Category Archives: Health & Safety

ransomware

Carnival Corp Hit by Ransomware Attack

Posted: September 23, 2022

Health & Safety, Press Release, , ,

Just when the cruise industry didn’t think 2020 could get any worse, turns out — it did. Recently British-American cruise operator Carnival Corp detected a ransomware attack according to an SEC filing.

Chief financial officer for Carnival, David Bernstein, told the SEC that the company has suffered from an attack that involved “certain” data files being downloaded. The company has been given the green light along with cybersecurity firms to fix the situation.

The SEC filing says that on Aug.15, the company “detected a ransomware attack that accessed and encrypted a portion of one brand’s information technology systems. The unauthorised access also included the download of certain of our data files.”

The attackers downloaded “certain” data files, which Carnival expects to include the “unauthorised access to personal data of guests and employees, which may result in potential claims from guests, employees, shareholders, or regulatory agencies.”

While initial investigation suggests the intrusion was limited to one brand, “there can be no assurance” other Carnival brands’ IT systems “will not be adversely affected,” according to the filing.

While the investigation is ongoing with legal counsel, law enforcement and incident response individuals, the company “does not believe the incident will have a material impact on its business, operations or financial result,” according to the filing.

In fact, Carnival doesn’t expect any significant monetary loss. However, intruders might have unlawfully accessed and encrypted customer and employee records (the type of information has yet to be disclosed).

Carnival Corp could face serious fines for their employee data if the ransomware’s attack is concluded as negligent or a result of insufficient security. When asked for a response, a spokesperson for Carnival Corporation declined to comment.

Alongside other cruise companies around the world, Carnival has struggled with the coronavirus pandemic, as dozens of people on Carnival cruises in April passed away as a result of a coronavirus outbreak on board, and more than 1500 people were affected by the virus.

Carnival Corp’s cruise portfolio includes Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia and UK), Seabourn, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises and Cunard.

 

 

Crystal Clean+

Crystal Cruises Health and Safety Protocol - Crystal Clean+

Posted: August 27, 2022

Health & Safety, Onboard Features, Press Release,

In light of the impact COVID-19 has had on the travel industry, cruise companies alike are doing their bit to introduce safer vessels to make (healthier) travelling accessible during a global pandemic. Crystal Cruises  has followed suit, announcing last week the expansion of it’s Crystal Clean+ safety and health protocols to the sister ships of Crystal River Cruises.

Built upon previous health and safety standards put in place, the Crystal Clean+ 2.0 Protocols have been implemented “using the latest data from health experts to meet the unique challenges posed by COVID-19” the announcement said. Complying with all local regulations set by European cities and states the vessels visit, the expanded protocols include enhancing cleaning procedures, social distancing, health monitoring for passengers and crew, facial covering requirements, and more.

“We are looking forward with great anticipation to welcoming our guests back aboard and are working to ensure their wellness and peace of mind when that day comes,” said Walter Littlejohn, senior vice president, and managing director of Crystal River Cruises.

“Crystal Clean+ is an extension of the exceptional standards to which Crystal has always adhered, augmented with the best scientific data and expert guidance currently available.”

The protocols affect each aspect of the cruising process. Guests will now check-in online and complete a health questionnaire. Before boarding temperature checks will be undertaken for all passengers and crew, and each location of the vessel will be monitored for social distancing. Cleaning procedures of rooms and facilities will be rigorous and frequent.

Masks will also be provided to all guests and crew and will comply with all destination health authorities, which may require wearing masks. As for dining experiences, self-service (buffets) will be eliminated, and guest’s seating will ensure the spacing and social distancing. As for air ventilation, Crystal River ships will now feature HEPA filters, which remove 99.95% of airborne pathogens, and thorough filter checks will help maintain the highest standard of air quality.

Crystal Clean+ will be put into effect on all of Crystal’s river fleet along the Danube, Rhine, Main, and Moselle rivers in 2021. Crystal has paused operations through the end of 2020.

Recently named World’s Best River Cruise Line by the readers of Travel + Leisure, Crystal River cruises are some of the most spacious river ships made. The fleet is the industry’s first and only all-balcony, all-suite, butler-serviced ships in Europe.

Inquiry into Ruby Princess

Inquiry into Ruby Princess finds NSW Health Made a Serious Mistake

Posted: August 21, 2022

Australia, Health & Safety, Press Release,

From the delay in sending swabs for COVID-19 testing to assessing the cruise ship at ‘low risk’, NSW Health made a number of serious mistakes in its handling of the Ruby Princess.

