Dreaming of cruising again?
All of us can’t wait for the day when we can get back to exploring our big beautiful world together. Thankfully, we are now even closer to that reality. Princess is another cruise line that has joined the forefront in leading us back to the ocean with updated measures to protect our wellbeing in these unprecedented times. Guided by medical experts and public health officials, the new protocols are just the start as Princess Cruises works to make your safety their priority.
Facing the current challenges is a smoother process thanks to Princess MedallionClass™ ships. Although initially launched to create a more personalised and effortless holiday for guests, the unique innovations of MedallionClass™ have also proven to be highly adaptable and ideal for post-pandemic cruising.
This is made possible by the app that gets you OceanReady®, and OceanMedallion™ — a watch/pendant-sized wearable device. They allow for a TrulyTouchless™ experience in a variety of scenarios, including:
- Check-in and embarkation that lets you choose your arrival time and answer your health questionnaire digitally.
- Payment when buying anything onboard.
- Remote ordering for delivery of food, drinks, retail items and amenities from your smart device or stateroom TV — no need to wait in line!
- Keyless stateroom entry — your door will even unlock as you approach.
Mandatory screening — with contactless temperature checks and health questionnaires — of all who go on board takes place at embarkation, and pre-travel testing for COVID-19 is required. Secondary health checks are also conducted throughout the cruise when necessary.
Anyone with signs and symptoms of COVID-19 will be referred for additional medical screening and testing before being approved for boarding.
Princess Cruises’ already rigorous cleaning procedures have been perfected further by the latest technology and equipment. Their new sanitisation measures have been developed following the recommendation of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. These include:
- Sanitising of staterooms, embarkation terminals, and public areas (especially frequently touched surfaces) with a safe disinfectant that’s known to kill coronaviruses.
- Adding handwashing facilities and hand sanitiser dispensers in high-traffic areas.
- Encouraging guests at venue entrances to use the hand-washing sinks and hand sanitiser dispensers.
In addition to the spaciousness of Princess ships, the timing, size and flow of groups at onboard venues and for events will now be tightly managed across the fleet so it will be even easier to practice physical distancing. This will help you make informed decisions about what to do on board. Where and when physical distancing cannot be maintained, wearing of masks will be required. When it comes to meals, there will be no self-service. The crew will do the serving for you.
Guests on MedallionClass™ ships will also get a real-time view of attendance in lounges, theatres and other areas, and be able to bookmark activities of interest, noting attendance limits.
Nothing is more important than being prepared, and making sure that everyone is ready for potential cases. From their highly capable medical team and critical care facilities, to COVID-19 testing and appropriate medicines/treatments on all ships, Princess has ensured that the Medical Centre and all staff on board will be equipped to handle any issues that could arise.
It is crucial that the crew is kept healthy as well, which is why Princess is also reinforcing healthy behaviours and protocols, which include staff undergoing daily health screenings and frequent testing.
Princess will be maximising fresh air and enhancing air filtration by upgrading the HVAC systems of their ships to MERV 13 filters that remove a large portion of airborne particles, following the highest CDC guidance. Air is replaced throughout public spaces and staterooms every five to six minutes. Plus, they’re adding HEPA filtration systems to key areas such as medical centres and isolation rooms.
A big part of any cruise is the time you spend on land visiting places of interest. Princess is working with local authorities abroad to ensure our health measures mutually align to make shore excursions as safe as possible. This means:
- The protocols for every port visited will be followed.
- All transportation fully sanitised.
- Shore excursions may have capacity reduced to enable effective social distancing.
Whilst we’re waiting for the tide to turn on COVID-19, Princess will continue to maintain focus on health and safety by monitoring closely the latest science and ever-evolving circumstances, so that when we come to reconnect with our favourite destinations, we can enjoy our holidays with 100% peace of mind.
