‘We are closer to the other side of this crisis every day’ Cruise boss confident of a return to sea – Telegraph.co.uk

The head of Royal Caribbean Group has revealed that cruisers wont have to wait too much longer before setting sail once again with his company.

Speaking to travel agents on a webcast on online trade hub RCL Cares, Richard Fain said he had been heartened by the recent resumption of cruising in Europe: Were not through this yet, but there are more bright spots and bits of good news than there have been for quite a while. We are closer to the other side of this crisis every day.

The chairman and chief executive said that Royal Caribbean is committed to learning from early efforts and will start slowly and methodically when the brand returns to the high seas.

In Germany, our joint venture company, Tui Cruises, has been operating cruises since late July. In Italy, MSC Cruises started operating last week and has attracted a lot of really very positive publicity. We understand Costa Cruises is starting operating there in just a few weeks.

Not that the Royal Caribbean Group will have a chance to test the waters just yet as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended a no-sail order effectively banning cruising around American waters until the end of October. Similarly Canada has prohibited the arrival of cruise ships until at least October 31 while cruising in Australia has been suspended until December.

Fain also used the webcast to introduce Dr Calvin Johnson, Royal Caribbeans new head of public health and chief medical officer.

Asked as to why he applied for the role, Johnson said: I saw the opportunity to apply my skills in a really meaningful and substantive way during probably the most significant health crisis in our time.

It is the nature of the work. It is the opportunity to serve 75,000 crew and to protect their health and to serve four to six million guests a year and to protect their health. I am all focusing on protection of health.

Royal Caribbean Group is the parent company of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea. It also owns a partial interest in several European cruise brands.

The pandemic has seen the cruise linedelay the debut of the worlds largest ship, Wonder of the Seas, which was due to welcome passengers next spring.

While cruise lines slowly resume service in Europe, many others have delayed their restart until late 2020, or into 2021.