How Ever-Changing COVID-19 Protocols Are Impacting the Cruise Experience

Protocols for cruising in the COVID-19 era change almost daily. What was true a month ago almost certainly isn’t today, and what’s true today might very well be outdated next week. Miss one change announcement and the entire cruise experience can be ruined.

When we booked an August Majestic Princess cruise to Alaska this past May only vaccinated people could book and there were no pre-cruise testing requirements in place. Nor were masks to be required onboard or in port.

All of that changed during the month or so before we departed, starting with our all-vaccinated cruise opening up to 5% non-vaccinated passengers. Then, about a month before sailing, Princess informed us that masks would be required in all Alaska ports. Finally, less than two weeks before departure we were told that pre-cruise testing and onboard masking were now required.

Our travel advisor did not alert us to the pre-cruise testing change and one of our party of four missed the email from Princess Cruises.

Thankfully, because we were on the first sailing to require pre-cruise testing, Princess provided rapid tests at the port for those who didn’t have test results to present. Had the cruise line not offered this service, our entire cruise would have been over before it even began.

To ensure your clients will be able to board their cruise ship, it’s critical to stay on top of the ever-changing COVID protocols. And, communicate those changes to your clients.

Here are a few things about COVID-19 cruise protocols you may want to alert your clients to.

No Grandfather Clause
When it comes to COVID-19 regulations, there is no grandfathering. In other words, if you booked your cruise when one set of rules was in place and then the rules change, you must follow the new rules.

So far, the cruise lines have given booked passengers at least a week’s notice.

We got the news of our pre-cruise COVID testing requirement about 10 days before departure. This gave us enough time to schedule our tests for 72 hours before sailing.

Unfortunately, this may not always be possible for people who live in areas where tests are not as easily obtained. Even for those who can get tested easily, the bother of the requirement is more than they’re willing to deal with.

“I had two Aqua Class suites canceled on a Celebrity Alaska sailing because they did not want to have the stress of a PCR test within 72 hours prior to sailing,” Andrea Joyce, owner of a Dream Vacations franchise in Somers, New York, told Travel Market Report.

Enforcement Varies
While the enforcement of the pre-cruise COVID test was absolute on our Majestic Princess sailing, enforcement of onboard protocols was iffier.

By and large, the vast majority of passengers respected the rules, including mask wearing. But not all did. And, most of the time, no one said anything.

We spotted a handful of people throughout our sailing on elevators, in lounges, and at the guest services desk without masks on. Every time, no crew members said anything. This was especially true in the casino, where almost no one wore masks and dealers never said a word. (Not surprising, since they rely on the good mood and generosity of players for their tips.)

Signs limiting the number of people on elevators to six were almost universally ignored. The few times we tried to say anything, we were also ignored.

Our cruise was only the second to require masks, so crew were still getting used to the new rules. It’s possible that enforcement will get stricter over time.

Smaller Changes Abundant
There are a few other small changes you might want to let your repeat cruise clients know about.

No buffet trays. Glacier Bay morning, we headed upstairs to the buffet. Our intention was to grab a few items for breakfast and bring them back to the room with us. That’s when we noticed there were no trays. Just like there are no salt or pepper shakers on the buffet tables. You can, however, ask for a tray if you need one.

Fewer paper menus. Depending on what bar or restaurant we went to, paper menus were not always available. Instead, there were QR codes on many of the tables. These need to be scanned with your phone. In most cases, we found that if we asked for a paper menu, we could get one. But not all the time. This was also true at bars and restaurants on land. Let your clients know they’ll find it helpful to download a QR scanner app to their phone.

No Captain’s Welcome Party. With handshakes between passengers and crew not allowed and social distancing encouraged, big parties like Princess’ signature Captain’s Welcome Party and Champagne Tower have been axed for the time being.

Changes Keep Coming
COVID-19 protocols aren’t done changing. Just last week, cruise lines that are allowing some non-vaccinated passengers onboard changed the rules for any sailings that stop in the Bahamas. Now, all passengers 12 and older must be vaccinated to be allowed off the ship in any Bahamian port, including the cruise lines’ private islands.

This change is unlikely to be the last for cruise lines when it comes to COVID-19 protocols. The need to stay on top of the changes is making travel advisors more needed than ever before. By keeping up with the changes and communicating them to your clients, you can help ensure their sailings can go as smoothly as possible.