Clia believes a new framework document designed to steer the resumption of UK cruising is “a step towards getting Foreign Office advice changed”.
The association’s UK & Ireland chairman Tony Roberts said: “It’s not a signal that cruising is returning but it’s a sign that we’ve got in place a really strong framework for our return.”
He added that the new recommendations should “give confidence to travel advisors who sell cruise and give confidence to their customers”.
Roberts, vice-president UK & Europe for Princess Cruises, said: “There’s a huge amount of pent-up demand and consumers are looking for that indication that they can start to plan their holidays again. This should give them that, and our agent partners will start to see an increase in demand and bookings.”
Commenting on the likelihood of the government lifting its current advice against ocean cruising, Roberts said: “The government aren’t putting a timescale on that, and we aren’t either. But they are aware of the need to protect jobs in our industry.
“Clearly it’s a balancing act with public health so it’s difficult to predict when it’s right to return to cruising, but the fact that we’ve collaborated with operations, medical and maritime parties – and government – should give confidence.”
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Andy Harmer, Clia senior vice-president of membership and UK & Ireland director, said: “We have been working collaboratively over the last four or five months as an industry with experts from the Chamber of Shipping, Cruise Britain, Maritime UK and the British Ports Authority to develop this framework for the safe return of cruise.
“It’s been led by the Department of Transport but has involved most other government departments.
“We’ve taken a risk-based approach which will allows the cruise lines to go off and develop their own policies in detail. The industry has taken a very comprehensive approach to keep guests well and that’s been recognised and commended by the government, which is such an important first step towards the resumption of cruise.”
He added: “We continue to talk to government on a daily basis. They realise the importance of cruising to the British economy and jobs in the travel trade.”
Harmer added that the framework had taken some time to develop because of the “ever-changing situation”.
“It’s taken a while because the science and the medical advice that sits behind everything that we’re doing is evolving all the time. But we have seen the safe resumption of cruising in the Mediterranean – albeit on a small scale – which is very encouraging,” he said.
Roberts said the framework would continue to evolve and would be influenced by “the broader situation” such as “R-rates, infection increases and lockdown measures”.
Harmer said details of the framework would be communicated to all Clia members in the coming days. Clia will also host a webinar next week to allow agents to ask questions about the document and the safe resumption of cruise.
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