LLP'S Latest Letter

[marieps]

It doesn't say much, but it does introduce their team of experts.

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/health-and-safety?allowMobile=y&ecid=em_23050026&rid=210425466&mes=Celebrity LLP Advisory Letter NONCC Jul 2020 EM&emsc=CPR_NAN_NAN_NAN_NAN_USA_GA_0_NAN&empf=&emct=&lnkid=ADVISORY

[marieps]

Here's the letter text:

 

Our shared love of travel is what keeps us all looking forward. That’s why I’m happy to share with you some of what we’ve been working on over the past several months. As you can imagine, we’ve been focused on all aspects of our safe return to service with special emphasis on safety, security, and health. In this process, we immediately recognized the extreme complexity of the situation, so we assembled a blue-ribbon team of experts to advise us on the right approach.

Our advisory panel consists of 11 experts, including physicians, scientists, and public health specialists—to name a few—who’ve been giving us guidance in raising our health and safety standards to entirely new levels. By using our ingenuity, our passion, our innovation, and with the valuable knowledge of these experts, we’re doing everything we can to ensure we’re taking the proper steps to address our future.

It’s tempting to talk about all the individual components of how things will change for us; however, we're still defining all those enhancements with the guidance of our expert advisors. We will not rush this work, and it’s no exaggeration to say that we continue to work on it around the clock.

I look forward to sharing more with you about our healthy return to service soon. In the meantime, I invite you to visit our website where you’ll find detailed information on each member of our advisory panel and learn more about our determination in exceeding the expectations of travel within our new world.

We are resilient, and we will come back strong—not by mimicking what we used to do but by innovating as we’ve always done.
 

[hcat]

We also received the LLP e mail...

Hope this  new  blue ribbon advisory panel is better than the Women's  Design panel of a few yrs ago.....many of whom apparently  never set foot on a cruise ship.

 

We are not looking for a solitary, antiseptic,  masked cruise experience...but we'll see what they come up with!

[bikerunner]

From my understanding RCL and NCL are working together on this jointly

 

The expert panel formed by cruise operators Royal Caribbean and Norwegian in developing cruising protocols has gotten the support of the CDC and will share findings with the rest of the industry, says panel co-chair Michael Leavitt, who is former governor of Utah and HHS secretary under the Bush administration. Leavitt tells WSJ the panel will focus on screening and exposure reduction; environmental operations such as engineering controls; response contingencies and planning; and destination and route planning.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Just got the e-mail as well.  On the one hand, it is frustrating that even now, no new details are being revealed.  But on the other hand, it is nice to know more about the expert panel who is advising them on a safe restart.  

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I can completely understand why they would not want to reveal details until they know what is actually going to be happening. All it takes is one thing stated as a possibility to be printed/posted and then it will be spread and if it changes for any reason, you know there will be some Karen who has a printout of it to protest “but we were told this would/would not happen”.

 

Better to get things firmed up and approved and THEN release it to the public.

[Bretty]

I too got the email and thought it was self congratulatory, lacking substance and seeking approval.

 

I’m chuffed they’ve done something like this, but would much rather they announce this panel on the tail of “these are the changes we are going to make”. And I’d happily wait a while longer for an announcement if they’re not ready yet, but the email, for me, struck the wrong chord - if all they can announce after “these past few months” is the appointment of 11 experts to form a panel, then they’re perhaps not as far forward as we would hope at this stage.

 

Sorry if this sounds negative or cynical, but it just seems to lack anything real to me. I honestly was expecting it to end “thank you and have a nice rest of your day”.

 

I guess we need to watch this space as they say...

[Georgia_Peaches]

26 minutes ago, Bretty said:

I’m chuffed they’ve done something like this, but would much rather they announce this panel on the tail of “these are the changes we are going to make”. And I’d happily wait a while longer for an announcement if they’re not ready yet, but the email, for me, struck the wrong chord - if all they can announce after “these past few months” is the appointment of 11 experts to form a panel, then they’re perhaps not as far forward as we would hope at this stage.

I learned a new word today (chuffed) and plan to incorporate it into my vocabulary immediately!

 

Agree that it would have been nice to be given more than the standard blah blah blah.  This was common practice in my former line of work...say something while saying not much at all.  That way you don't have to back track on things if you change your mind or if things don't pan out exactly they way you say they will.  This happened to Carnival when they announced they would resume sailing on 5 ships on August 1st.  They had to do some serious damage control as they walked back that statement.  I don't blame Celebrity PR for taking the safe route when it comes to releasing information.  But like you, I will be mighty chuffed when they finally lift the veil.  😊

[bikerunner]

5 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I learned a new word today (chuffed) and plan to incorporate it into my vocabulary immediately!

