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NCLH - Crew - Communication - Info - & - FAQs - October2020 PDF
NCLH - Crew - Communication - Info - & - FAQs - October2020 PDF
We hope this communication finds you and your families healthy and well. We’ve heard from many of you in
the last several months and we continue to be humbled by your resilience and commitment to re -join our
ships when operations resume. The excitement and enthusiasm we feel from our shipboard officers and
crew is incredibly inspiring and specifically the type of positive energy that will be needed in the months
ahead.
Our President & CEO, Frank J. Del Rio recently spoke about the current environment of our industry and the
importance of moving forward in order to build momentum; continuing to tip the scales of challenges vs .
successes more in our favor. The timing of these comments fell in line with several exciting milestones that
took place during the month of September, six months into our journey though the COVID-19 pandemic.
On September 10th, leaders of the cruise industry’s major operators addressed the Miami -Dade Board of
County Commissioners Tourism and Ports Committee regarding the resumption of cruise operations .
Attendees and speakers included business owners, travel partners, vendors and others who depend on the
industry for their livelihood. The common theme was the same - the benefit of the cruise industry to local
businesses is enormous and the impact of the cruise suspension has been extensive. Cruising is one of the
top employers and leading economic engines in South Florida, and with it at a standstill, businesses
throughout the region are hurting. This is urging political leaders to take action, contributing to our
momentum.
On September 16th, legislation was put forth by Florida’s two U.S. Senators. The Set Sail Safely Act looks
to address the challenges to public health and safety for cruise lines to resume operations by establishing a
Maritime Task Force, comprised of representatives from several federal agencies, in coordination with a
Private Sector Advisory Committee, which will be comprised of representatives from cruise lines, U.S.
ports, health experts and other stakeholders. This legislation builds on the recent support the global cruise
industry has received from local authorities in their home countries as other sectors of the economy
continue to open.
Lastly, on September 21st, the Healthy Sail Panel provided the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) with a
formal proposal of 74 new Health and Safety recommendations to reduce the risk of COVID -19 on cruise
ships. You can read more about the Healthy Sail Panel’s recommendations here: https://bit.ly/3hUvhQJ.
Once this proposal is approved by the CDC, our organization will move forward with a phased approach to
the resumption of operations on our vessels with new protocols and standards in place.
A formal timeline for our resumption of sailing is still unknown at this time but we hope you will agree that
this is all a very positive move in the right direction.
Reference articles that may be of interest:
(Miami Herald) - ‘Commissioners and Cruise Execs Urge CDC to Let Cruising Resume
https://www.miamiherald.com/article245624180.html
(Cruise Industry News) ‘Set Sail Safely Act Established by Florida Senators’
https://bit.ly/2RYdQ7z
I see some other cruise lines already starting to resume their passenger voyages. Why is NCLH
not doing the same?
As mentioned earlier, NCLH partnered with Royal Caribbean Group to develop the ‘Healthy Sail Panel, a
group of globally recognized experts in public health, infectious diseases, medical research and maritime
operations. With the earlier mentioned proposal submitted on September 21, and only after receiving full
CDC approval, our organization will move forward with a phased approach to the resumption of cruise
operations with the new protocols and standards in place.
Will crew be scheduled so that those who have been at home the longest will return first?
As best possible, this is the strategy we intend to follow. Scheduling will also be dictated by above noted
travel restrictions both for outbound travel and ship embarkation locations.
We’re hopeful that when operations begin to resume, we’ll see the same talented and professional group of
officers and crew returning to reunite our NCLH family. Our shipboard team members, whether on board or
at home, have supported and maintained confidence in our company since the pandemic began. While it’s
taken far longer than ever anticipated, we know that with time and strict adherence to our new protocols, our
ships will be sailing strong in the coming months. And we certainly hope you will be joining us!
Sincerely,
Shipboard HR Operations & Shipboard Talent Management