“I think you’re going to see people’s confidence resume about going out and trying to plan for the future,” said Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and chairman of the SailSafe Global Health & Wellness Council.
Gottlieb had just joined Frank Del Rio, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., on a virtual panel (moderated by Andrea DeMarco, chief sales and marketing officer for Regent Seven Seas Cruises) that focused on the Omicron variant’s effect on Norwegian’s cruise brands (Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises).
Re-emphasizing 100% vaccination and universal testing before embarkation, Del Rio said “We simply will not take risks” and that the health and safety of the company’s passengers, crew and destinations “will always be our No. 1 priority.”
Although Norwegian has had to cancel several cruises due to COVID-19-related circumstances, the pandemic has not impacted the company’s plans to have its entire fleet back in operation by late spring.
[The pandemic is] a war that we’re still fighting, and a war that I am 100% confident we’re going to win — and win soon.
Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and chairman of the SailSafe Global Health & Wellness Council
Credit: 2022 Norwegian Cruise LineDr. Gottlieb’s COVID-19 and Cruising Predictions
“Pandemics don’t last forever,” Gottlieb said. “You would expect that this would be the final year of the pandemic. It would be unprecedented to see this go on much longer.”
According to Gottlieb, Omicron is peaking, and it will almost certainly be the last major wave of the virus thanks to a “sufficient wall of immunity” the variant will provide and the introduction of new oral drugs that complement the vaccines, which would be “another fundamental game-chang[ing] opportunity.”
He also believes that vaccines specific to the Omicron and/or Delta variant — being developed now and arriving by this fall — will help restore the effectiveness of inoculation to prevent infection. Gottlieb also expects that COVID-19 will become endemic in 2022, perhaps becoming like the flu, but possibly even less severe.
Specific to cruise travel, Gottlieb considers cruise ships an ideal setting for controlling and monitoring the environment, where high-quality testing and therapeutics are also available to guests and crew.
This is a leisure activity that lends itself to implementing measures that can tightly control the risks that you’re taking. This could be a safer vacation than going into a hotel or foreign city.
“This is a leisure activity that lends itself to implementing measures that can tightly control the risks that you’re taking,” he said. “This could be a safer vacation than going into a hotel or foreign city.”
Mindful of the current Wave Season, Del Rio asked about the prospects of upcoming Alaskan and European sailings.
Gottlieb predicted that beginning in February and into the spring, the prevalence of the virus should be very low, eventually getting to the point where it’s not even noteworthy to report.
Until then, it’s about “providing assurances,” he said, adding, “I’m going to be taking a cruise this summer.”
That’s the level of confidence he has as a traveler, and he thinks it’s only a matter of time for the psychology of others to catch up. He sees that transition starting to occur and foresees it continuing as viral prevalence declines and more therapeutics come to market.
“[The pandemic is] a war that we’re still fighting, and a war that I am 100% confident we’re going to win — and win soon,” Del Rio said, addressing travel advisors. “You’ve been fighting right alongside us. We’ve got to continue to fight. This is no time to give in. We’re almost there. And so, I thank you again for your continued support.”
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Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
