Cruise ships can dock in Spain from June 7, subject to strict procedures

CRUISE liners will be allowed back into Spain's ports from June 7 – next Monday – which will be great news for the national tourism industry, although some restrictions or criteria will apply.

Passengers on cruises tend to spend more money in a port town or city in relation to the length of time they stay there compared with longer-term holidaymakers, and are usually keen to cram as much into their few hours on dry land as possible, including visiting main attractions, buying souvenirs and trying out the local cuisine, as it may be one of only two or three stops they are due to make in the country at all, and they have limited time to get the best out of it before they set off again.

Also, the relatively short time they spend in a town or city means there is less chance of their being a source of Covid contagion than if they were in destination for a couple of weeks and mingling with people outside their passenger 'bubble'.

Plus, cruise travellers are often among the 'luxury' end of the holidaymaker market, meaning more spending power.

All this, along with the fact that many jobs in coastal destinations are based around ports and yacht marinas, means it was vital that steps were taken to allow cruise ships to dock in Spain as soon as possible. 

As a highly-controlled environment, cruise ships are able to take steps that people on do-it-yourself or package holidays are less likely to guarantee having taken as individuals; also, in the event of a contagion, it is easier to quarantine passengers and trace contacts.

Among the measures required are daily temperature-taking, and Covid tests on the third or fourth day of the trip for all passengers.

They will also be required to take a PCR or similar test no more than 72 hours before embarking, or a rapid antigen test – where results come through within 10 to 30 minutes – on the day of setting sail.

This means that, in theory, everyone on board should be 'negative' when they arrive, but if they are not and someone passes the virus to another whilst on the seas, this should be picked up early.

Passengers will be placed in specific 'tour groups', as is often the case on package holidays or 'circuit tours' when the trip involves a series of daily organised excursions as an integral part of the visit.

These bubble groups will have all their meals together, and groups will be 'staggered' so as not to coincide, or not too many at once, in the canteen.

Embarking and disembarking along the route and on-board activities will also be at different times to limit people's coinciding with others outside their bubble.

Passengers are required to be informed of every Covid-related step at all times, and immediate isolation of contacts will be ordered if one or more person tests positive.

Cruise liners making stop-offs in Spain will be expected to follow a series of requirements, including designating a coordinator for Covid-prevention procedures, not filling more than 70-75% of spaces on board until the pandemic is considered over, avoiding more than two crew members sharing a sleeping berth, having the resources, including staff, on board able to carry out the necessary testing and arrangements in place to conduct them in ports, sufficient space and equipment to be able to deal with, and quarantine, suspected or proven cases, adequate supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE) for staff and passengers, including surgical masks or those of an even greater level of efficiency, eye protection, disposable gloves, hand sanitiser and waterproof, filter-proof gowns, a full and regular disinfecting and cleaning schedule – even the cleaning products to be used are stipulated in the rule book – proper ventilation on board, which is also stipulated and the cruise company is required to give details of each liner's airing systems, and all costs of medical treatment plus other direct and indirect expenses involved in a passenger or crew member's becoming infected must be covered by the cruise firm, through an insurance policy that includes bi-lateral agreements with various health centres.

It could mean the price of a cruise may rise this year, as costs of PCR tests, spare masks, extra personnel, compulsory insurance and so on will probably be included in the sum paid by the holidaymaker – on the other hand, with international and even most national travel having been practically non-existent since early 2020, it is just as likely that holiday companies will slash prices in order to encourage customers, especially those who have become used to not travelling after nearly a year and a half of restricted movement.