Royal Caribbean Group has hired someone to oversee all health concerns and initiatives on its cruise ships, including keeping crew and guests safe from COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the parent company of Royal Caribbean International announced it has hired Dr. Calvin Johnson as the Global Head, Public Health and Chief Medical Officer.

This new role will tackle the needs of the global health and wellness policy, manage its public health and clinical practice, and determine the strategic plans and operations of its global healthcare organization.

In addition, Dr. Johnson will  collaborate with the Healthy Sail Panel to ensure the company establishes and implements its protocols and recommendations. 

Dr. Johnson, most recently Principal at Altre Strategic Solutions Group, is the former Chief Medical Officer for Corizon Health, then the largest provider of correctional health care in the United States, and for Temple University Health System. He served as Secretary of Health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 2003-2008 and was Medical Director for the New York City Department of Health from 1998-1999. He earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a BS in Chemistry from Morehouse College.

Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain commented in a statement on the hiring of Dr. Johnson, "Calvin's extensive experience in public health and clinical care will help us raise the bar on protecting the health of our guests, crew and the communities we serve. Calvin will also work closely with the newly announced Healthy Sail Panel to ensure we establish and implement leading health protocols and procedures."

Dr. Johnson has a strong background in protecting public health through service delivery innovation, policy development and analysis, and leadership training and development. He has successfully led significant response efforts during active infectious disease outbreaks and was responsible for ensuring all aspects of patient care while overseeing a clinical operation with 1,300 caregivers and more than 300,000 individuals.  

This is not the first time Royal Caribbean created a corporate role to address a sudden need to protect guests and crew.

Royal Caribbean created the role of Chief Meteorologist and hired James Van Fleet, following a high profile weather incident involving Anthem of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance work in France.

In addition to the high profile Royal Amplifications, about every 5 years, Royal Caribbean ships undergo routine maintenance to address preventative upkeep of the ship.

Anthem of the Seas is at the Damen Shiprepair Brest, which is located in Brest, France photos of the ship undergoing the work was shared in a Facebook post.

Anthem of the Seas had her maiden voyage in April 2015, and she is due for scheduled maintenance this year.

There are no major aesthetic upgrades to Anthem of the Seas announced, so this is purely a traditional dry dock to take care of "under the hood" work, such as painting and engine work.

The Damen shipyard is no stranger to Royal Caribbean vessels. In October 2014, Oasis of the Seas arrived for maintenance work att their Rotterdam shipyard for a 14-day drydock that focused on modifications to her three Azipod main propulsion units and the four bow thrusters.

In addition, the Kvaerner Masa-Yards (now Meyer Turku) was where Enchantment of the Seas went for her lengthening, where the ship was cut in half and a new section added in the middle.

Last week, Royal Caribbean announced its new approach to the mandatory safety drill aboard cruise ships that seeks to reinvent a traditionally tiresome requirement.

This brand new approach to eMuster was so innovative, that Royal Caribbean actually filed a patent for Muster 2.0, and the patent details a great deal of how it will all work.

In digging through the 9 pages of the patent, I found a few tidbits of interest that did not make the press release.

Muster 2.0 was invented by Royal Caribbean's head of entertainment

Interestingly enough, this new approach to the safety drill was not conceived of by a special blue ribbon panel, tech company or computer named Deep Thought.  Instead, it was the brain child of the same person responsible for creating the shows and live entertainment on the cruise ships.

Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir is listed on the trademark as the inventor of the "Distributed Muster for Ocean-Going Vessels".

Mr. Weir, along with Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Digital Jay Schneider, came up with the eMuster idea and formulated the patent for the new way of providing safety information to passengers.

Royal Caribbean filed for the patent months before the pandemic began

After hearing about Muster 2.0, many people thought this was the perfect solution to a problem that exists in a world affected by a pandemic. Howe ever, the idea came about months before COVID-19 ever got started.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records the patent filed on September 12, 2019 (with the filing approved and issued on March 3, 2020).

This means this revolutionary idea was in the works many months before the cruise industry would be shut down and innovations to promote social distancing were ever needed.

There could be a quiz (so pay attention)

If you think you can start the eMuster app and take a nap while it plays, think again.

