The Governing Council today approved the health protocols established jointly with the Port Authority for cruise ships arriving from other national ports. This is the first step towards reopening the autonomous city to the cruise market, which will allow ships to call while adhering to all guidelines to protect passengers and the public from COVID-19.
The protocol approved by the Government determines how crew and cruise passengers will make port calls and establishes the requirements to guarantee health and safety both on and off the ship. These measures will only apply to ships originating from Spain, as the restrictions imposed by the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine prohibiting the entry of international cruise ships will remain in effect. Therefore, passenger ships with exclusively domestic itineraries that begin, end, or make port calls in Ceuta must follow the prevention and control procedures stipulated by the City to minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Under this new framework, the crew will have to present three negative PCR tests before boarding and undergo a period of preventative isolation. Cruise passengers, for their part, will need a negative PCR test to board and will attend a briefing on the ship reminding them of the preventative measures and protocols they must follow on board.
In addition to the above, the ships will have laboratories equipped to carry out tests on crew members and cruise passengers who will have a medical insurance policy that guarantees hospitalization if necessary in any of the cities on the route.
Likewise, passenger capacity will be reduced to 60-70% of the ship's total capacity, with cabins reserved in case they are needed for the preventative isolation of any passengers. In addition, meals will not be served buffet-style but directly at the table. Off-board, controlled excursions will be permitted in the cities where the ship docks, maintaining the established "bubble groups.".
All the measures adopted follow those dictated by the Regional Government of Andalusia with the aim of establishing a common framework and promoting consistency among the health protocols in the area. With this step, Ceuta joins other cities that have already begun the procedures to open their ports to domestic cruise routes and facilitate this type of traffic during peak season.
