With the restart of cruises in Germany, and the final preparations by the cruise lines in Italy, hopes are high amongst the crew who are back in their home countries eagerly awaiting their sign on dates. In Italy, Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises are ready to initiate voyages on 4 ships as soon as they receive the green light from the Italian government. Final efforts have also been made for staffing cruise ships with a sufficient number of crew.

If there is an industry that is incredibly doing all the ways adapting to the COVID-19 crisis, it’s the Cruise Industry. As Kent William said, "Seafarers are conditioned to hardship". Adapting which requires being more careful with our interactions. Adapting means being more deliberate in our sanitation protocols. Being more cognizant of how our interactions affect other crew members.

As some of the cruise lines are already making plans to set a small number of cruise ships back in operations and implement new safety protocols in order to do so, many crew members are wondering what the “new normal” will look like for them once they join and assume their daily duties and life back on board.

Captain Gennaro Arma of the Diamond Princess cruise ship received the highest honor of the Italian Republic, the Order of Merit, for his commitment and courage by President Sergio Mattarella. Captain Arma, also known as Gladiator Captain among his crew, has been widely praised for the care and concern he gave to the passengers and crew on the coronavirus-stricken cruise ship that was quarantined in the port of Yokohama. 

Every question about the damage done by the coronavirus and when things will get back to normal for the cruise industry will be hard to answer. The following text is an honest opinion from a crew member sharing his thoughts about the future of cruising.

From Royal Caribbean crew member from the Philippines repatriated on June 16, 2020.

A word thank you is not enough to express my feelings for being so blessed and thankful as being a part of your company. 

I’m one of the Celebrity Summit’s crew members from Royal Caribbean International

It was a really hard time for all crew members on board when the company was trying to send us home safely during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the lockdown of the cruise industry. They were trying very hard in these tough times to send all the crews from so many different countries. 

It Began on the 12th of March 2020. I Said Goodbye to My Family and embarked on another Adventure around the World, to Board the Carnival Panorama in LA and Cruise down the Mexican Riviera, sharing the Magick that is My Music and Stories...

There are well over 2000 Mauritians stranded on cruise ships and their government will not let them come home. Their country has had minimal Covid cases and as the world slowly reopens it borders, crew from Mauritius cannot even get home to their families.

I am one of the many people who have been following your situation closely on the Crew Center Facebook page. It has been painful for me to learn that some of you are experiencing depression, others have lost loved ones back home to COVID-19, and ALL of you are missing your families. It has been a long and difficult journey for you. I feel for you and wish I could do more to help.