The patent paperwork details the functionality behind Muster 2.0, and it sounds like the user could be required to answer a series of questions to ensure they understood what was presented.

Thereafter, as each one of the mobile devices is sensed within the geographically defined area of the corresponding one of the muster locations, a presentation is displayed within the user interface of a set of questions pertaining to the muster drill video in the user interface.  Finally, for each mobile device sensed within the geographically defined area, answers received for the set of questions are scored. 

Optionally, it may be determined that the scored answers for one of the mobile devices exceeds a threshold value, so that a voucher for a reward may be transmitted to the one of the mobile devices.

While taking notes may be overdoing it, you definitely do not want to ignore the important safety information you are hearing on your mobile device or television.

You can ask for help during the drill

No matter how smart or efficient an app Royal Caribbean develops, there are bound to be guests with questions or concerns.

Baked into the logic of Muster.20 is an option for guests to get help and make it easy for the crew to locate these guests.

During the period defined by the timer, a button control is displayed within a user interface of each of the mobile devices . The button control is configured to transmit a message requesting assistance during the muster drill . Consequently, during the muster drill, the message may be received from one of the mobile devices, a position located of the mobile device, and a crew member mobile device nearest to the position identified .

Finally, the position and an identity of a passenger corresponding to the mobile device may be transmitted to the crew member mobile device 

They could send messages to anyone who missed the muster drill

Making the muster drill self-service lead some to wonder what happens to those who skip it in.  While Royal Caribbean has indicated anyone that skips it will still have to do it later, they could also let those naughty people know they are in trouble.

The patent wording says the app has the ability to contact those guests who missed the drill.

Targeted instructions may be transmitted to specific ones of the passengers after the completion of the muster drill

There are a couple ways Royal Caribbean could determine when you complete the drill

How exactly Royal Caribbean (or any cruise line that leverages Muster 2.0) will conduct the new muster drill will depend on the implementation.

After a guest finishes the self-service component, they still need to report to their muster station to satisfy the maritime law requirement that they know where their muster stations is located.

The patent lists a few ways the drill could mark a guest as having successfully completed it. This could allow for different ships in Royal Caribbean's fleet to implement in different ways, or it is accounting for flexibility in how other cruse lines may implement the concept.

Detecting a guest entering the muster station

In this regard, during the period defined by the timer, as each mobile device is sensed within a geographical area corresponding to an assigned one of the muster stations, an entry in the muster drill table is provided indicating that a corresponding one of the passengers has completed muster.

For instance, the mobile device may include short range wireless communications adapted to communicate with a receiver disposed within the geographical area so as to indicate a presence of the mobile device at the assigned one of the muster stations .

Scanning the app in the mobile device

Alternatively, a bar code displayed in the user interface can be scanned at a kiosk disposed within the assigned one of the muster stations. 

Scanning the SeaPass card

As yet another alternative, an identification card or bracelet can be scanned at a kiosk within the assigned one of the muster stations. 

Are you thinking about buying WiFi access on your Royal Caribbean cruise, but wondering if it is worth it?

Royal Caribbean sells onboard internet access (known as Voom Internet) that is good for the duration of your cruise, but is it a good idea to buy a plan for your sailing?

Royal Caribbean's onboard internet is effectively the only option for being connected while at sea (you definitely do not want to be roaming with your cell phone on your ship), but some people opt to forgo the internet all together in an effort to disconnect from the world during their vacation.

For those that do purchase a package, the experience can very depending on the ship, location, and other factors.

If you are wondering how well (or not well) Royal Caribbean's wifi performs, here is what you should know before you buy.

What does Royal Caribbean wifi get you access to?

When you buy an internet package for your cruise, you'll be able to connect to the internet for things like web surfing, email, social media, video streaming and more.

We haven't seen Royal Caribbean filter out any content, but then again, we haven't tried to accessing nefarious websites.

Please note that you do not need to buy an internet package to use Royal Caribbean's app. Access to the app is free without an internet package.

How much does wifi cost on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Royal Caribbean offers two tiers of WiFi packages on its cruise ships: Surf or Surf & Stream.

Surf & Stream internet access is the faster option, and allows for internet access without any hindering of the connection.  The regular Surf package throttles the connection down so that it can only be used for basic internet usage, and not streaming of any kind.

