Cruise ships will be permitted to dock at Canarian ports once again from November 5th, after a protocol has been developed by the Canarian Government allowing this important sector of the tourist economy to recommence.
Cruisers will be allowed to sail between the Canary Islands and dock at their main ports from November 5th, following the agreement of a protocol to guarantee safety on and off board.
TUI Cruises and Hapag Lloyd are the first two cruise operators to sign up to the protocol, which has been developed by the Canarian Public Works department. Only European cruise operators will be permitted to sail between the islands, as the EU’s requirements for its ships are among the world’s strictest.
The Canarian protocol calls for a specialised medical team on board every cruise ship, hygiene measures for all crew and employees, agreements with hospitals and hotels on every island in case quarantine facilities are required, and insurance policies in case of COvid-19 outbreaks.
Boats will not be permitted to operate at more than 60 or 70% of capacity, depending on size, and all cruise passengers will be required to show evidence of a recent negative PCR test result for Covid-19, as well as sign a declaration that they have not been in touch with active cases, and fill in a form describing their recent movements.
The first cruise ships we’re likely to see arriving at Arrecife are TUI’s Mein Schiff II and Hapag Lloyd’s Europa II.
