Costa Cruises, like all other cruise lines on the planet right now, is planning out how they will be starting cruising again. There are obvious challenges in terms of health in light of the coronavirus pandemic. But a number of ideas have been floating around the industry about how to minimize the risk of transmission between guests. So what is Costa’s plan to be able to sail safely?
Costa Safety Protocol
The guidelines that they have been developing throughout the course of the pandemic have been released to the public under the name Costa Safety Protocol. It is their goal to have the Costa Safety Protocol function to protect both travelers and crew. The cruise line has been working with health experts, as well as global health guidelines, in order to ensure that the safety arrangements will allow them to travel to other countries.
Guidelines for crew
Of course, making the experience safe for everyone includes making sure that no one is boarding a ship where the crew is already infected. To deal with this, Costa will make every crew member get tested for COVID-19 two times before the ship embarks; they will also be tested before they return to Italy. Additionally, the temperatures of the crew will be regularly checked to make sure no one has a fever.
Guidelines for guests
While still careful, the guidelines for guests will ultimately be less strict. Guests will perform online health checks before leaving on their trip, and temperatures will be checked before entering or getting off the vessel. Masks will also be worn at all times while indoors, while social distancing without a mask is allowed outdoors. When social distancing isn’t possible, wearing a mask will be expected.
Ship life
Life on Costa ships will be different under these new rules. For one, capacity will be limited (which is a strategy we are seeing almost every cruise line either adopt or consider adopting). Social distancing will also be hugely emphasized, with group activities being carried out either individually or within smaller, more limited groups. Self-service dining and buffets will not be operational, and meals will instead be served by the staff.
Sanitation
As you might expect, the sanitation process is also receiving a huge overhaul with these new rules. Cleaning and disinfecting will be happening almost constantly on the ship, while new air filters have also been installed to help the ventilation systems be more safe. The medical team on the ship has also been trained specifically to deal with COVID-19.
The idea of taking a cruise might be scary right now, but Costa is determined to make it as safe as possible. It seems like these changes will really make a difference!