In addition, you can choose between a 24-hour pass (only available onboard) or unlimited use packages. The unlimited plans are sold onboard, or online.

Here is a look at onboard pricing for Voom packages:

Royal Caribbean sometimes offers WiFi packaged with other popular cruise add-ons, such as an unlimited drink package or The Key.  

You should also be aware complimentary WiFi access is provided to all guests in Star or Sky Class suites on Oasis Class or Quantum Class ships only. Suite guests on other ships do not get free internet access.

You will almost always find deeper discounts offered before the cruise on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site. If you know you want to buy internet for your cruise, be sure to pre-purchase it online.

Voom internet performance

While Royal Caribbean's onboard internet prices are reasonably priced, the real question is how well does it work.

A number of factors can influence how fast the ship's internet is, including how many guests are using it, natural barriers and the ship's latitude. Internet is transmitted over satellite, so it is not perfect or exactly like at home, but for ship internet it is usually pretty good and often better than hotel internet.

Royal Caribbean labels its onboard internet access as Voom, and says it is the fastest internet at sea.  Depending on the ship you sail on, this promise is sometimes true.

Freedom, Oasis and Quantum class use newer satellite technology, which means better speeds overall and you will likely find it performing well.

Older ships use older satellite technology.  You can still stream but will likely see some more buffering at times on the older ships. 

How do I get free wifi on Royal Caribbean?

If you just want to use the Royal Caribbean app, you can connect to the "royal-wifi" network and use the app without any extra cost.

However, there is no free wifi for access the regular internet, including email, social media or anything else online.

As mentioned before, if you are in a Sky Class or Star Class suite on an Oasis or Quantum Class ship, then wifi access is free for all suite guests. Each guest will get a single device Surf and Stream package with their own login.

Your best bet to get free wifi would be to wait until you get to a port of call on your cruise and try finding free internet access at a shop or bar.

The future: Starlink?

Something to keep an eye on is a potential partnership between Royal Caribbean and Starlink.

Royal Caribbean is testing SpaceX's Starlink internet aboard Freedom of the Seas presumably as a real-world sample case for expanding the service to other cruise ships.

In limited testing, the speeds Starlink provide are substantially faster than anything Royal Caribbean had offered on its ships in the past.

Royal Caribbean has not publicly commented on if Starlink will be added to other ships, or even if a deal will be signed between the two companies.

If Starlink does make its way on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, it has the potential to bring the kind of internet speeds we are used to on land to a cruise ship.

Is a Voom package worth it?

In general, Royal Caribbean's internet works just fine for basic web browsing, email and even keeping up with social media.

There are many factors that impact the speeds of internet access, but I generally find it more useful than not to have purchased internet access.  For most people's needs, Royal Caribbean's wifi works quite well.

You should expect periodic slow downs due to weather, location on the ship, and how many other people are using the internet at that time. Moreover, speeds are better on some ships than others, but a good rule of thumb is the newer the ship, the better the performance.

Considering how incredibly expensive cell phone roaming can be on a ship, as well as spotty internet access in places your ship may visit, buying a Royal Caribbean internet package is the easiest way to stay connected while on your ship, and it works fine most of the time.

Do you think Royal Caribbean's WiFi is worth it? Tell us why in the comments!

On Friday, German cruise line TUI Cruises started cruising once again and it might offer a preview of what a Royal Caribbean could look like when they restart.

Royal Caribbean is a 50% owner of a joint venture that operates TUI Cruises, and the Mein Schiff 2 set sail on Friday with about 1,200 passengers onboard.

The ship sailed with about 60% capacity onboard in order to promote social distancing, a concept Royal Caribbean has said they will initially implement on its ships when they start sailing again.

USA Today reported passengers and crew onboard are required to stay five  feet away or wear protective masks and won’t serve themselves at the ship’s buffet. All passengers filled out a health questionnaire before boarding and had temperature checks.

In addition, TUI Group (parent company to TUI Cruises) noted they had "implemented comprehensive health and safety protocols on board."

The itinerary for this sailing was a departure from Hamburg, Germany that would sail to no ports, before returning to Germany on Monday. This is an intentional move to stick to short and restrictive sailings.