 

Agree that it would have been nice to be given more than the standard blah blah blah.  This was common practice in my former line of work...say something while saying not much at all.  That way you don't have to back track on things if you change your mind or if things don't pan out exactly they way you say they will.  This happened to Carnival when they announced they would resume sailing on 5 ships on August 1st.  They had to do some serious damage control as they walked back that statement.  I don't blame Celebrity PR for taking the safe route when it comes to releasing information.  But like you, I will be mighty chuffed when they finally lift the veil.  😊

Agree this was just safe route. But it was correct thing to do instead letting many wonder what is going on why no announcements.  Everyone knew they were formulating plans but at least this shows there is movement towards something. Understand why some are looking for more but the way things are now it’s ever changing and all could be changed tomorrow depending on how controlled the virus is.  There are to many variables still on all of this.  Even looking at land based vacations so many things changing.  

[Bretty]

15 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

I learned a new word today (chuffed) and plan to incorporate it into my vocabulary immediately!

 

Agree that it would have been nice to be given more than the standard blah blah blah.  This was common practice in my former line of work...say something while saying not much at all.  That way you don't have to back track on things if you change your mind or if things don't pan out exactly they way you say they will.  This happened to Carnival when they announced they would resume sailing on 5 ships on August 1st.  They had to do some serious damage control as they walked back that statement.  I don't blame Celebrity PR for taking the safe route when it comes to releasing information.  But like you, I will be mighty chuffed when they finally lift the veil.  😊

 

6 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

Agree this was just safe route. But it was correct thing to do instead letting many wonder what is going on why no announcements.  Everyone knew they were formulating plans but at least this shows there is movement towards something. Understand why some are looking for more but the way things are now it’s ever changing and all could be changed tomorrow depending on how controlled the virus is.  There are to many variables still on all of this.  Even looking at land based vacations so many things changing.  

 

I agree too, to a point. I just don’t appreciate empty gestures, and honestly would be happy to wait until something more concrete can be announced.

 

The problem with the scenario that the situation is ever changing is that it requires flexibility on a grand scale, but can also lead to inaction through fear of decisions/ measures becoming redundant before they’ve been implemented!

[Fouremco]

A quote from LLP's letter, prefacing her comments on the working group:

 

3 hours ago, marieps said:

I’m happy to share with you some of what we’ve been working on over the past several months.

 

Now a quote from the website's Press Center (https://www.celebritycruisespresscenter.com/press-release/1170/leading-public-health-experts-to-oversee-development-of-enhanced-cruise-line-health-and-safety-standards/):

 

The expert panel has been working for nearly a month.

 

So which is it, "past several months" or "nearly a month". It won't make any difference in the long run, I suppose, but I do wish that LLP (or her staff writers) could put together a consistent message. If they can't get the little things right, it's hard to expect success when tackling major issues.

[Georgia_Peaches]

3 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

A quote from LLP's letter, prefacing her comments on the working group:

 

 

Now a quote from the website's Press Center (https://www.celebritycruisespresscenter.com/press-release/1170/leading-public-health-experts-to-oversee-development-of-enhanced-cruise-line-health-and-safety-standards/😞

 

The expert panel has been working for nearly a month.

 

So which is it, "past several months" or "nearly a month". It won't make any difference in the long run, I suppose, but I do wish that LLP (or her staff writers) could put together a consistent message. If they can't get the little things right, it's hard to expect success when tackling major issues.

My guess is that they have been working on several things for many months and as part of that, they put together a panel of experts who, for the last month, have and will continue to put together plans for a safe restart.  I think both statements can be true.

 

Fouremco, I almost didn't recognize you!  Nice mask!

 

 

[phoenix_dream]

If its really only been a month that's pretty sad, considering the cruises have been shut down since March.  Considering their very future is at risk, you would think they would have done this a lot sooner.  

[npcl]

I am familiar with a couple of the individuals.  Dr. Scott Gottlieb is a very sharp individual and has been pretty accurate in his discussions of the outbreak.

 

Not sure how having even the best on the panel will help all that much. It seems the more that is learned about how the virus spreads is making things more difficult for cruise lines.

