Vaccines, Not Testing, Emerge as Key to Cruise Resumption, Execs Suggest | Travel Weekly
For much of this year, cruise executives touted Covid-19 testing as the most important weapon in the battle against the virus.
The industry has been vocal about being the only travel segment that requires testing of every customer as well as its onboard crews.
And testing, combined with a layered regimen of protocols such as mask-wearing, social distancing and restricted shore excursions, has enabled cruise lines to resume service in small numbers in Europe and Asia.
As recently as early October, MSC Cruises executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, whose line was the first to restart big-ship-cruising, said, "vaccines won't be the magic wand. Vaccines will be part of the solution, but testing will be the solution."
But two months later, as vaccines begin to be distributed, some cruise CEOs are modifying their take on that.