Germany is now in the process of reopening its economy, with strict guidelines on social distancing, mask use and personal hygiene measures.

When Royal Caribbean announced its blue ribbon panel of health experts, it promised to deliver a new set of the best guidelines for keeping passengers and crew safe during a cruise.

The primary concern for so many cruisers is what exactly will the panel address, and what sort of policies will they come up with so that cruises can resume.

While Royal Caribbean has not divulged much information about the work the panel is engaged in, we do know some key areas to expect answers about once they deliver their recommendations.

Enhanced embarkation screening

Prior to cruises shutting down in March, we got a small taste of what to expect in the pre-cruise check-in area.

Royal Caribbean implemented mandatory temperature checks for all guests, and we should expect enhanced embarkation screening, temperature screenings, testing options for guests and crew going forward.

Another idea being considered is staggered embarkation and check-in to spread out guests on the first day of the cruise.

Social distancing on the ships

A major change that could be coming to cruise ships is social distancing, and this could come in a variety of forms.

Initially, Royal Caribbean expects to reduce the overall guest capacity on board their cruise ships to make social distancing easier, although this will not be permanent. This means ships would sail intentionally with less guests than its capacity.

The panel is exploring other options for social distancing, including reduced capacity at dining and other public venues, and the addition of more options for entertainment such as additional show times to allow for social distancing.

What if potential cases arise on a cruise ship?

While the primary intention is to create policies that totally prevent the spread of any disease on its ships, the reality is Royal Caribbean will need to come up with a plan to deal with any new cases that occur onboard.

The panel will be working closely with the governments and ports the ships visit around the world to establish plans and protocols for the resumption of cruises, including protocols to deal with COVID-19 cases that arise.

The Healthy Sail Panel will address this in its recommendations.

What if cruises resume and the recommended protocols fail?

Any good plan needs a "worst case scenario" contingency, and Royal Caribbean is no different.  Whatever the Healthy Sail Panel comes up with is based on theoretical plans, and how well it works onboard will not be known until cruises restart.

The goal of the Healthy Sail Panel is to provide a robust and comprehensive set of protocols and recommendations to cover many different possible scenarios and minimize risk.

In the unfortunate event that a situation arises, the cruise operators are committed to quickly addressing any issues and developing appropriate solutions. The main priority will remain the health and safety of guests and crew, and the communities Royal Caribbean visits, and the cruise line will act accordingly.

How long will the panel be working on addressing new challenges?

The timeline of the panel and their work seems to indicate they will be around for a while to troubleshoot issues as they appear.

The initial contract that the panel members signed is for two years, and the expert panel will work together as long as necessary.

After the fleets return to service, Gov. Leavitt and Dr. Gottlieb will continue to assist the companies in evolving their approaches as new insights emerge. Royal Caribbean will continue to evolve protocols and standards as appropriate.

How much of an increase will there be to onboard medical teams?

In order to properly implement these new protocols, as well as properly tackle any onboard situations, an enhanced medical presence onboard cruise ships could be part of the plan.

Royal Caribbean is evaluating numerous options to increase resources in terms of both personnel and equipment for the onboard medical centers.

The addition of new or enhanced protocols could result in the need to hire additional crew, including crew members with specialized expertise and training. This will depend on the final protocols and what will be needed to implement them.

Will we need to wear masks on a cruise?

Perhaps no single topic is of higher interest in the short-term than if guests will have to wear masks during a cruise, and there is no clear answer yet.

Royal Caribbean wants to deliver the same core guest experience that makes cruising so popular, but with an adapted format.

"With the gradual reopening of other leisure experiences, consumers are having to adapt to the new normal and cruising will be no different."

Once the panel makes their recommendations, we will know if masks will be part of the overall approach.

Disinfection protocols

It is very likely we will see new means of which to sanitize the ship, based on comments from various Royal Caribbean executives.

Enhanced sanitization and disinfection protocols, upgraded air filtration, social distancing, reduced occupancy, and changes to dining and other initiatives are just some of the proposed changes onboard.

The use of technology is going to play a key role, such as UV light.

