Celebrity Cruises becomes first in cruise industry to achieve Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ designation
Line begins U.S. operations on June 26 with health security-enhanced experience
ATLANTA, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharecare, the digital health company that helps people manage all their health in one place, and Forbes Travel Guide today announced their first partnership with a leading cruise line to adopt the tech-enabled Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ system. Each ship in Celebrity Cruises' award-winning fleet has been Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ with Forbes Travel Guide, using a solution designed to help mitigate risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and other public health outbreaks.
The Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ system adds another layer to Celebrity Cruises' already exemplary 'Healthy at Sea' program, which encompasses health and safety measures established in accordance with guidance from public health authorities, government agencies, and the company's own team of health and safety experts – all to provide each guest with the peace of mind to fully enjoy their journey.
Developed in response to COVID-19, Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ works in tandem with existing programs and protocols like Celebrity's 'Healthy at Sea' by ensuring health and safety measures – from employee well-being and safety to onboard sanitization to contactless adaptations for in-room dining – are comprehensive and can be verified by shipboard staff. The Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ solution allows real-time tracking of the verification process from the Celebrity Cruises headquarters to ensure each captain and crew confirm adherence to health and safety protocols outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local ports, as well as any specific company standards prior to sailing. Data generated through this process also provide an audit trail of protocol compliance and analytics, which is accessible to the ship's captain and monitoring teams at headquarters via the Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ platform's virtual dashboard.
"We have been extremely impressed with both how comprehensive the Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ system is and how easy it is for our staff to use," said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, Celebrity Cruises president and CEO. "As The Celebrity Fleet returns to service, Sharecare will help verify our rigorous 'Healthy at Sea' protocols, enabling our guests to simply relax and enjoy their vacation. We thank our partners from Sharecare and Forbes Travel Guide for their ongoing support in our quest to return to opening up the world."
To maintain Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ status, each shipboard team will complete the verification process covering a comprehensive list of touchpoints, including embarkation and disembarkation, housekeeping, and communal areas and activities, on every ship between sailings. With each Celebrity cruise, initial passenger boarding will not commence until the ship has been health security "cleared" by its executive committee. At this point, all passengers will receive notification via their handheld devices that their ship has been re-verified and is ready for boarding. This notification and reverification between every cruise aim to give travelers peace of mind that every requirement has been completed and confirmed by Celebrity staff.
"We commend Celebrity Cruises for not only reimagining the luxury experience with health security at the forefront, but also driving this 'win' for well-being that gets people back to doing what they love – safely, confidently, and responsibly," said Hermann Elger, executive vice president and general manager of travel, entertainment, and health security at Sharecare. "Like Celebrity, we recognize a culture of accountability is key to curbing the spread of COVID-19 and other public health threats so its industry can get back to business. Further, as one of the first cruise lines to resume sailing in the U.S., Celebrity's health security efforts are setting a new well-being standard for its community of passengers and shipboard staff."
In November 2020, Sharecare debuted a strategic partnership with Forbes Travel Guide, the global authority on hospitality excellence, to empower the hospitality industry to mitigate the operational and health safety challenges introduced by the pandemic and restore confidence among travelers. By combining Sharecare's expertise in healthcare and digital innovation with Forbes Travel Guide's best practices for hotel operations and service, Sharecare Health Security VERIFIED™ uniquely enables hotels, resorts, restaurants, sports and entertainment venues, and now cruise lines to put public health and safety at the center of exceptional guest experiences.
"As the first Sharecare VERIFIED™ cruise line, Celebrity sets a new industry standard for public health safety, which Forbes Travel Guide is proud to promote and celebrate," said Filip Boyen, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide. "In addition to health security, Forbes Travel Guide looks forward to bringing its prestigious Star Rating program to cruise ships. Our inaugural awards, slated for 2023, will help travelers choose the world's best cruise experiences, just as our Five-Star system highlights the world's most incredible hotels."
For guidance on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience, visit https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
About Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises' iconic "X" is the mark of a fleet of 14 award-winning ships redefining luxury cruise travel with cool, contemporary design and accommodation; dining, spa and entertainment experiences for modern tastes; and culturally rich and diverse destination experiences, all complemented by warm, personalized service. Celebrity has pioneered many industry firsts at sea, including: the first use of solar panels on a cruise ship; the first to eliminate use of plastic water bottles; the first American female Captain of a cruise ship; the first-ever all-female bridge and officer team sailing; the first West African woman to work on the bridge of a cruise ship; and one of the first legal same-sex weddings performed at sea. Driven by wanderlust and a passion for opening the world, Celebrity journeys to all seven continents, visiting nearly 300 destinations in more than 70 countries. Celebrity Cruises is one of five cruise brands operated by global cruise company Royal Caribbean Group. (NYSE: RCL).
Celebrity Cruises' health and safety measures will evolve in keeping with current public health standards. Guests are encouraged to regularly check the guidance on all health and safety measures across the entire Celebrity Cruises vacation experience at: https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea.
About Sharecare
Sharecare is the leading digital health company that helps people – no matter where they are in their health journey – unify and manage all their health in one place. Our comprehensive and data-driven virtual health platform is designed to help people, providers, employers, health plans, government organizations, and communities optimize individual and population-wide well-being by driving positive behavior change. Driven by our philosophy that we are all together better, at Sharecare, we are committed to supporting each individual through the lens of their personal health and making high-quality care more accessible and affordable for everyone. To learn more, visit www.sharecare.com.
About Forbes Travel Guide
Forbes Travel Guide is the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas. Started as Mobil Travel Guide in 1958, the company created the first Five-Star rating system in the United States. Today, Forbes Travel Guide's incognito inspectors travel the world, evaluating properties based on up to 900 rigorous, objective standards. Forbes Travel Guide also supports the hospitality industry and other service-oriented businesses such as luxury residential, healthcare and private clubs with bespoke training solutions, evaluation services and the creation of custom service standards. For more information, please visit partner.forbestravelguide.com.
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