Genting Cruise Line has revealed a new comprehensive onboard health plan for its brands, Star Cruises and Dream Cruises, which will include medical certificates for passengers aged 70 and above.
The new initiatives will be for both passengers and crew, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Aside from new filtration systems, isolation wards in the medical centres and as well as more cleaning measures, the cruise line will be staggering the embarkation and disembarkation process.
“At Genting Cruise Lines, the safety and health of our guests and crew are of paramount importance to us,” said Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines.
“We have taken the positive opportunity during this hiatus period to also implement comprehensive crew training to reinforce effective cleaning procedures, health and hygiene protocols and efficient guest interaction, which we will adopt as the new safety norm for our fleet and we hope for the industry too.”
Here is a list of what Genting are enforcing, when cruise resumes later this year.
Embarkation and disembarkation
All guests will be required to go through a mandatory temperature screening. They will also need to fill out a pre-boarding health declaration. For passengers aged 70 and above, they will need to provide a doctor’s certificate showing that they are fit for travel. Guests will be asked to use online check-ins to get a time for embarkation. This is to stagger the process of getting on the ship. There will also be additional waiting areas for guests, to prevent overcrowding.
Accommodation
The staff onboard will be amping up the cleaning of staterooms and suites with hospital grade disinfectants. The cabin stewards will wipe down the suites, two times a day, they will be fogging vacant guest staterooms and wipe down and fog guest alley ways. The staff will also be cleaning and disinfecting guest bathrooms with alkaline bathroom cleaners and disinfectants and bedsheets and linens will be professionally cleaned and disinfected at high temperatures.
Public areas
Like the staterooms and suites, all public areas will go through a sanitisation process that includes fogging and using hospital grade disinfectants. Elevators will be cleaned every two hours, public areas will be cleaned two to 10 times daily, and the spa at least twice a day. Frequent touch points like handrails, lift buttons, table-tops and door handles will be cleaned at least every hour. And around various public areas, a staff member will be stationed to provide hand sanitisation.
Entertainment areas and recreational activities
In the theatres, the staff will sanitise the space before and after each show and 3D guests will be disinfected before and after each usage. In the Kids’ Club, all toys and games will be cleaned after every use, and the line will be limiting the capacity of many of their venues. Only half the number of guests will be allowed in an area.
New ventilation systems
The Genting Cruises ships will be fitted with new filtration systems which will allow external fresh air to be filtered, and then supplied to cabins and onboard public areas.
Medical Centre
Given the nature of coronavirus, the ships will be fitted with isolation wards in the Medical Centres. The company has said that they have the capacity to turn the staterooms into quarantine room.
Crew members
All crew members will have their temperatures checked twice a day. Frontline crew will have to wear face masks, and some designated crew will have to wear protective garments and eye protection. All crew will also have to undergo training workshops on health and safety measures. And in the medical isolation area, staff will need to wear personal protection gear like face masks and disposable outer garments.
In regards to Dream and Star Cruises even though I am in my mid 70’s I am agreement with their new health plan. However it will be interesting to see how long they manage to stay afloat as with a lot of cruising I been fortunate to have done there is always a considerable number of people that perhaps should not be on the ship.