Fate of the buffet

There has been quite a lot of discussion related to if there will be a buffet still on cruise ships once they resume sailings, and it looks like the buffet will remain, albeit with some changes.

While the Windjammer buffet will be there, how it operates is still up in the air. Royal Caribbean has worked through a few different scenarios, from employee service to individual portions to individual tongs for self-service, to finger koozies that you can pick up hot dishes with that can be washed and sanitized.

Thus far guests should expect the Windjammer to remain, but with some different service steps to ensure healthy service.

The crew

Just like guests, keeping crew members safe is going to be part of the Healthy Sail Panel's recommendations.

Royal Caribbean will take additional measures to ensure the protection of their crew, so expect new protocols to be part of the overall new plan.

Happy Sunday! We hope you are having a great weekend! Now it’s time to sit back, relax, and catch up on all the Royal Caribbean news from the week!

Cruisers were happy to hear this week that Royal Caribbean has reimagined the muster drill with a new electronic version.

Dubbed "Muster 2.0", this new safety drill approach will not only promote social distancing, but will also make the safety drill process a heck of a lot more convenient for guests.

Instead of standing in line at the muster station to listen for instructions, guests will be able to do much of the drill from their mobile device or stateroom television, and then simply report to their muster station to complete the process.

Royal Caribbean News

• The ability to cancel cruises with no penalty, as well as Lift & Shift, has been extended.
• Richard Fain commented the situation in the United States is "embarassing" compared to the rest of the world.
• The CDC wants feedback from the public on how cruises should restart.
• Top 10 questions about the new Muster 2.0 process.
• CLIA wants cruise lines to work closer with CDC to resume cruises.
• The Bahamas announced it has closed its borders to cruise ships.
• Refunds are flowing quite quickly now for guests with cancelled cruises.
• We looked back on the significant role Sovereign of the Seas played in changing the cruise industry.
• Here are some top things that are totally worth paying extra for on a cruise.
• Families can play a video game at home, directly ported from Adventure Ocean.
• Which is the best Royal Caribbean cruise ship?
• Ever wondered why the CDC regulates cruise ships?

Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast

The 364th episode of the Royal Caribbean Blog Podcast is now available, where Steve shares a story about his big win(s) in Casino Royale.

Anytime you go to the casino, you dream of winning it big, but it rarely happens. This week, Steve shares how he won three different jackpots on one cruise!

Please feel free to subscribe via iTunes or RSS, and head over to rate and review the podcast on iTunes if you can! We’d appreciate it.

New RCB Video: 50 Royal Caribbean tips you should know in 10 minutes

Have you subscribed to the Royal Caribbean Blog YouTube Channel? We share some great videos there regularly, all about taking a Royal Caribbean cruise! This week, we are sharing our latest video — 50 Royal Caribbean tips you should know in 10 minutes — and don’t forget to subscribe here.

What needs to happen before cruises can start again

The big question on everyone's mind is when will cruises actually start again, but first a few things need to happen first.

While the answer is nobody knows when it may happen, there are some important steps that need to occur first in order for Royal Caribbean and other lines to start up again.

The general public is not privy to every single step that may need to occur, but there are some big tasks remaining in the way of cruise ships welcoming guests back onboard.

Did you hear Royal Caribbean completely changed the muster drill by going with a new electronic safety drill?

Royal Caribbean unveiled its Muster 2.0 innovation that will allow guests to conduct the muster drill on their own via mobile devices instead of standing in a line at the muster station.

With a fundamental change this significant, there are a few questions about how it will all work, and here are the answers to the most common questions cruisers have been asking since the big announcement.

What is the difference between Muster 2.0 and the old muster drill?

In the traditional muster drill, guests would have to report to their muster station and stand in large groups prior to the ship departing.

With Muster 2.0, guests: 

• are provided with an efficient, convenient way to complete the required safety drill
• receive the information in a more individual setting using personal mobile devices or the interactive stateroom TV
• have the flexibility to complete the safety drill at their own leisure in a four-hour window of time, before the ship departs.

How does Muster 2.0 work?

