In a foretaste of what may come for other cruise lines, Saga Cruises, a small-ship operator that aims at an over-50 audience, has announced that when it restarts, its ships will require all passengers to have been vaccinated for Covid-19.
Saga, whose operations also include river cruises, vacation packages and travel insurance, says it expects to begin operating hotel stays, escorted tours and river cruises in May, followed in June by two ocean-going ships. Customers will be required to show they have been vaccinated at least two weeks before departure.
A company spokesperson told The Telegraph (UK) that “We have taken the decision to require everyone travelling with us to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Our customers want the reassurance of the vaccine and to know others travelling with them will be vaccinated too.”
The vaccination requirement is on top of the additional health and safety measures that the company, like all cruise operators, is planning to put into effect onboard.
It seems to me that having all one’s customers vaccinated is a far better idea than tests which are only a snapshot in time. While there are no absolute guarantees having everyone in a group (ship, plane, hotel ++) vaccinated will mean many more protected if a case does slip through, the very essence of the exercise. I hope this idea takes hold as soon as possible.