As what became one of the biggest causes of coronavirus infections in NSW, with 28 deaths and over 800 cases, a scathing 320-page report into the Ruby Princess cruise finds ‘inexcusable’ failures made by NSW Health

The 320-page report by high-profile barrister Bret Walker, from the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess was handed to the Berejiklian government, with a number of criticisms of NSW Health.

In his report, Mr Walker said NSW Health should have ensured that cruise ships were aware of the change to the definition of a “suspected” case for COVID-19 made nine days before the Ruby Princess docked in Sydney on March 19. The report also found that all passengers onboard should have been tested for COVID-19.

“This would have resulted in the identification of such cases on the Ruby Princess. 101 persons fell within the suspect case definition by 18 March, and 120 by the time the ship docked,” the report says.

“NSW Health should also have ensured that such persons were isolated in cabins. These were serious mistakes by NSW Health.” The report also said the failure of the collection of swabs by an onboard health assessment team “was a serious failure by NSW Health.” “Those swabs should have been tested immediately.”


The 320-page report by high-profile barrister Bret Walker, from the Special Commission of Inquiry into the Ruby Princess was handed to the Berejiklian government

“The delay in obtaining test results for the swabs taken from the Ruby Princess on the morning of 19 March is inexcusable,” the report reads.

In light of all the information the Expert Panel had, the decision to assess the risk as ‘low risk’ – meaning, in effect, ‘do nothing’ – is as inexplicable as it is unjustifiable,” the report reads. “It was a serious mistake.”

Although, despite concerns of a coronavirus outbreak on board, around 2700 passengers were allowed to disembark and continue their travels both domestically and internationally. The report found that the decision to allow these passengers to get off the ship did not comply with the Public Health Order.

The report linked more than 900 COVID-19 cases and 28 deaths to the Ruby Princess, it also found that 16 percent of the crew contracted the virus, while almost 40 per cent of Australian passengers were infected onboard.

“The mistakes made by NSW Health public health physicians were not made here because they failed to treat the threat of COVID-19 seriously,” Mr Walker said.

“They were not made because they were disorganised or did not have proper processes in place. Put simply, despite the best efforts of all, some serious mistakes were made.”

Princess Cruises Statement

After the report was released, Princess Cruises issued a statement welcoming the inquiry’s findings and expressed its “profound sorrow at the impact COVID-19 has had on Ruby Princess’s guests, crew and their families”.

It noted Mr Walker’s finding that none of the company’s staff deliberately misled health or port authorities as the Ruby Princess arrived in Sydney.

“Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected, particularly those who lost loved ones,” the company’s president Jan Swartz said in a statement.

The Commission’s report confirms that none of our people — the Captain, the ship’s doctor, or members of our shore side port agency team — misled public authorities involved in Ruby Princess being permitted to disembark guests on March 19.


Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz said our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected, particularly those who lost loved ones, the company's

“This finding is of great importance to us because it goes to the integrity of our people. “In our more than 20 years in Australia, we have always sought to cooperate honestly and professionally with officials in accordance with the regulatory environment.”  We acknowledge the Commission’s specific comments about Carnival and we will consider these comments to the fullest possible extent.

“Princess Cruises also welcomes the Commission’s attention to improving information sharing and coordination among government agencies in the future. “In our submission to the inquiry, we agreed that this area deserved consideration. “We look forward to collaborating with government agencies and industry peers to improve these systems.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian stated, “In the public interest and for full transparency I am releasing it (the report) immediately. “I have just received the report. I will read it over the weekend and respond early next week.”

Read the full report here

Ruby Princess

Ruby Princess: Passengers with COVID-19 Mistakenly Allowed to Disembark

Posted: August 5, 2022

Australia, Health & Safety, ,

Fever, dry cough, tiredness. Symptoms of COVID-19 can easily be confused with the common flu, but what happens when a simple mistake affects more than 700 lives?

An Australian senior Border Force officer who inspected the Ruby Princess mistakenly thought passengers with flu-like symptoms had tested negative to COVID-19, when in fact they had only tested negative for the flu.

Documents obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation show that the error made by the senior officer allowed 2,700 people to disembark the Ruby Princess to enter Sydney on March 19, 2020. This new evidence challenges Border Force Commissioner Michael Outram’s assertion in March that NSW Health was responsible for allowing passengers to disembark.

Sadly, the mistake wasn’t noticed until more than 30 hours after the passengers — including 13 who had been fighting fevers while isolated in their cabins — left the ship, according to the documents obtained by the ABC.

The officer, who has been identified by the ABC as “Officer O”, was given the task to inspect all passengers on the Ruby Princess, which resulted in at least 22 deaths and over 650 infected cases that were linked to the Ruby Princess cluster.

