Cruise ship travel in Africa has been at a standstill for eighteen months, but that’s about to change. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, cruise companies once again have permission to operate within vital port countries.
African cruises will start again in November, bringing significant tourism money back into the region. This is welcome news for countries that have struggled economically during the pandemic.
The biggest family-owned cruise company globally, MSC Cruises, aims to restart its normal operations in South Africa. This plan will make South Africa the first country on the continent to benefit from the industry once again.
Kenya’s biggest cruise ship terminal, which has lain dormant, will also reopen for business.
Earlier in the year, Kenyan authorities expected six ships to use the port. However, cruise companies canceled those trips.
Leaders at MSC Cruises explained that company policies allowed a successful resumption of service in Europe.
Its data shows that cruises between Europe, North America, and the Middle East operated safely. Dozens of thousands of passengers have experienced relaxing, uneventful cruises since August.
MSC Cruises has agreed to share its data about health and safety with the South African government. Government authorities in South Africa are eager to work with the cruise industry to keep passengers and citizens as safe as possible.
Soon, MSC Cruises will release its new trip schedule.
Of course, post-Coronavirus cruising won’t look quite the same as pre-Coronavirus cruising. As a leader in the cruise industry, MSC Cruises has set up numerous new safety protocols. These measures follow the legal requirements of involved nations.
New cruise regulations from the South African government are relatively easy to employ: Each passenger must participate in a COVID-19 screening and antigen test before their ship embarks. Additionally, passengers will have to do screenings before entering dining rooms or entertainment areas.
If a passenger shows signs of COVID-19, they must go to an isolation cabin while the crew engages in contact tracing. Cruise enthusiasts who leave the ship during stops must do COVID-19 screenings when exiting and reentering the vessel.