Breath of Fresh Air on a Cruise Ship
There's nothing like breathing fresh air while cruising the open ocean. But what happens once you step inside a cruise ship — how does the air flow into your stateroom, restaurant and other spaces on board? This is precisely what Royal Caribbean Group wanted to confirm and understand in detail.
Enter the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI), with the support of the Healthy Sail Panel, globally recognized experts in medical practice and research, public health, infectious diseases, biosecurity, hospitality and maritime operations to recommend the most effective, scientifically sound ways to make the cruise experience healthier and safer. The team from UNMC and NSRI — specialists in bioaerosols (the study of airborne particles) and more recently worked with the U.S. Department of Defense on the study of air flow on airplanes — boarded a Royal Caribbean Group ship while berthed in Miami in July 2020. The scientists set out to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the ship's air management as well as understand how aerosols pass through the HVAC (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system.
Their work confirmed that under the current HVAC system the transmission of aerosol particles between spaces through the air handling system is exceptionally low and undetectable both on surfaces and in the air in most test cases. This is thanks to the robust and efficient system originally designed into the ship for maximum ventilation, continual fresh air intake and filtration. To add layers of safety and further minimize the possibility of spread, the team recommended adjusting shipboard settings to allow for the maximum air changes per hour and upgrading to MERV 13 filters throughout the system. In the medical facility, already equipped with an independent ventilation system, HEPA filters have been added for extra precaution.
"Our existing HVAC system is designed with several layers to continuously bring in the ocean air and filter it multiple times before it reaches our guests and crew. We are glad to see the study conclude that our robust system is effective in reducing transmission,” said Patrik Dahlgren, Royal Caribbean Group’s senior vice president of Global Marine Operations and a member of the Healthy Sail Panel. "By taking a scientific approach and implementing recommendations made by the experts at University of Nebraska Medical Center and the National Strategic Research Institute, we’ve created an environment that is even safer for our guests and crew. And we’ve done so without compromising their comfort — which is always front of mind because this is our guests’ vacations and our crew’s home at sea."
The study by UNMC and NSRI scientists, conducted in July 2020, helped inform the Healthy Sail Panel’s 74 detailed best practices to safeguard the health of guests, crew and communities cruise ships visit. Upgrading HVAC systems was among the critical recommendations outlined in a 65-plus-page report submitted in September. The robust set of measures put forth by the panel and adopted by the cruise industry as a whole is rooted in science, data-driven and developed with guidance from specialists, such as UNMC and NSRI bioaerosol team, public health authorities around the world and Royal Caribbean Group’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Calvin Johnson.
As of February 2021....
The CDC has not even hinted as to what it will approve for cruise line health protocols before allowing the cruise-starved public embark on a cruise ship. Actual cruises have been cancelled through April 30, and probably more future cruises will be cancelled. The pent up demand for cruises among avid cruise travelers is tremendous. The economic impact on cruise ports is terrible, with thousands of workers out of work...not just port workers, but suppliers to ships, crews themselves, and tourism workers in destinations. The cruise lines themselves have skeleton crews on ships, but each ship's idle time can cost millions of dollars every month. We are hoping that the vaccine rollout will mitigate the virus and its variants, and hopefully ships will sail before 2021 is over. Royal Caribean has designated a new home port for some of its ships in Barbados, so if cruisers can get to Barbados, and stay healthy to get back into the US afterward, cruises may start there. Meanwhile we wait, and pray for those lost and their families and for better times to come.
2021 Will be the Restart of Cruising!
November 2020-
Cruise lines are already getting their ships and crews together. They will be starting meeting the American requirements of test cruises, most of them in January 2021.
While we dont know how long it will take the CDC to approve the test results and certify ships, we expect Passenger-carrying cruises to begin the the second quarter
of 2021. Hopefully it will be sooner is a vaccine is truly approved and available to the cruising public.
Carnival Corp has to certify that all of it ships also meet the court-ordered environmental requirements, and it is not clear if that includes all of the Carnival
brand ships that sail from the US (HollandAmerica, Princess, Crystal, Cunard, Seabourn and Carnival).
Keeping Up with Changes
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 - - Cruise lines are changing, and changing fast to keep up with whatever they think is "the right thing" now. Promotions overlap and change weekly....even daily. The best thing is for you to decide where you would like to cruise, and when. We can help you with the rest. Are you traveling with kids? Is this cruise for enrichment, for fun, or just to get away? Not only is every cruise line a little different, so is every ship within a cruise line also different. Royal Caribbean is focusing more on families, with water slides and activities for children of all ages. Holland America has focus on culture...called ExC, or Explorations Central, on food, and on music with everything from jazz, soul, Billboard hits, rock and live classical performances on Lincoln Center Stage. So how about NCL, MSC, Costa. or on the higher end Azamara, Oceania, Seabourn, Regent....and on and on.
If you are traveling and cruising overseas, it is important to note that many destinations are now sensitive to over-touristing. You may want to consider a season when there are less crowds.
There is much to ask and learn about a cruise before you book. And we have always been able to match the internet sellers who promise "exclusive" rates and "85% off". So please don't be afraid to call us. We love to converse about cruises!
If you are traveling and cruising overseas, it is important to note that many destinations are now sensitive to over-touristing. You may want to consider a season when there are less crowds.
There is much to ask and learn about a cruise before you book. And we have always been able to match the internet sellers who promise "exclusive" rates and "85% off". So please don't be afraid to call us. We love to converse about cruises!
Medical Care while Traveling
After hearing and reading....and observing stories of travelers who need medical care outside of their hometown area, I strongly recommend travel insurance. Take into consideration your travel companions - family of any ages, and imagine a sprained ankle, or appendicitis on a cruise ship or foreign country. Cruise ships are fabulous at taking care of passengers, but they cannot perform emergency surgery or other complex medical procedures. And worse yet, all you have to do is to read passenger entries on some travel sites about the medical care in some socialized medicine countries. Do not take it for granted, and don’t believe the pie in the sky about getting great and immediate medical care with socialized medicine. Read what people have experienced.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)