There are four basic steps to how eMuster will function:

1. Review safety information in the mobile app or interactive stateroom TV, and acknowledge completion
2. Visit assigned assembly station and scan in using your stateroom key
3. At the assembly station, a crew member will verify the safety information was completed and be available to answer questions individually
4. Listen to the emergency signal in the mobile app or interactive TV, and when the captain demonstrates the signal before the ship sets sail

You will not need internet access in order to access Muster 2.0. The mobile app uses the ship’s WIFI without the purchase of an internet package.

What if I don't have a mobile device?

You do not need to have a mobile device, as you can complete Muster 2.0 using their interactive stateroom TV.

How will Royal Caribbean know if a guest has not completed the muster drill?

Both the mobile app and interactive stateroom TVs integrate with ship systems that monitor completion of the drill.

If a guest does not complete the muster drill, the guest will be contacted by a ship officer and asked to complete the safety drill. If they do not comply, they will be asked to disembark the ship.

Will children be required to complete Muster 2.0?

Yes, guests of all ages are required to complete Muster 2.0 to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone on board.

Are there multiple blocks of time to complete Muster 2.0 or does everyone have the same window of time?

Guests will be able to review the information at their own time, at any point from the time they arrive on board until sail away, eliminating the need for the traditional large group assemblies.

With Muster 2.0, everyone will have a four-hour window to complete the drill checklist via the mobile app or their interactive stateroom television. 

Is Muster 2.0 be available on all Royal Caribbean ships?

Yes, Muster 2.0 is be available on all Royal Caribbean International ships.

It will also be available on sister brands of Celebrity Cruises and Azamara ships, excluding Celebrity Cruises’ Galapagos-based ships — Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Expedition and Celebrity Exploration.

Guests mustering on their own may take elevators to their muster station, how do you ensure they know how to arrive to their station via safe pathways in case of an emergency?

Royal Caribbean Group ships equipped with the mobile app will have dynamic walking maps directing guests to their assembly stations using the safest pathways.

How will I know when I can start doing Muster 2.0 once onboard?

Guests will receive notifications/reminders from crew and electronically to ensure they have completed the safety drill before the window of time has closed.

What is the difference between Muster 2.0 and eMuster?

Royal Caribbean says Muster 2.0 is the overall brand for the new approach to the guest safety drill, whereas eMuster is the name of the technology behind the scenes that enables guests to receive the safety information individually via their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs. 

Other questions

Do you still have a question about how Muster 2.0 will work? Share your concerns and inquiries in the comments!

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) wants to hear from people and organizations comments and questions about cruise lines resuming passenger operations.

The Federal organization has filed a new opportunity for the public to comment and submit questions that the CDC will use in formulating a new policy for cruise ships.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces a Request for Information related to cruise ship planning and infrastructure, resumption of passenger operations, and additional summary questions. This information may be used to inform future public health guidance and preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships.

The CDC recently extended its "No Sail" order through the end of September, and it now requests comments from the public that will be used to inform future public health guidance and preventative measures relating to travel on cruise ships.

Specific questions

The CDC wants public participation specifically on the following topics:

1. Given the challenges of eliminating COVID-19 on board cruise ships while operating with reduced crew on board during the period of the April 15, 2020 No Sail Order Extension, what methods, strategies, and practices should cruise ship operators implement to prevent COVID-19 transmission when operating with passengers?

2. How should cruise ship operators bolster their internal public health programs with public health experts and invest in a robust public health infrastructure to ensure compliance with measures to detect, prevent, and control the spread of COVID-19?

3. How should cruise ship operators ensure internal public health programs Start Printed Page 44084are involved in all levels of decision-making processes relating to passenger and crew operations, crew welfare and mental health, occupational health, food safety, potable and recreational water safety, outbreak prevention and management response, and illness surveillance?

4. What is the feasibility of conducting COVID-19 diagnostic testing using FDA-approved or authorized laboratory tests on board a cruise ship?

a. Should specimens be tested on board or should specimens be collected on board for commercial testing onshore?

b. How frequently should cruise ship operators test all passengers and crew?

c. What would be the anticipated financial cost of testing all passengers and crew?

5. Because reports of illness may lead to restrictions on crew activities, how should cruise ship operators encourage crew members to report mild symptoms of COVID-like illness to medical personnel?

a. How should cruise ship operators encourage medical personnel to report these cases to CDC?

