Italians partyed at sea to escape Covid-19

On the occasion of Easter, some Italians spend money to buy tickets to luxury yachts to enjoy the freedom, escape the blockade on the mainland.
This Easter, Italy is likely to fall into a national blockade, including restricting travel between regions and implementing social gaps, according to the report. AP .

However, a few miles inland, the tourists on the cruise ship MSC Grandiosa are still comfortably swaying to latin music and sipping cocktails by the pool. Despite the blockade that caused many hotels and resorts to close, the luxury yacht MSC Grandiosa still organizes seven-night resort transfers across the Mediterranean Sea. Passengers at the station before boarding the tourist train MSC Grandiosa in Civitavecchia (Italy). Celebrating Easter offshore After cruise ships became the source of the Covid-19 outbreaks, Grandiosa attempted to devise a new route of movement, including a strict set of anti-epidemic rules approved by the Italian authorities. , aimed at creating a “health bubble” on the deck. Passengers and crew are tested before and during excursions. They are required to wear masks and bracelets to track, and check their temperature regularly. Ship disinfection and cleaning activities have also been carried out to prevent outbreaks. Foreign tourists must have a negative Covid-19 test paper within 48 hours of departure. In addition, only residents of the Schengen countries, along with Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria, can book under the Covid-19 insurance policy. On January 31, Grandiosa yacht left the port of Civitavecchia (Italy) for a week-long Easter vacation. Despite the capacity of 6,000 people, the train can accommodate only 2,000 passengers. The cruise is expected to call at Naples, Valletta and Malta before returning to ports in Genoa. Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus remains a threat, passengers are allowed to enjoy pre-pandemic normality, including the freedom to eat and drink in restaurants or rest by the pool without wearing a mask. The scene of tourists enjoying sunbathing and relaxing by the crowded pool. “After a serious year of implementing the restrictive rules, we think we have the right to rest, relax for a week,” Stefania Battistoni (39), a teacher in Italy, told AP. This single mother drove overnight to bring her two sons and mother from Bolzano to the port, on this trip. On the Grandiosa, passengers have the opportunity to enjoy activities that have been largely closed in Italy and Europe over the past year: theaters, restaurants, duty-free shopping and live music at the shops. bar. “The outing excursion is the best mental health option for our family after a year of limited, shutdown,” said Federico Marzocchi, who joins his wife and 10-year-old son Matteo, said. In the meantime, the rest of Italy is back in full shutdown this Easter in an attempt to reduce the outbreak of the disease. In addition, the government has imposed a 5-day quarantine order on people entering from other EU countries to prevent tourists who want to travel to Italy to relax. Trouble from the yachts The pandemic has severely reduced the number of passengers on board cruise ships, from a record 30 million people in 2019 to about 350,000 people since July 2020, according to Cruise Lines International (CLIA) – major marine tourism association best of the world. Currently, there are less than 20 yachts in operation globally. The MSC Grandiosa is currently the only ship in service in the world. According to independent consultancy Bermello Ajamii & Partners, only 23 cases of Covid-19 have appeared on board since the industry re-started in the summer of 2020, with an infection rate for passengers of 0.006. %. The European tourism industry is looking to reopen next spring, from April onwards. However, some critics point out that travel companies should take advantage of this long break to solve problems related to the working and working environment in the industry. “Travel agencies could have used this ‘Covid-19 vacation’ to address their negative impacts on public health and the environment,” says Jim Ace, from the group that works for Stand Earth environment, said. “Every big yacht uses the cheapest and dirtiest burning fuel available. They are large, polluting the air and water and contribute to climate change. They are toxic to the port environment and spread disease. They exploit the workers and put the passengers in danger, ”said Ace.