With the outbreak of coronavirus rising to 106,893 confirmed cases and over 3,600 deaths worldwide, many are reconsidering international travel. With this, the world of cruising is at a standstill, and many are debating whether or not they should cancel their cruise. If you have an upcoming cruise vacation, here’s what you should know.
Seven Things To Consider Before Canceling Your Cruise
1. What Preventative Measures Are Cruise Lines Taking?
With some cruises suffering outbreaks and forced into quarantine at sea, many cruise liners are exercising a high level of precaution onboard. Because of this, passengers who have recently been in or been in close proximity to anyone who has been in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Iran, South Korea and Italy will not be allowed on the cruise. This also extends to anyone showing signs of sickness, especially flu-like symptoms. Additionally, disinfection and sterilization procedures of public areas have been upped a notch and are monitored regularly.
2. Where Are You Going?
A big part of what gives a cruise potential for an outbreak is where it’s headed. Be sure to check with the CDC on where they are currently advising against non-essential travel. If you are travelling to or porting from an infected area, i.e. a Mediterranean cruise porting out of Italy, we recommend reconsidering your travel plans or requesting an exchange for a different itinerary.
3. Are You At Risk?
Consider whether or not you are at a higher risk of developing the coronavirus before boarding your ship. For example, if you are an adult over the age of 40, you may be at a higher risk of developing the virus. In addition to age, pre-existing conditions play a role as well. If you have a medical condition such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease, you may want to reconsider cruising.
4. What You Can Do To Ease Your Worries
An essential part of lowering your risk of coronavirus on a cruise is hygiene. While on board, we recommend keeping hand sanitizer on you at all times and sticking to flu-like preventions. This includes avoiding close contact with anyone showing signs of sickness, avoid unnecessary touching of your face and washing hands for at least 20 seconds regularly. We also recommend bringing your own disinfectant wipes to add an extra level of comfort in public areas.
5. Will You Be Able To Enjoy Your Vacation?
Before boarding your cruise, ask yourself if you will be able to enjoy your vacation. If the answer is yes, and you are okay with exercising more precaution, then we recommend going ahead with the trip. Chances are, tourist sites will be much less crowded than usual, and there will be plenty of opportunities to look at the silver lining.
6. Consider Delaying Your Cruise
If you don’t want to call it quits just yet, consider delaying your cruise. Because of the worldwide impact of coronavirus, many cruise lines are implementing liberal policies regarding cancellation, exchanges and delays. If you are concerned about an outbreak onboard or visiting a potentially risky area, you may want to ask about delaying your cruise to a later date.
7. Talk To Your Cruiseline
At the very least, if you are concerned about your health and unsure what to do, talk to your cruise line. Ask them directly what they are doing to prevent the spread of the virus and lessen the chance of an outbreak of coronavirus of the cruise. Allow them to explain what measures they are taking for disinfection and potentially risky passengers. Afterwards, evaluate the risk and decide whether or not you would like to go on the cruise. Remember to prioritize your health (and the health of others) first.
For more information on the coronavirus, you can head here. Be sure to check with local and national health services to keep up to date on risk and preventative measures regarding travel and day to day life.
