The UK Chamber of Shipping has offered a comprehensive set of guidelines in a bid to lay out a roadmap to restart halted cruiseship operations in the country.
The effort comes as the UK government continues to advise against all cruiseship travel, with still no date in site for a resumption of operations in a country whose Southampton port is a key hub for European journeys.
The framework, developed with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), is laid out in three separate documents focused on operators, passengers and seafarers.
The guide for operators lists dozens of recommendations over 26 pages, from social distancing to passenger etiquette to face masks to travel insurance.
The passenger and seafarer documents are much shorter at several pages each but still offer plenty of suggestions on preparing to cruise, dining, entertainment, manning the vessel and so on.
The framework has been shared with UK government after soliciting input from numerous authorities such as cruise lines, ports and Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The UK Department for Transport, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and other agencies also had a hand in developing the guidelines.
"The framework are living breathing documents, but it is up to each operator to develop a suitable risk control strategy for each ship and voyage based on the range of ports, ships, voyages, and operations it provides," spokesman Alastair Clifton told TradeWinds.
UK-based cruise operators include Carnival Corp's Cunard and P&O Cruises as well as Fred Olsen Cruises, Saga Cruises, Majestic Line and Noble Caledonia.
The chamber's framework has led to Carnival brands Cunard and P&O Cruises developing their own Covid-19 safety protocols, to be published soon, brand spokeswoman Michele Andjele said.
"These will be continuously evaluated and adjusted as the scientific understanding of Covid-19 improves so our guests can be sure that they reflect the very latest guidance," she told TradeWinds.
"They will demonstrate our uncompromising commitment to ensuring our guests have the most wonderful holiday with us, with the reassurance that from a public health perspective we are doing the right thing, at all times.
"Although this does not mean an imminent return to service, when the time is right we very much look forward to seeing our guests on board our ships."
Cruising will still be fun
Passengers should still be able to have fun amid myriad Covid-19 safety guidelines, Clifton said without offering any details.
"Cruise guests will continue to be able to enjoy the great experience, which cruise travel provides," Clifton said.
CLIA pointed out that the UK cruise sector employs more than 88,000 people, injects £10bn into the British economy each year.
"The rigour and detailed planning that has gone into these framework documents demonstrates the commitment of the cruise industry to caring for public health and upholding a robust and uniform set of safety measures," Andy Harmer, director of CLIA's UK and Ireland divisions, said.
