Tag Archives: World Health Organization

NCL REINTRODUCES COVID-19 TESTS FOR GUESTS EMBARKING IN CHINA

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Norwegian Star arriving in Liverpool photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Norwegian Cruise Line has reintroduced Covid-19 testing for all guests who have visited mainland China 10 days before embarkation as cases in the country continue to rise.

The move comes as a result of growing concerns regarding the virus in China, as well as recently implemented travel restrictions by countries including the UK and the US.

Between 5-31 January, guests who have visited mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau within 10 days prior to embarkation will be required to submit proof of a negative medically supervised PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to the beginning of travel to the port.

This also applies to guests transiting through an airport in one of the countries within 10 days prior to embarkation.


Additionally, guests will be required to take a medically supervised PCR test at the port within eight hours of embarkation and will be required to test onboard the ship every 48 hours until 10 days have passed from their last time in China, Hong Kong, or Macau.


Passengers must also be fully vaccinated and boosted with a World Health Organization-approved vaccine prior to embarkation.

It comes after the EU recommended all passengers travelling from China to the EU should be required to provide evidence of a recent negative test for Covid-19.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson this week said the restrictions being imposed on travellers from China “lacked scientific basis”, adding the Chinese government would now consider reciprocal countermeasures.

MSC’s Supply Chain and Fleet Certified for Highest Standards of Food Safety

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MSC Cruises has announced that it has become the industry’s first major line to have its entire food safety supply chain and fleet of ships certified for onboard food safety by the global International Organization for Standardization, commonly known as ISO.

The company heralded its celebratory success on the World Health Organization’s ‘World Food Safety Day 2021’ today, following the granting of the internationally acclaimed and recognized ISO22000 food safety management system certification for 17 of the Company’s ships.

“We’re extremely proud to be on top of the cruise industry’s league table for WHO’s World Food Safety Day with our fleet of ships and delighted that our entire food supply chain ‘from farm to fork’ has been certified,” said Genoa-based Managing Director of MSC Cruises’ Food and Beverage Division, Paolo Raia.

“We have demonstrated at MSC Cruises that our industry-leading health and safety protocol goes above and beyond what regulatory authorities demand, and it’s no different with food safety as we always strive to go one step further than what is required,” he added.

MSC’s two new vessels for 2021 – the MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore – are on track to be certified in the next few months, the cruise line said.

Onboard audits are undertaken by Bureau Veritas to verify that the highest standards of food safety are undertaken by MSC Cruises for its guests and crew. This year alone, MSC said, Bureau Veritas has conducted 36 separate audit days and examined more than 5,000 food safety records onboard the cruise line’s ships.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, MSC Cruises annually served up nearly 285 million dishes and poured more than 125 million drinks for its guests, according to a press release.

Raja said that food safety is “understandably” taken for granted within day-to-day society.

“A cruise ship needs to have a systematic, well-considered and planned approach in place to guarantee the food safety for guests and crew on board,” he said.