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Meet the man trying to prove cruising is safe – and save a £114bn industry

'Pre-Covid, I managed a cruise line. Now? I am a medical expert,' says Gianni Onorato - IVAN SARFATTI
'Pre-Covid, I managed a cruise line. Now? I am a medical expert,' says Gianni Onorato - IVAN SARFATTI

“Ships are not meant to be laid-up, just as cars aren’t supposed to be kept in a garage,” says Gianni Onorato, the man spearheading the revival of the cruise sector

Gianni Onorato, chief executive officer at MSC Cruises, was in good spirits when we spoke earlier this week.

The cruise line’s flagship, MSC Grandiosa, successfully returned to service on August 16 – having been grounded since the coronavirus dramatically shut down the cruise industry in March.

Grandiosa departed from the city of Genoa and will stop at three Italian ports, as well as the Maltese capital Valletta, during the course of its seven-day voyage.

“I am very pleased,” smiled Mr Onorato. “It is a real pleasure for me to sail on board the first of our ships to return to service, and to be able to welcome back our guests.”

It appears the response has been ecstatic: “Both our [mainly Italian] passengers and crew on board Grandiosa are thrilled to be there.”

Speaking exclusively to The Telegraph, Mr Onorato said he was pleasantly surprised by how “disciplined people are. Everyone was wearing masks and socially distancing. I was very impressed and, of course, this makes the life of the crew so much easier.”

That’s not to say everything has been smooth sailing. “We did have to deny re-embarkation to one family, who separated from an MSC shore excursion to explore the city of Naples on their own for 30 minutes, which is patently against the rules.

“I was disappointed for them but they broke the ‘social bubble’, put in place to avoid the spread of coronavirus and protect our other guests and crew.”

MSC Grandiosa
MSC Grandiosa

The family-owned Swiss cruise line isn’t the only operator to have resumed sailing – river cruise lines tested the waters in June, while a few ocean ships set sail in July albeit with mixed results.

However, Grandiosa is the first major cruise ship to set sail in the Mediterranean in almost five months – and hopes to kickstart an industry that generates an estimated $150bn (£114bn) for the world economy, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

It’s a responsibility that Mr Onorato doesn’t take lightly. This is evidenced by his involvement in MSC Cruises’ exhaustive security protocols for the safe resumption of cruising during the time of Covid-19, which he threw himself into with gusto.

“Listen, I have changed my job,” he laughed. “Pre-Covid, I managed strategies. Now? I am a medical expert – you can ask me anything and I am ready to answer.”

It’s been a huge and hugely tricky job. “I have been involved since March, when the virus first broke out, in assembling a strong team of medical staff and experts. From day one, we understood one thing: the root of prevention starts before everyone steps on ship.”

To this end, MSC passengers are subjected to a temperature test, a health questionnaire review and an antigen swab test before embarking – and anyone who has a temperature is immediately denied boarding.

“Usually we believe the customer is always right, but this has changed due to the coronavirus,” said Mr Onorato.

If passengers pass the temperature test and have a negative antigen test, they are cleared to board. On board, there are daily temperature checks and every crew member and guest is given a wristband that “facilitates contactless transactions around the ship as well as providing contact and proximity tracing.”

Mr Onorato explained: “We have redefined our services, for example the restaurants, but in the elevators and other areas where social distancing is not possible, passengers must wear masks.”

Arguably the biggest changes take place ashore: guests will only be allowed on land via a guided MSC excursion. Independent exploration of ports are strictly prohibited – as the family barred from rejoining Grandiosa discovered.

It’s clear that the sailing of Grandiosa represents a key test for the cruise industry amid niggling concerns of passenger safety so I can’t help but wonder: why is the line so keen to resume cruising, when plenty of competitors have cancelled all activity until the end of the year?

“I think it depends what region you are operating in. We have halted operations in the Caribbean and China, for example, until the end of October. But we are a family company – others have to deal with investors – and [a Swiss] company,” said Mr Onorato.

“This means we are able to have a strong dialogue with local port authorities in Italy and the Mediterranean and are able to make sure our response plans are properly implemented. Probably other cruise lines, in other parts of the world, don’t have a chance to do this.”

When asked if money is a motivator for re-entering the water, Mr Onorato replied with searing honesty: “We probably will make money, but really [resuming sailing] is about sustaining the company through this storm, because my salary stays as it is regardless of whether cruises are in operation or not.

“It probably costs us the same to sail as it does to keep the ship docked, but it is not my job to be in the office and keep the ships laid up.”

Always looking to give opportunities, Mr Onorato said: “We needed to do this [set sail] not just to meet the growing demand of customers who want to return to cruising, but to provide employment and hope to people who are jobless.

“I’m talking about our excursion bus drivers, our tour guides, port operators, the crew and so on. Let’s keep the system alive. Ships are not meant to be laid-up just as cars aren’t supposed to be kept in the garage.”

Mr Onorato confessed that it had been very tough on MSC’s staff “both shoreside and on our ships,” who didn’t enjoy the enforced break: “It is so tough. But unfortunately they are in good company because there are so many other industries who have suffered similar situations.

“This is also one of the main reasons for us to re-start – not just to make money but for our people. To allow them to get back to work. They are so happy and it has been really emotional for us all.”

Temperature checks take place daily - SHUTTERSTOCK
Temperature checks take place daily - SHUTTERSTOCK

MSC Cruises has opted to get back to business in the Mediterranean with Grandiosa, the latest addition to the line’s fleet, because she is the “biggest ship we have.”

“We are limiting the capacity of our ships to 70 per cent, although for this particular sailing capacity is closer to 50 per cent.”

A second MSC ship, the slightly smaller Magnifica, will resume sailings out of Italy on  September 26 with seven-night departures from the Italian ports of Bari and Trieste to the Greek ports of Corfu, Katakolon and Piraeus.

Of the FCO’s ban on ocean voyages for British citizens, Mr Onorato said: “I can’t understand the logic of it but then Mr Johnson experienced Covid-19 himself. When it comes to you, for sure you take a different perspective. I just hope what we are doing here at MSC, with our enhanced protocols, will change their position.”

Asked what MSC Cruises as a company has learnt from the coronavirus crisis, Mr Onorato replied: “Some of what we have learnt, is the same as much of mankind. To be vigilant and react quickly and make decisions that aren’t linked to someone else’s opinion.

“I’ve also rediscovered what truly great people we have working at MSC Cruises. Some have had to take a pay cut but they are still working with the same passion, if not more passion, than before.”

As to how long MSC Cruises and other lines will have to sail with Covid-friendly safety and sanitation protocols, Mr Onorato isn’t sure but he’s out to prove that cruise is safe. He strongly believes that not even a global pandemic will stop people from cruising and promises MSC passengers “a high standard environment with a high level of service; the highlights of cruising will remain intact.”

Mr Onorato insisted: “There is no reason to be worried. Holidays are a very important aspect of our life. We cannot be without holidays and there is no better holiday than cruising.”