According to a DNV panel, crewing up will be one of the biggest challenges for cruise lines as the industry restarts. According to Anders Aasen, VP global technical solutions, Royal Caribbean Group, many crew members have found jobs ashore in their own countries since the cruise industry shut down, and this challenge affects the industry as a whole. The difficulty is not so much with the shipboard leadership positions, Aasen said, but with rank and file crew. While crew vaccination has stepped up in the U.S., it has been difficult in many other countries around the world, where access to approved vaccines is a struggle according to Holly Love, VP medical operations, Vikand Solutions. She also noted that crew mental wellness also plays a factor, as many crew members have faced stress over COVID-19 layoffs, the need to quarantine, and now intensive training to return to normal procedures.
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