6. What should be the medical capacity to manage an outbreak or a severe case of COVID-19 on board the ship?

a. What arrangements should cruise ship operators have with private companies to transport and obtain medical care shoreside for passengers and crew with severe COVID-19?

7. What pre-arrangements should be made to ensure that all U.S. seaport communities will accept a returning ship after a COVID-19 outbreak is identified?

8. What plans should cruise ship operators have for operationalizing shoreside quarantine facilities in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak on board a ship, without exposing the public and without relying on Federal, State, or local resources?

9. Due to obstacles with commercial travel thus far, what pre-arrangements should cruise ship operators make with the airline industry to accept crew and passengers from ships not affected by COVID-19?

10. How should cruise ship operators address specific country travel restrictions that emerge as COVID-19 activity increases in geographical areas, such as

a. border closures preventing passengers and crew from repatriating?

b. seaport closures preventing porting of ships?

c. embarking passengers originating from countries with heightened COVID-19 activity?

11. What measures should cruise ship operators be required to take to reduce the burden on U.S. government resources if foreign seaports deny cruise ships the ability to come into port during a voyage?

12. Given difficulties cruise ship operators have experienced when repatriating crew via non-commercial transportation, what preparations should the industry make to repatriate passengers or crew via non-commercial transportation after COVID-19 is identified on board?

13. What innovations should cruise ship operators develop to reduce transmission of COVID-19 on board ships and how would these innovations be effective?

14. Should cruise ship operators implement other interventions to decrease or prevent the spread of COVID-19 on board ships?

15. What evidence of efficacy or other rationale exists for any public health interventions that cruise ship operators propose to take on board ships?

16. What steps should cruise ship operators take to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 onto ships after resuming passenger operations?

a. Should cruise ship operators deny boarding to passengers with COVID-like illness or confirmed infection with COVID-19?

b. Should cruise ship operators deny boarding to passengers with known exposure to a person with COVID-19 during the previous 14 days?

c. What methods should cruise ship operators use to screen for exposures and detect COVID-like illness in passengers seeking to board the ship?

d. Should cruise ship operators deny boarding to passengers coming from COVID-19 high-incidence geographic areas?

e. How should cruise ship operators manage embarking crew with COVID-like illness, known exposure, or coming from high-incidence geographic areas after resuming passenger operations?

f. Should cruise ship operators test passengers and crew pre-boarding? If yes, what should the testing protocol be?

g. Should cruise ship operators transport and house passengers and crew denied boarding at the seaport to avoid exposing the public?

17. Should cruise ship operators plan to reduce passenger and crew loads to decrease the risk of transmission on board the ship?

a. To what extent and for how long should cruise ship operators reduce passenger capacity?

b. To what extent might reducing passenger capacity affect the economic viability of cruise lines?

c. Should cruise ship operators be required to provide scientific evidence that reducing passenger capacity will prevent transmission on board?

18. Should cruise ship operators decrease the length of voyages and, if so, by how much?

a. How would decreasing the length of voyages affect the transmission of COVID-19 on board the ship and in U.S. communities?

b. Should cruise ship operators be required to provide scientific evidence that reducing length of voyages would decrease the risk of further introduction of COVID-19 to U.S. communities?

19. Should cruise ship operators limit shore excursions?

a. What precautions should cruise ship operators take during shore excursions to prevent passengers and crew from being exposed to COVID-19?

b. During shore excursions, how should cruise ship operators prevent transmission of COVID-19 into land-based communities?

20. Should cruise ship operators restrict the number of persons per room (e.g., maximum capacity of 2 adults per cabin)?

a. Should cruise ship operators be required to provide single-occupancy rooms with private bathrooms for crew after resuming passenger operations?

21. What mental health services should cruise ship operators provide to crew and passengers during quarantine or isolation?

22. What precautions should the cruise line industry take to safely disembark passengers and crew without transmitting COVID-19 into local seaport communities?

23. Should the cruise line industry immediately cancel cruise voyages if COVID-19 cases are identified on board or after disembarkation?

