immunology; and associate director, Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
· Michael Z. Lin, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurobiology, bioengineering, and chemical and systems biology; and principal investigator, The Lin Lab, Stanford University School of Medicine
· Dr. Jewel Mullen, MD, MPH, associate dean for health equity, University of Texas at Austin, Dell Medical School
· Emil C. Reisinger, MD, full professor of internal medicine, infectious diseases and tropical medicine and director of the Division of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Rostock, Germany
· Dr. Stefano Vella, MD, former director, National Center for Global Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (Italian National Institute of Health); and adjunct professor of global health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) in Rome