Edited July 6, 2020 by npcl

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 minute ago, npcl said:

I am familiar with a couple of the individuals.  Dr. Scott Gottlieb is a very sharp individual and has been pretty accurate in his discussions of the outbreak.

 

Not sure how having even the best on the panel will help all that much.

Why?

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

My guess is that they have been working on several things for many months and as part of that, they put together a panel of experts who, for the last month, have and will continue to put together plans for a safe restart.  I think both statements can be true.

 

Fouremco, I almost didn't recognize you!  Nice mask!

 

 

There was no "for example" or "among other activities", just a discussion of the panel, but you could well be right.

 

Thank you! For this year, so far anyway, I've traded in the mask and snorkel for a mask alone. 😷

[Baron Barracuda]

Fain apparently spoke to press about this today and as per Washington Post and others said RCL plans to partially resume sailing on 9/16.  Seems a bit optimistic considering the team isn't due to submit initial recommendations until 8/31.  Then of course CDC has to sign off, crew trained and any physical changes to ships implemented.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

8 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

My guess is that they have been working on several things for many months and as part of that, they put together a panel of experts who, for the last month, have and will continue to put together plans for a safe restart.  I think both statements can be true.

 

Fouremco, I almost didn't recognize you!  Nice mask!

 

 

I agree. It is likely that they have been working on things for a while and it has just been about a month that they have had the panel together to evaluate proposals and such. The two figures don’t have to be contradictory.

[phoenix_dream]

4 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

I agree. It is likely that they have been working on things for a while and it has just been about a month that they have had the panel together to evaluate proposals and such. The two figures don’t have to be contradictory.

Let's hope so.

[npcl]

1 hour ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Why?

Because more and more the concern is with air borne spread.  The land base experiences have bars opening and shutting down again due to spread.

 

That means that the ability of a cruise line (with is insides spaces designed for socializing (bars, restaurants, lounges, theaters) to do something to stop the onboard spread will be extremely difficult, even with the best minds working one it.  The ships are just not designed to deal with an air borne infectious agent.  If it was spread mostly by contaminated surfaces with some drop let spread (as first thought) one might be able to mitigate.  With spread mostly air borne, including some aerosol, with a less amount spread by surfaces, good luck.

 

One might design a solution, but how it compares to what we think of as cruising might be a different story.

 

Edited July 6, 2020 by npcl

[npcl]

1 hour ago, Baron Barracuda said:

Fain apparently spoke to press about this today and as per Washington Post and others said RCL plans to partially resume sailing on 9/16.  Seems a bit optimistic considering the team isn't due to submit initial recommendations until 8/31.  Then of course CDC has to sign off, crew trained and any physical changes to ships implemented.

From what I read isn't the initial startup a 3 day Bahama cruise?  A relatively low risk test bed.  Too short for any spread to manifest.

[Pinboy]

2 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Fouremco, I almost didn't recognize you!  Nice mask!

 

 

The mask is very nice--- The team is terrible.

IMO-- one of the worst run professional sport's team in history. 

[Shadow9612]

8 hours ago, hcat said:

We also received the LLP e mail...

I really wish I understood how X decides who gets emails and who doesn't.  

 

I used to get captains club emails, then didn't.  I  called. They fixed it.  Then I started receiving a million marketing emails a minute. Now everything stopped, with no action on my part.

 

I never received LLP email. 

[hcat]

10 hours ago, npcl said:

From what I read isn't the initial startup a 3 day Bahama cruise?  A relatively low risk test bed.  Too short for any spread to manifest.

Perhaps  true while on board...but cruisers will return to land and disperse.

 

   Wonder if there will be a post cruise quarantine required?

 

 Probably most who sign up  live a "driveable"  distance from the port of________.(?) But anyone  desperate to cruise any which way might even fly.!

 

No details in the LLP letter so it  all remains to be seen!

Edited July 7, 2020 by hcat

[TeeRick]

11 hours ago, Shadow9612 said:

I really wish I understood how X decides who gets emails and who doesn't.  

 

I used to get captains club emails, then didn't.  I  called. They fixed it.  Then I started receiving a million marketing emails a minute. Now everything stopped, with no action on my part.

 

I never received LLP email. 

I am in the same boat.  I sign up for emails.  I get one.  Then I never get any more.  Have gone through this multiple times and now I give up.  The only emails I get from Celebrity are the ones reminding me if a payment is due.