Jutarnji List reports that while other shipowners are still calculating or choosing cruises within national borders with the line of least resistance, the Geneva-based company MSC Cruises was the first to clearly and loudly confirm the flow of floating hotels in the port of Gruž this season. The arrival of the first cruiser has been agreed to for June 2021, and approved by the Dubrovnik Port Authority.
In the management of MSC Cruises, Jutarnji inquired about the safety protocols that Dubrovnik passengers need to follow this summer.
“Passengers must be tested before the cruise, but also in the middle of the cruise, with an antigen test before departure to cross the Italian border. The crew will not leave the ship just yet, they are being tested once a week, and the company has started a comprehensive crew vaccination program,” points out Darija Semiz from MSC’s marketing department.
There are also new rules for guests on cruise ships:
“Food and drinks are served only at the table. In addition to the standard menus, guests can view them on their mobile phone by scanning the QR code,” says Semiz and explains further details of the itinerary:
“Destinations during the cruise are visited only as part of organized excursions of MSC Cruises, which means reduced vehicle capacity, testing of guides and drivers before starting work, and face masks are required, and passengers must not be separated from the group during the trip,” said the Dubrovnik MSC Cruises representative.
“Passengers are required to wear masks in common areas, MSC has also provided smart bracelets that serve as a means of payment onboard, a cabin key, and to identify close contacts if necessary,” Semiz said.
The MSC center reports that the vaccination program against COVID-19 for all crew members is becoming a vital element of the company’s health and safety protocol, which has been in place since last August when the first ship began sailing regularly.
In the initial phase, MSC Cruises prioritized prevention to crew members, with ten ships announced in the cruise program for the summer of 2021 in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Priority is also given to the crews of the white fleet, which should re-sail the Caribbean from American ports and others that are preparing to re-sail.
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