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Cruise leaders call for clarity on sail restart date


Travel Weekly reporters


est to release’ as but awaits details


This is a turning


point. The government listened to us about home testing, which is essential for this to work


stage which is lateral flow testing”, but the tests are “not quite there”. The announcement was broadly


welcomed. Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee hailed it as “a much-needed boost” and Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade called it “hugely welcome”. However, Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, labelled the recommendations “tardy, incomplete” and “only a small step”. An airline source said: “It’s a


huge step. The government listened to us about home testing, which is essential to get this to work. The policy must have flexibility and they


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listened to that as well. They’ve not prescribed the type of test. “It’s a turning point, but it’s a long


road ahead. The preparation time is beyond tight. “The key thing is to get sight of


the approved list of providers and the criteria. There is a lot of work to do.” An aviation source said: “It’s


likely to be PCR tests for now. [But] Shapps implied there will be rapid testing by January, which shows they will be flexible. It will be home testing and a lot of questions come with that. We’ll have tests posted during the Christmas mail. “There are kinks to iron out, but it’s


a step forward. They’re pinning a lot of hopes on the Liverpool trial. If that works they can open up a lot more.” Israel, Sri Lanka, Uruguay,


Rwanda and the US Virgin Islands were among countries added to the


travel corridors list from Saturday. i Get Social, page 25 i Business, back page


The government has been urged to provide more clarity on when ex-UK cruises may be able to resume, with Clia saying there was “no certainty” in the Global Travel Taskforce’s report. The report said the resumption


of cruises had been delayed following “a significant rise in Covid-19 cases in the UK and abroad” and that “it was rightly considered that now is not the right time to see the resumption of cruise operations from the UK”. Foreign Office advice against


seagoing cruise travel remains in place and the report said the resumption of cruise, when permitted, would start with UK round-trip itineraries for UK residents only, while noting the sector was keen to quickly progress to European ports of call before a full restart of global cruising. It said it may consider easing


guidance against cruising when the national Covid-19 level is at level 3 and heading towards level 2 but did not commit to the approach. The report added that lines


must also demonstrate compliance with Clia protocols to resume, including committing to accepting responsibility for repatriation. Clia, in a statement with


the UK Chamber of Shipping, welcomed the government’s “broad commitment to restarting the cruise sector” but stressed “there is still no certainty” about when it could restart.


26 NOVEMBER 2020 5 “The government must now


set a timeline to safely start domestic cruises in early 2021, and international cruises to destinations for which travel corridors are open from spring 2021,” it said. “The government must


also remove the outdated Foreign Office travel advice on international cruising,” it added. P&O Cruises extended its


suspension of sailings to April 2021 on Tuesday. President Paul Ludlow said the decision was “prudent” given “the ever-changing guidance around international travel and the varying regulations in many European ports.” Fellow Carnival brands


Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Seabourn also extended their pauses in operations. Phil Nuttall, chief executive


of The Travel Village, said it was “unacceptable” that government can “wax lyrical” about its vaccination programme without giving a cruise restart date. His agency has taken all sailings departing before May off sale.


P&O’s Aurora


PICTURE: Shutterstock


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