Swan Hellenic will require valid Covid-19 vaccination as a pre-embarkation medical requirement for all onboard staff and crew.
The Cyprus-headquartered cruise line said vaccinations will be carried out at recruitment centres or in the home countries of the crew members.
It said in a statement: “This decisive action to protect staff and guests on the iconic cultural expedition cruise pioneer’s new ice-class ships completes an industry-leading package of health measures to ensure a safe environment on board.”
It said its fleet of three new ships is being built with the “very latest hygiene technology and to the highest standards”.
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All staff are being trained to implement protocols specified by industry standards and required by authorities at the time of sailing, including routine pre-boarding and on-board tests and sanitising of public areas, staterooms, technical areas and crew and staff quarters.
Andrea Zito, Swan Hellenic chief executive, said: “We are totally committed to the health and peace of mind of our guests and crews, ensuring they can relax and focus entirely on the life-enriching opportunities we offer to see what others don’t.”
The Swan Hellenic brand was relaunched in July 2020 and will have two new expedition cruise ships arriving in November 2021 and April 2022. A larger vessel will be arriving by the end of 2022.
News about the vaccine requirements follows an announcement by over-50s specialist Saga that it is insisting all cruise and holiday customers travelling in 2021 to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 at least 14 days before departure.