In anticipation of setting sail once more—currently planned for September 1—Avalon Waterways has developed a new Avalon Assurance program to safeguard the health and happiness of travelers throughout their Avalon river cruise vacation. The river cruise operator’s new Avalon Assurance program currently includes seven categories and protocols that span across various guest experience touchpoints.
The protocols include:
- Welcome Aboard: Avalon’s new embarkation procedures include mandatory health screenings like touch-free temperature checks and luggage disinfection
- Fresh Air – Inside & Out: In addition to Avalon’s Open-Air staterooms, the air in its ships is not circulated between staterooms; only within an individual stateroom and mixed with fresh, outside air
- New Technology to Ensure Cleanliness: The company is introducing new, top-of-the-line technologies, including electrostatic cleaning systems and UV disinfecting systems
- Touching Hearts, Not Hands: Avalon’s new assurance protocols will also ensure more risk-free and hands-free services onboard, such as more hand sanitizer stations throughout the ship (including all public areas); replacing buffet and self-serve stations with crew services and hourly disinfection (at a minimum) of all public areas.
- Blending Cultural Proximity with Social Distance: Avalon will reduce ship capacity and offer alternative dining venues, as well as providing guests and crew masks for use, as needed or required
- Commitment to the Cleanest Ships: Some new steps that go beyond the cruise line’s current policies include deep-cleaning and disinfection of each stateroom during turnover, the disinfection of all dining areas between meals and of shared items, such as bicycles or umbrellas after each use
- Focus on Crew Health & Education: Standards include required medical screenings and certificates of health, new social distancing in crew living quarters and ongoing training in PPE use and hygiene
In addition, Avalon Waterways is reviewing excursion standards and protocols with partners across the globe.
Avalon Waterways’ Global Health & Safety team is made up of health and safety experts around the world, adhering to and building upon the standards set forth by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
Travel advisors can get details at agents.globusfamily.com/avalon-assurance.
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