When Ponant resumes service, the company will be benefiting from Bureau Veritas’ (BV) ‘Restart your Business’ suite of solutions and the ‘Safeguard’ label developed for passenger ships.

BV said it has been working with Ponant and its fleet of 11 ships, combining state-of-the-art technology and respect for the environment, to implement effective infection prevention measures.

Restart your Business with BV for passenger ships meets the specific requirements of this market addressing biological risks, as posed by COVID-19 and other infections, BV said in a prepared statement. The program provides procedures and measures to protect passengers, company personnel, and other stakeholders as operations are resumed, helping ensure that appropriate health and safety standards are put in place.

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Virgin has unveiled some new health protocols. View more info here.

Key pillars of the Voyage Well Plan include:
● Rapid and effective COVID-19 testing for all Sailors and Crew prior to embarking.
● Post-voyage notification process through which Sailors and Crew can report on becoming unwell within 14 days of leaving the shi* (through an ethical health tracking app).
● Advanced pre-boarding health checks and screenings for both our Crew and Sailors.
● Thermal Camera technology in terminals and on board to monitor our Crew and Sailors’ temperatures.
● Fair and flexible booking policies — from moving the final payment dates to 60 days (from 120 days) before sailing, ability to cancel up to 48 hours before and receive a 100% Future Voyage Credit for sailings through December 16th, 2020.
● Implementing best practices around sanitation, physical distancing, limited occupancy, and health checks for everyone onboard.
● Installing the latest technology from AtmosAir Solutions — an air purification system that disinfects air on board. Leveraging bi-polar Ionization technology that has been shown to kill 99.9% of viruses.
● Managing overall ship occupancy so appropriate physical distancing is possible across all public spaces.
● Leveraging digital onboard technology to limit contact; The Band (for contactless payment), Service Chat (for assistance digitally) and Virtual Queues (for getting in lines for onboard experiences without actually getting in physical lines).
● As has always been a part of the Virgin Voyages experience since first introducing the brand, there will be no communal food sharing, buffets or large dining halls, allowing for hygienic service of fresh food.