Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Managing Passenger and Crew Movements Ashore

CRUISE_Luis-Workshop_SCV.png

If the herculean effort to improve shipboard health and safety weren’t enough, the cruise industry is addressing passenger and crew movements ashore with the same fervor. To learn exactly how, we caught up with Luis de Carvalho, CEO Bermello Ajamil & Partners Europe, who will be leading the Seatrade Cruise Virtual workshop, How to Manage Passenger and Crew Movements in The Future.

1. Which methods for movements ashore are currently being discussed by cruise lines and ports?

This issue must balance the need to keep the passengers and ships from contacting the virus, while at the same time targeting to maximize economic impacts on the communities. Today most of the destination passenger movements are still not controlled, but we can consider several models to achieve this balance:  Model_Luis.png
2. Bermello Ajamil & Partners Europe has published A Blueprint for a Healthy Cruise Industry. How has the response been? And what are the biggest hurdles to success both for the cruise lines and the destinations?

The response has been very encouraging. There is a significant demand for updated and comprehensive information and communication between industry stakeholders, which is required not only for a successful start but for long-term solutions.

Keys to sustainable success:

  • Protocols must be scalable
  • Protocols need to be coordinated for the entire journey – door to door
  • Lines need to clearly articulate a goal and expected outcome that makes cruising safer than other hospitality experiences

3. Communication will be vital in shifting not only the perception of traveler safety but in adapting to a fluid COVID situation over time. How do you recommend cruise companies and destinations lay the groundwork, and what measures or technology can be used to ensure the communication is effective and efficient?

Most of the technology already exists, and suggested protocols are being developed. In my opinion, we need to create useful and practical communication platforms between the different stakeholders to share solutions across the board. But that needs to translate into action and decision making for implementation on the field. We speak to a significant number of ports worldwide, and still, many of them are waiting to see what to do next. Cruise lines need to get ready, but ports, destinations, and providers need to get ready too!

4. What are you most looking forward to with Seatrade Cruise Virtual? 

Given the circumstances, this virtual event is the closest that we will have to gather our cruise colleagues and professionals. So, I am looking forward to offering my contribution by organizing this workshop with Seatrade Cruise. Managing people in small discussion groups where they will need to “work” and present results can be very beneficial, and the results of this workshop will hopefully help the participants in understanding what they need to do in each of their areas.

 

For more information on Luis’s workshop, “How to Manage Passenger and Crew Movements at Your Ports and Destinations in the Future” taking place Wednesday, 7 October at 14:00 PM GMT, and the full Seatrade Cruise Virtual schedule, CLICK HERE.