How the US' first cruise of the Covid era got ready to safely set sail

 

How the US' first cruise of the Covid era got ready to safely set sail

 

On Saturday, Celebrity Edge, a cruise ship owned by the Royal Caribbean Group, became the first to sail from a US port since the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought the industry to a halt more than 15 months ago with a no-sail order that was ultimately extended a number of times.     So, what's the plan to make sailing safer? This summer, at least, there will be fewer people on board; the Edge is sailing at 40% of its capacity. Because the coronavirus is spread through airborne particles, fewer people, less crowding and good ventilation can make a big difference.    On the Edge, other procedural changes include staggered arrival and departure times to prevent large crowds, and a muster drill -- the mandatory safety exercise done at the start of every trip -- done virtually instead of in person, again to avoid large crowds. And, food lovers need not fear: the all-you-can-eat buffets will still be a staple of the dining experience, but instead of self-serve, crew members will lend a hand.    But everyone, from those in the cruise industry to health experts, says the real game changers are vaccines. On the Edge, 100% of the crew and at least 95% of passengers are vaccinated, which considerably lowers the risk of people getting infected and sparking an outbreak.    "It's really the vaccines that have enabled us to return to cruising with a low enough level of risk of transmission," said Linsey Marr, an environmental engineer and professor at Virginia Tech.