24. Because of the economic costs associated with cruising, some cruise ship passengers may be reluctant to cancel travel plans if they become ill or are exposed to COVID-19 or may try to hide symptoms of illness. Should cruise ship operators fully refund or provide incentives to passengers that:

a. Are denied boarding due to COVID-like illness symptoms, confirmed infection, or known exposure?

b. are denied boarding due to coming from high-incidence geographic areas?

c. request last-minute cancellations due to COVID-19 concerns?

25. Due to the costs associated with seeking medical care on board, and the likelihood that sick passengers will be isolated and their travel companions quarantined for the remainder of their voyage, how should cruise ship operators encourage passengers to notify the medical center when they experience COVID-19 symptoms?

26. How should cruise ship operators decrease or eliminate the risk for COVID-19 transmission for both passengers and crew in the following group settings?

a. Embarkation and disembarkation?

b. Safety drills and trainings?

c. Dining?

d. Onboard entertainment events?

e. Shore excursions?

27. What benefits can be expected in terms of averted deaths and illnesses and how does this compare to the expected financial costs of the above measures?

28. Should cruise ship operators be required to designate a responsible company official who will accept legal responsibility for failure to implement measures to protect public health?

How to submit comments or questions to the CDC

You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CDC-2020-0087 by any of the following methods listed below.

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail: Maritime Unit, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS V18-2, Atlanta, GA 30329.

CDC does not accept comment by email.

Written comments must be received on or before September 21, 2020.

Royal Caribbean announced a new way for guests to conduct the cruise ship safety drill by digital app, which will help with promoting social distancing onboard.

Known as Muster 2.0, the cruise line revealed its plans on Friday to implement a new way to conduct the mandatory guests safety drill, known as the muster drill. 

The rollout of these reimagined safety drills will debut in Germany this week on board Royal Caribbean Group’s joint venture, TUI Cruises GmbH, and continue in Royal Caribbean Group’s return to service. 

In order to comply with maritime law, passengers on an ocean-going vessel must be aware of what to do for a response to an emergency condition onboard.

How it works

With Muster 2.0, the new tech will be used to help provide the information to guests via their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs.

Travelers will be able to review the information at their own time prior to setting sail, eliminating the need for the traditional large group assemblies. 

After reviewing safety information individually, guests will complete the drill by visiting their assigned assembly station, where a crew member will verify that all steps have been completed and answer questions. Each of the steps will need to be completed prior to the ship’s departure, as required by international maritime law.

One on the cruise ship, guests have a set time (indicated by a timer in the app) during which muster drill must be completed by all of the passengers and, in response, a message is transmitted to each mobile device that the muster drill has commenced.

As well, subsequent to a lapsing of the timer, a listing is displayed of any passenger not recorded as having completed the muster drill.

Muster 2.0 was first tested on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas in January 2020. Guests who took part in the mock process indicated a strong preference for the new approach and also reported better comprehension and retention of the safety information.

Solving a problem

For many cruise passengers, the muster drill is viewed as a necessary annoyance.

Traditionally, in the context of a passenger cruise ship, a muster drill is performed at the beginning of the cruise before the cruise ship departs or shortly thereafter. During the muster drill, each individual passenger reports to an assigned muster station—a specific location on the vessel. A crew member then confirms the presence of each passenger expected to be present at the specific location during the muster drill so that all passengers may be accounted for in the event of an actual emergency and a resultant actual muster.

Further, the muster drill can be confusing for some—particularly the elderly and children—both of whom often require additional assistance locating and moving towards assigned muster stations.

For crew members, trying to perform the drill with thousands of guests may create unnecessary confusion or missed opportunities to educate and inform, in light of the ultimate goal.

Moreover, an electronic muster drill would potentially allow guests to conduct the safety drill at their leisure during the first day, and while maintaining proper social distancing. 

The inventor of Muster 2.0 is Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Entertainment, Nick Weir, who is listed as the inventor on the patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Royal Caribbean applied for a patent on the concept in September 2019, and the application was granted on March 3, 2020.

An innovation for everyone

Despite Muster 2.0 being a proprietary invention of Royal Caribbean is offering to license the patented technology to interested cruise operators and will waive patent license fees during the time the world and industry battle the global pandemic.

Patent licenses have already been granted to the company’s joint venture, TUI Cruises GmbH, as well as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.