The day before disembarking, the New South Wales Ministry of Health granted “practical” permission for passengers to get off the ship, despite formal approval not being granted. On March 8, a NSW Health assessment team boarded the ship to collect COVID-19 swabs and perform temperature checks on passengers and crew members who had been part of the previous Ruby Princess cruise.

The NSW Health assessment team didn’t repeat the same process on March 19 as its panel deemed the ship “low risk” — hence why Officer O was asked to investigate the sick passengers on board.

A crew member of the Ruby Princess then asked whether the ship had clearance to disembark and the senior officer “responded yes” but he misinterpreted a document that indicated 13 passengers had tested negative for the flu as them being testing negative for COVID-19.

Within just a few hours, all the ship’s 2,700 passengers had gotten off the Ruby Princess, including 13 passengers who were previously in isolation that had been tested for influenza.

In a statement released last Thursday, the Australian Border Force didn’t deny an officer misinterpreted the results — but placed the blame firmly on the NSW Ministry of Health, SBS News reports.

“Any misinterpretation by ABF officers of test results did not make a difference as to whether passengers were cleared to disembark the Ruby Princess,” the statement read. “Human health is not the responsibility of the ABF.”

ABF chief Michael Outram has said NSW health authorities and federal agriculture officials were responsible for allowing the passengers to disembark, including those who were ill.

New South Wales Ministry of Health officials are reportedly expected to release a report on the ship on August 14.

Muster 2.0 Header

Royal Caribbean Debut New Safety Drill Invention

Posted: August 3, 2022

Health & Safety, Onboard Features, Press Release, , , ,

This is not a drill! Well, this is actually a new drill. The first major change to come about as a result of the global crisis was announced on July 24, when the Royal Caribbean Group debuted the Muster 2.0: a new electronic muster drill, delivering safety information to guests with an entirely new approach.

Unlike tradition muster drills Muster 2.0 will help promote social distancing onboard

The Muster 2.0 will replace the conventional safety drill — which involved a lot of people gathering in generally close quarters at the beginning of the cruise — with a new interactive eMuster, helping promote social distancing onboard. This invention marks the first major change to safety drills in over a decade.

The Muster 2.0

First tested on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas in January 2020, guests who took part in the trial process showed positive feedback to the new approach using Muster 2.0 with improved organisation and a better understanding of safety information.

More than a year in the making, Muster 2.0 is also an initiative that will be part of the comprehensive set of protocols and procedures Royal Caribbean Group is developing along with the Healthy Sail Panel that was recently assembled in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

This new process represents the kind of innovation that the Healthy Sail Panel is focusing on as part of its mission to enhance the health and safety of cruising,” said former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, co-chair of the Healthy Sail Panel. “It shows that we can accomplish a lot if we try to think outside the box on safety.”

With the Muster 2.0, not only will guests be provided with all the necessary information, but the tech app is available for guests on their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs

To comply with international maritime law, passengers of a vessel must be well informed with what to do in case of an emergency.

To comply with international maritime law, passengers of a vessel must be well informed with what to do in case of an emergency.  With the Muster 2.0, not only will guests be provided with all the necessary information, but the tech app is available for guests on their mobile devices and interactive stateroom TVs. And bonus? Guests can review the information at their leisure during the first day prior to setting sail, which eliminates the need for large group gatherings, maintaining proper social distancing.

“Muster 2.0 represents a natural extension of our mission to improve our guests’ vacation experiences by removing points of friction,” said Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean Group’s senior vice president of digital. “In this instance, what’s most convenient for our guests is also the safest option in light of needing to reimagine social spaces in the wake of COVID-19.”

How Does it Work?

After guests have reviewed the safety information in their own time prior to setting sail and/or on their first day, individually, guests will then complete the drill by visiting their assigned assembly station. Guests have a set time (indicated by a timer in the app) during which the muster drill must be completed by all the passengers.

When guests have reached their assigned station, a crew member will verify that all steps have been completed and answer necessary questions. Each of the steps need to be completed prior to the ship/s departure, as required by international maritime law.

After guests have reviewed the safety information in their own time prior to setting sail and/or on their first day, individually, guests will then complete the drill by visiting their assigned assembly station

“The health and safety of our guests and crew are our number one priority, and the development of this new muster process is an elegant solution to an outdated, unpopular process,” said Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group. “The fact that this will also save guests time and allow the ship to operate without pause means that we can increase health, safety and guest satisfaction simultaneously.”

Sharing Innovation

In such difficult times, extending a hand of innovation can only be a positive move forward for the cruise industry. Even though Muster 2.0 is the invention of Royal Caribbean, the company is offering the technology to fellow cruise operators (and even waving the patent license fees during the global pandemic). Other companies that have jumped on the Muster 2.0 bandwagon include the company’s joint venture, TUI Cruises GmbH, as well as Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.