Carnival Cruise Line's brand ambassador, John Heald, provided several updates on the various issues the cruise line has been dealing with in regard to staffing. He also provided an update on testing, Camp Ocean, and recent feuds between guests on Carnival cruises.
Carnival Cruise Line and many other cruise lines have been dealing with crew shortages on their ships for months. Several US embassies are facing a backlog of visa applications, preventing crew members from joining cruise ships.
Additionally, Carnival Cruise Line has now said it hopes to be able to reach normal staffing levels by the end of the month or early August.
US Customs and Border Protection stepped up and allowed crew members to join the ships even though their visas had already expired.
John Heald said: "We have to acknowledge the wonderful cooperation of the United States Customs and Border Protection in allowing many crew members from all over the world, from the Philippines, from Indonesia, from South Africa, from all over Europe, from India, to return to business with expired visas and then they actually renew them while on the ship.”
Bringing the ships back to normal staffing levels means Carnival Cruise Line can reopen places like Cucina Del Capitano, bring back tea time and bring back 24-hour pizza, which currently operates from 08:00 to 03:00.
The return of the entire crew also opened the door to more options for little ones, including two- to five-year-olds. Camp Ocean is now open to all children this age, including vaccinated and unvaccinated children. A change that many parents will welcome.
Carnival Cruise Line also opens Camp Ocean in the evenings, giving parents the chance to have a romantic dinner together and catch a show while the kids munch on nuggets and other treats.
For now, the night out program is open only to children aged 2 to 11; when staffing levels are at full potential, Carnival will also open Camp Ocean for the youngest children, which includes babysitting services, which may have been missing.
While many European countries have allowed the cruise industry to sail without a testing mandate, that doesn't mean the same will apply in the United States. CDC and the US government dictate existing policies, and therefore, Carnival must comply. While many will welcome the end of the staffing problems and the ships operating almost normally again, those still unable to sail will not take the news from Heald as positive.
