Virgin Voyages Will Require Vaccinations for All Sailors and Crew
Tom McAlpin, president and CEO of the new cruise line, Virgin Voyages, was interviewed today on Good Morning America. McAlpin expressed the excitement for the brand to finally launch once it gets the green light from the CDC. During the interview, he also announced that Virgin Voyages will require vaccinations for all crew and guests.
McAlpin stated it was encouraging that all adults in the United States could have access to the vaccine by May. With safety and security being the number one priority, Virgin feels that this requirement is the “right thing to do to create a safe environment”. Virgin Voyages is an 18+ cruise line; therefore, the brand does not have to worry about children being ineligible for the vaccine at this time.
While the vaccine will be an additional requirement, Virgin Voyages has previously announced its Voyage Well program. This program details the cruise line’s health and safety protocols for before, during, and after the cruise.
Virgin Voyages will have increased sanitation measures in place onboard Scarlet Lady. It will also provide 100% fresh air in all cabins and public venues with the use of its HVAC system. Not to mention, Virgin Voyages has a high percentage of balcony cabins allowing for even more fresh air. Further, the ship has the AtmosAir Solutions air purification system that has been shown to kill 99.9% of viruses.
To allow for increased passenger space, Virgin Voyages will be limiting guest capacity on Scarlet Lady when she first sets sail. The brand will also implement many contactless measures through the use of technology.
Guests and crew will also undergo testing for COVID-19 before boarding the ship, as well as if they become symptomatic during a voyage. He indicated that testing is a phased approach and will hopefully “go away with time”.
Virgin Voyages has currently cancelled all sailings through the end of June. Though, an official start date was not provided during this morning’s interview.
Stay up to date with the latest cruise news.
Comments
What do you think of the news that Virgin Voyages will require vaccinations? Do you have a cruise planned with the brand? Drop us an anchor below to share your thoughts on vaccine requirements for mainstream cruise lines.
