Cruise lines will have their work cut out for them before and once they start sailing. One of the significant hurdles the cruise lines will have to tackle is the testing requirements for crew members and guests.
The cruise lines will have to conduct thousands of tests each week to ensure the safety of all onboard, prevent outbreaks from happening on the ships, and comply with the CDC’s requirements.
To that effect, Carnival Corporation has developed a partnership with DocGo / Rapid Reliable Testing (RRT) to provide the testing and vaccination capabilities onboard the ships. RRT is a leading provider of COVID vaccines in New York, Colorado, California, and Washington, having administered over 500,000 vaccine doses to date.
Testing Onboard a Major Operation
Testing onboard the cruise ships is promising to be a significant component onboard for the foreseeable future. Guests may need to be tested on each voyage depending on the type of cruise and the situation onboard.
Also Read: Where Do the Major Three Cruise Lines Stand on Vaccine Requirements?
DocGo announced it is working with Carnival Corporation on COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccines for crew members. While the cruise lines prepare for the restart of cruising in the U.S., the company also plans to test guests once cruises get underway, starting next month.
Anthony Capone, President of DocGo/RRT said this on the upcoming partnership: “With the increase in vaccinations and people prepared to begin a return to normal life, DocGo is partnering with Carnival Corporation to prepare for the restart of cruising as one of the world’s most popular vacation options. Our reporting is fully integrated with SeaCare – the cruise industry’s leading emergency medical records system – to ensure a seamless experience.”
The partnership is for all Carnival Corporation’s cruise line brands, including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn operating from the United States. These companies have all completed initial testing for the crew members on board.
The cooperation shows the major impact the pandemic has on the cruise industry; even now the ships are slowly starting up once again.
No Industry Has More Health Measures
No one can say anymore the cruise lines are not healthy places to be. No single industry has had to invest more in testing capabilities, acquire vaccines for its employees, and implement strict health protocols onboard the ships than the cruise industry.
Worth Reading: Royal Caribbean Releases Health Protocols for Bahamas Sailings
Javonté Anyabwelé, vice president, global strategic sourcing for Carnival Corporation: “We are excited to partner with Rapid Reliable Testing, a leader in COVID-19 testing, to support our efforts to restart cruise operations from U.S. ports. Working together, we have developed a comprehensive plan for testing, an essential part of our enhanced health and safety protocols developed to enable the resumption of cruising in the best interest of public health.”
The measures come together with other health measures that have been implemented onboard cruise ships. These include HEPA filters inside the ship’s air systems, new air conditioning systems, sanitizing protocols, and much more.
Once guests start to board the cruise ships, whether they have been vaccinated or not, there will be little reason to worry about being safe and healthy onboard a cruise ship.
This news comes just after Carnival Cruise Line releases its more specific health protocols for sailings out of Texas in July.
