Traveller Comfort for Cruising Increases

Cruising is making a comeback, according to the most recent Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.
“Nineteen percent of survey takers say they feel safer – or much safer – about taking a cruise compared to last year,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Despite 30% of survey respondents experiencing some travel hesitancy about where to go, or when to get back to travel after two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions, the majority of the world’s most experienced travellers (70%) are not experiencing any re-entry to travel anxiety in general or on cruise ships, according to the survey.
Call it boldness or acquiescence, travellers are returning to cruise ships under the watchful eye of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because of potential coronavirus outbreaks.
According to a recent CDC analysis, 91 ships are sailing in U.S waters of which seven reported no cases of coronavirus on board and four reported 0.3% or fewer cases on board. The remaining 80 ships reported 0.3% or more cases on board, triggering a CDC investigation which includes reminding the cruise ships of the CDC’s guidance on preventive measures and possible in-person inspections, passenger testing and mask-wearing requirements.
“I think we’ve gotten to the point where no one expects that they’ll go anywhere and be perfectly insulated from COVID,” said Colleen McDaniel, editor in chief of Cruise Critic.
The survey results are driven by the combination of the majority of foreign borders opening to international travellers, revenge travel, and elevated comfort levels travellers have for taking trips. Eighty-four percent of travellers are less – or much less – concerned about travel today compared to the beginning of the pandemic, according to the survey.
The top travel anxiety continues to be centred on COVID. “Thirty-five percent of travellers say testing positive for COVID-19, having symptoms and being stranded away from home is their biggest fear about international travel,” Richards said. Fifteen percent of travellers say producing a negative COVID-19 test to meet U.S. re-entry requirements is their main concern.
Written by: Bill McIntyre