To address health concerns brought on by the pandemic, Windstar Cruises will retrofit its fleet of six yachts with hospital-grade HEPA filters, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation and will employ a safe sanitization formula used in health care settings.
“We are taking extensive measures and making multi-million dollar investments to operate our yachts more safely in this new environment,” said Windstar Cruises CEO Andrew Todd.
“Building upon Windstar’s 180 degrees from ordinary service, the Beyond Ordinary Care program implements a layered system of science-led best practices aimed at keeping everyone aboard healthy.”
“Windstar’s holistic approach has multiple layers of safety at hospital grade standards, and when combined with responsible hygiene practices from guests, it’s the safest environment achievable with tech and science as we know it today,” said Dr. Michelle Barron, medical director of infection prevention at University of Colorado Hospital and professor of medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, at University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Center.
“When you’re sailing on a Windstar yacht, your biggest worry should be how to avoid a sunburn, not getting Covid-19.”
Windstar is making the investment as part of its Beyond Ordinary Care programme, which run as follows:
1. Install high-efficiency particulate air (Hepa) filters to filter the air on board
2. Add yet another layer to sanitize/disinfect the Hepa-filtered air with UV-C light for
germicidal irradiation
3. Use EvaClean with PurTab for disinfecting surfaces via sprayers
Every yacht will have the following areas sanitized regularly by dedicated crew trained and assigned to monitor and clean the ship by use of the improved sanitation products:
•Guest rooms –Before each cruise departure
•Public spaces–Lobbies, restrooms, open deck areas, restaurants, public sitting areas, etc., will all be disinfected before each cruise departure and then regularly during each cruise.
•Crew quarters–To help the crew stay healthy, their environments will be cleaned and sanitized often.
•Medical clinic and other wellness areas–Will be frequently sanitized
Windstar Cruises releases a new schedule of cruises for its fleet of six yachts in 2021 and launches the “Save Now & Sail Later” offer to celebrate.
