EVMarketing
Contributor
COVID-19 PRESS RELEASE
MARCH 16, 2020
MARCH 16, 2020
OK (taking a deep breath...), it's no secret that we’re in unprecedented times with the recent rise of Coronavirus. Even ordinary dive travel can hold many uncertainties. Still, there’s no place we’d rather be than peacefully gliding alongside whale sharks, or swimming with a turtle, in a tropical paradise. The underwater world can make anyone forget about their worries, including all the news surrounding COVID-19 for a blissful hour at a time. Plus (and we don’t mean to brag), we have plenty of toilet paper.
You can still take that dream dive vacation and we’re here to help. Our office is open, taking bookings and helping divers make informed travel decisions. Most of our scheduled departures are running on schedule, and we have initiated many preventative measures used globally including guest and crew screening, additional disinfection procedures, and a continued focus on hygiene. We care about your safety. Our goal is healthy guests and staff - so that everyone can enjoy their diving holiday!
In the immediate term, many countries worldwide have instituted travel bans or restrictions that are affecting our guests’ ability to travel either from their home countries or to our partners’ vessels. The longest restriction currently is 30 days, from Europe to the US – most others are 15 days, but with the possibility of extension.
If you are scheduled to travel with an Explorer Ventures Fleet vessel through the end of April 2020, you'll be receiving an email from us with the details. We are receiving a large number of inquiries and want to make sure you get the time and service you deserve. We are prioritizing questions for those traveling in the next few weeks. For those traveling from May onwards, we ask for your patience. It’s simply too early to tell what the situation will be, but our goal remains to show you the best dive vacation you’ve had, as quickly as we can!
Here’s what else is happening at Explorer Ventures:
- We are taking prudent actions onboard our vessels to ensure the health and safety of divers and crew. All other protocols defined by the World Health Organization, and Divers Alert Network, are in place and shall continue to be followed accordingly.
- We are advising all persons who are experiencing symptoms of a fever or respiratory illness or have had contact with a person with COVID-19 in the past 14 days, not to travel. In addition, several countries have restricted access to people traveling from high-risk areas; please check with your airline prior to travel.
- We are screening guests upon arrival, and guests/crew throughout the week, to make sure that everyone remains safe.
Take care of yourselves and support each other so we can all get back to doing what we love most.
Stay well and we hope to see you onboard soon.
Clay McCardell,
President
Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Diving Fleet