Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy updated travel agents in a new video message released on Monday morning. The update comes when the cruise line is restarting cruise operations which leads to a lot of requirements and documentation guests need to prepare to be able to cruise safely.
As a result, the new video message from Duffy is more of a rallying call to travel agents to make sure guests complete the details needed, so there is no risk of their bookings being canceled.
Update from Carnival Cruise Line President
Now that more and more Carnival cruise ships are resuming operations, it’s more important than ever to be clear on what’s required to cruise. A major part of that is keeping travel agents updated and providing the best advice possible so that guests can have a smooth booking experience.
You can watch the full video message below:
Duffy starts by thanking everyone and providing an update on the current situation. She says, “I want to take a few minutes of your time to give you an update by the end of July. Carnival Cruise Line will have five ships in guest operations. This includes the debut of our beautiful Mardi Gras ship from Port Canaveral on July 31st.”
Carnival’s newest cruise ship is just days away from finally kick-starting cruises after several delays due to the suspension of cruise operations. She joins Carnival Horizon out of Miami, Carnival vista, and Breeze out of Galveston, and Carnival miracle will resume on July 27, which totals five ships for July.
The cruise line is moving fast and will have more than half of its fleet back in service by October. Duffy went on to say that she was thrilled to be welcoming more guests in the coming months, including from Long Beach, Seattle, Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile, Port Canaveral, and Baltimore. The entire fleet is expected to be back by the end of 2021.
Also Read: Which Carnival Cruise Ships Have Resumed Operations?
The Carnival Cruise Line President went on to talk about vaccines, and that cruise ships will continue to sail vaccinated cruises until at least October with at least 95% of guests onboard fully vaccinated.
Duffy said, “This is in addition to all of our onboard team members being fully vaccinated. Our medical experts believe this is in the best interest of the health and safety of our guests crew and the destinations we visit. It’s important to note that this approach is being very well received by the dozens of destinations that we sail to and as you know, keeping their confidence and support is a critical component of a successful restart.”
The main aspect of the update is to make sure travel agents do familiarise themselves with the cruise lines evolving protocols and make sure guests completed any requirements needed before the cruise.
“So this is where you come in. We are asking you to familiarize yourself with the additional requirements and steps that all guests must meet prior to sailing and ensure that your clients are submitting the required documents on a timely basis,” Duffy said. “There are also additional requirements and restrictions for unvaccinated guests sailing with us or for those who are vaccinated and choose not to disclose their vaccination status.”
Carnival asks that travel agents advise clients to meet any deadlines and include guest contact details rather than using their own in all of the bookings. There is no doubt important aspects of booking the cruise, and Carnival has already made this clear in recent guest advisories that have been sent out. Some aspects of the booking details all depend on where ships are departing from.
It’s been a difficult time for travel agents, but now with cruises restarting, they can make up for the 16 months that cruises have been suspended. The Mardi Gras cruise ship is set to begin cruises this Saturday, and travel agents have the chance to have their first look on board the day before.
Keep checking Cruise Hive for all the latest developments on Carnival Cruise Line resuming operations through the remainder of the year and any new protocols.
