NORTH AMERICA/CARIBBEAN. Virgin Voyages has announced its Voyage Well plan that will ensure a safe and hygienic onboard environment.
The much-anticipated soft launch for the cruise line’s first vessel, Scarlet Lady, has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with this now taking place on 16 October.
A number of measures have been announced ahead of this, such as operating with a limited number of passengers to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
The cruise line has also worked with leading health experts, including Dr David Heymann, who discussed COVID-19 and its impact on travel in two well-received phone-in events hosted by The Moodie Davitt Report. Dr Heymann is on the company’s Voyage Well Expert Advisory Group that is guiding health policy for Scarlet Lady.
Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin said: “The health and wellbeing of our sailors is our number one priority, so we rolled up our sleeves with leading experts to further innovate and create an even healthier way to travel and still have an incredible vacation.
“We appreciate some people will be apprehensive about travelling, so we are committed to being led by science and creating ways to give people the confidence to explore the world while feeling safer, more relaxed and freer to enjoy themselves.”
The Voyage Well plan also includes:
- Advanced pre-boarding health checks and screenings, with ambitions for crew and passengers to be tested for COVID-19 before embarkation
- Thermal camera technology installed in terminals and onboard
- Increased use of technology to minimise contact, such as using wristbands for contactless payment, digital customer service and virtual queues for experiences
- A new air purification system from AtmosAir Solutions that has been shown to kill 99.9% of viruses and no air will be recycled
Virgin Voyages added that it will notify its passengers and crew within 14 days of leaving the ship if they have come into contact with anyone that has tested positive for COVID-19.
The cruise line is offering a flexible booking policy where passengers can cancel up to 48 hours before sailing and receive 100% credit for future voyages.
As reported, Scarlet Lady aims to “redefine the travel industry by bringing the luxe experience of a boutique hotel to the sea”. Virgin Voyages has partnered with Harding to develop a varied, eclectic retail offer across around 6,000sq ft of space.
