Whether by land, sea or air, travel companies are going to extraordinary lengths to help globetrotters explore the world safely

Marriott Raises the Bar ON Well-being and Comfort

While the new normal may evolve and change over time to reflect government guidance and new societal expectations, travelers can enjoy peace of mind knowing that Marriott has made all the necessary precautions to provide a great guest experience, time after time. 

Marriott’s commitment to keeping hotel associates, guests and customers safe is their utmost priority. The company’s recently launched Global Cleanliness Council includes experts from the field of medicine and public health to supplement the hotel’s long-standing reputation of cleanliness and hospitability.

Additionally, Marriott has developed over 200 cleaning protocols throughout each step of a guest’s journey and for every physical space in the hotel. The hotel is deploying scientifically supported practices and innovations, with a focus on specific details of the guest experience.

Along with enabling and promoting social and physical distancing practices, Marriott is reducing allowable capacities in spaces, increasing distance between furniture, and managing queueing areas. Every space at Marriott will continue to undergo deeper, more frequent cleanings. Enhanced cleaning protocols have been designed to disinfect every space, especially during peak usage. All high-touch items, like elevator buttons and escalator handrails, will also be continually disinfected. Hand sanitation stations have been added throughout the hotels, including in high-traffic areas.

Marriott has gone above and beyond to help keep guests more connected with less contact. Cell phone technology includes Mobile Key, Mobile Dining, eFolio delivery, and Mobile Requests via the Marriott Bonvoy™ app. Hybrid meetings via live-streaming are also supported.

Guests rooms will receive a deep cleaning between stays and nonessential high-touch items that cannot be disinfected will be removed. Disinfecting wipes will be provided in all accommodations. To further keep contact to a minimum, there will be limited, in-stay housekeeping frequency to reduce contact during each stay.

And when it comes to food and beverage options, Marriott has also made important changes by replacing self-service buffets with a variety of “grab and go” contactless food and beverage choices. Redesigned food and beverage station set-ups now include protective barriers and non-essential items have also been removed.

SAFE SAILING with Regent Seven Seas Cruises

To meet the needs and challenges of cruising in today’s quickly-changing world, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has developed a remarkable number of enhanced health and safety protocols. This includes working hand in hand with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and federal governments globally, to provide safe, relaxing, and fun getaways.

Passengers can relax knowing that once all of Regent’s ships have been disinfected, they are then evaluated and certified as virus-free when they re-enter service by Sabre BioResponse, the world leader in decontamination services.

Regent’s 24/7 prevention schedule features continuous disinfection of public areas and high-traffic touch points as well as daily fogging of all suites, public spaces, and guest corridors utilizing a hospital-grade oxidant that is natural, safe, and non-toxic. Guest suites will receive intensive microbial disinfection daily, which includes fogging of the entire space inclusive of bathrooms and closets.

Regent’s ships have been outfitted with upgraded HVAC systems that incorporate the latest advances. Each ship will utilize fresh-air induction and be equipped with the highest-tier HEPA 13 hospital-grade filters for all accommodations and public spaces.

Each ship will have a dedicated Public Health Officer on board who is responsible for the oversight of all sanitation and outbreak prevention initiatives. Additionally, they will maintain compliance with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program. Enhanced onboard medical centers are abundantly stocked with common prescription medications, remedies, and the latest virus-testing equipment.

Regent is constantly monitoring the global health map and will cancel or modify itineraries to impacted areas. The cruise line is also preventing guests and crew who have recently traveled to high-risk locations from boarding. Monitoring of staff and crew health includes testing of crew members, multiple temperature checks per day, as well as rigid sanitation and hygiene protocols.

Prior to boarding, all guests will undergo extensive health screenings. Regent has designed an enhanced, staggered embarkation and check-in process for proper social distancing that also includes a new state-of-the-art touchless temperature screening. Embarkation terminals will be sanitized continuously and terminals will be thoroughly sanitized and, where possible, fogged before and after each embarkation and debarkation.

For safe and healthy dining, no-touch food and beverage service is being implemented across all ships with service staff stationed ship-wide. Reduced seating in entertainment venues, smaller group sizes for shore excursions, culinary classes, and onboard activities, along with increased spacing in dining venues, provide for effective social distancing practices.

From check-in to baggage claim, SAFETY IS Delta’S TOP PRIORITY

By working in consensus with health experts, partners, and healthcare industry leaders on best practices, Delta Air Lines has implemented a dynamic lineup of measures to ensure a safe travel experience for all its customers.

Along with requiring customers and customer-facing employees to wear masks, social distance markers have been added throughout check-in lobbies, Delta Sky Club check-ins, at the gates, and down the jet bridges to encourage customers to stand apart. Plexiglass shields have been installed at all Delta check-in counters, in Delta Sky Clubs, and at the gate counters across the globe. Hand sanitizer stations are available in check-in lobbies, at the gates, in Delta Sky Clubs, and on all Delta-owned jet bridges.

Delta’s check-in lobbies, self-service kiosks, gate counters, and baggage claim are thoroughly wiped down continually throughout the day. Electrostatic spraying is being utilized in all of the airports Delta serves in the U.S. and has been expanded to other key locations such as Delta’s lobbies, jet bridges, and gatehouses.

Delta Sky Clubs are offering pre-packaged food similar to onboard snacks and other pre-packaged options like yogurt, breakfast energy bars, salads, hummus and pita chips, and sandwiches. Coffee, tea, soft drinks and select wine, beer and liquor remain available.

Every Delta flight is thoroughly sanitized prior to boarding using electrostatic sprayers. Following this, cleaning crews complete an extensive checklist of cleaning procedures using this same high-grade disinfectant to wipe down personal and common areas of the cabin.

The air line’s new boarding process encourages more space for safer travel by boarding all flights from back-to-front, reducing the instances of customers needing to pass by one another to reach their seats. The new process is limited to 10 customers at a time to minimize your contact with others.

All middle seats will continue to be shown as unavailable or not assignable when selecting seats via the Fly Delta app or online. The airline will also continue to block the selection of some aisle seats in aircraft with 2x2 seating configurations. The air on all aircraft is completely recirculated 10 to 30 times per hour with fresh, outside air or through industrial-grade HEPA filters, which extract more than 99.99% of particles, including viruses.

Guests can further their touchless Delta check-in procedure by downloading the Fly Delta app to access a digital boarding pass.

Contact your local travel professional to find out how you can help.