Tag Archives: Jan Swartz

Princess Issues RFP to Clean and Sanitize Diamond Princess

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Princess Cruises announced today a global search for a service provider with advanced, scientifically proven cleaning and disinfection capabilities to perform work onboard the Diamond Princess.

The work will begin after the guests and crew have disembarked, following the quarantine of the ship in Yokohama.

Princess is seeking proposals and estimates from the most technologically advanced service providers in this business, the company said.

The company is in action to manage an extensive out of service cleaning, disinfection and refurbishment period. The exact location of the project will be announced soon.

“Our focus continues to be on the safety and well-being of our guests and crew. We are seeking to identify the best resources to partner with to clean and disinfect the ship from bow to stern,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “To accomplish this critically important undertaking, Princess will engage a vendor that has experience in significant cleaning and disinfection projects and experience in the use of the disinfectant agent Virox®, which is well-known to be an effective disinfectant. The expert use of personal protective equipment is also a requirement for the chosen service provider.”

The company has detailed the areas and requirements for cleaning and disinfecting which include, but are not limited to, the following locations and all surfaces:

• Staterooms: the removal and proper disposal of all towels (bath, face, hand), bed linens, mattress pads, pillows, duvets, shower curtains, and mattresses
• Carpets, draperies, and other soft furnishings
• All corridors and handrails
• Housekeeping storage and service areas
• Galleys, pantries, dishes, service ware
• Restaurant and food and beverage areas
• Entertainment areas
• Public venues (retail shops, spa, salon, fitness centre, etc.)
• Technical and machine spaces
• All crew living areas
• All deck areas and handrails
• Medical Center
• Air handling units and ventilation: Cleaning and disinfecting of air handling units including ducts, fan rooms, coils and systems will be developed by Princess’ Technical Services separately using specialist cleaning contractors.
• All marine, hotel and operations equipment
• Any other areas required after an appropriate assessment

Companies who wish to submit a proposal should be prepared to comply with detailed standards set forth by experts in health protocols and administration such as the Japanese Ministry of Health, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, in addition to the operational standards established by Princess Cruises.

Sixty-six more passengers on Diamond Princess test positive for coronavirus

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A further 66 passengers onboard Diamond Princess have contracted coronavirus, taking the total number of people infected to 136.

The Japanese health ministry confirmed the cases over the weekend and on Monday following further testing.

The ship is believed to be the largest centre of cases outside China.

The new cases are from Australia (four), Canada (one), UK (one), Japan (45), Philippines (three), Ukraine (one) and USA (eleven).

The ship, carrying 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew, has been placed under quarantine in Yokohama for 14 days with two cruises cancelled.

The line said it was “not unexpected that additional cases would be reported involving individuals who were exposed prior to the start of the quarantine”.

It said it was following guidance from the Japan Ministry of Health on plans for disembarkation to provide medical care for the new cases.

The quarantine end date is February 19 “unless there are any unforeseen developments”, the line added.

Separately, ten guests were taken off the ship for non-coronavirus related medical reasons over the weekend and transferred to local hospitals, the line said.

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The line’s president Jan Swartz issued a video statement over the weekend and said the company was working with the Japanese authorities to distribute medication to guests not relating to coronavirus, based on medical priority.

Telephone counselling is also being offered to all guests.

The line said guests will receive a full refund for their cruise fare, including air travel, hotel, ground transportation, pre-paid shore excursions and gratuities.

They will also receive cruise credit to use on a future sailing.

Meanwhile, thousands of passengers who were kept on board the World Dream cruise ship in Hong Kong for four days have been allowed to disembark.

Around 3,600 passengers and crew on the ship were quarantined amid fears some staff could have contracted the virus on an earlier voyage but tests for coronavirus came back negative.

There have been more than 37,000 cases of the virus globally, mostly in China, where it originated, overtaking the Sars epidemic.

The number of people in the UK who have contracted coronavirus has doubled to eight.

On Monday the UK government declared coronavirus a “serious and imminent threat” to public health.

Princess puts a tagline on ship investments

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LOS ANGELES — Princess Cruises has grouped a package of initiatives and ship upgrades into a program called “The Come Back New Promise.”

The program will encompass $450 million of investments in premium bedding, new restaurants, Broadway shows and other improvements it will make through partnerships with outside innovators.

“Our promise is to provide guests with joyful, memorable moments,” Princess President Jan Swartz said at a dockside function aboard the Ruby Princess here.

Many of the investments, such as a new customized bed and a specialty restaurant by Australian chef Curtis Stone, have been previously disclosed.

Other elements are the Salty Dog Gastropub designed by Argentinian chef Ernesto Uchimura, the “Magic to Do” show crafted by composer Steven Schwartz, a version of “The Voice” singing competition called “The Voice at Sea” and the Chocolate Journeys program of confections from pastry chef Norman Love.

Further, the program includes “Festivals of the World” with shipboard parties, activities and musical performances themed to festivals such as Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival and its partnerships with regional brewers to produce custom beers for individual vessels.