Traveler Comfort for Cruising Increases 

A fifth of travelers feel safer today compared to a year ago. 

 

Lebanon, NH – May 31, 2022 – Cruising is making a comeback, according to the most recent Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey.  

“Nineteen percent of survey takers say they feel safer – or much safer – about taking a cruise compared to last year,” said Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board at the U.S. Department of Commerce.  

 Despite 30% of survey respondents experiencing some travel hesitancy about where to go, or when to get back to travel after two years of pandemic-related travel restrictions, the majority of the world’s most experienced travelers (70%) are not experiencing any re-entry to travel anxiety in general or on cruise ships, according to the survey.  

 Call it boldness or acquiescence, travelers are returning to cruise ships under the watchful eye of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because of potential coronavirus outbreaks. According to a recent CDC analysis, 91 ships are sailing in U.S waters of which seven reported no cases of coronavirus on board and four reported 0.3% or fewer cases on board. The remaining 80 ships reported 0.3% or more cases on board, triggering a CDC investigation which includes reminding the cruise ships of the CDC’s guidance on preventive measures and possible in-person inspections, passenger testing and mask-wearing requirements. 

 “I think we’ve gotten to the point where no one expects that they’ll go anywhere and be perfectly insulated from COVID,” said Colleen McDaniel, editor in chief of Cruise Critic.  

 The survey results are driven by the combination of the majority of foreign borders opening to international travelers, revenge travel, and elevated comfort levels travelers have for taking trips. Eighty-four percent of travelers are less – or much less – concerned about travel today compared to the beginning of the pandemic, according to the survey.  

 The top travel anxiety continues to be centered on COVID. “Thirty-five percent of travelers say testing positive for COVID-19, having symptoms and being stranded away from home is their biggest fear about international travel,” Richards said. Fifteen percent of travelers say producing a negative COVID-19 test to meet U.S. re-entry requirements is their main concern.  

  

About the Global Rescue Traveler Sentiment and Safety Survey    

Global Rescue, the leading travel risk and crisis response provider, conducted a survey of more than 1,200 of its current and former members between April 5 and 9, 2022. The respondents exposed a significant range in travel confidence and international travel activity as well as preferences for international travel policies.   

Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information. 

About Global Rescue   

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Global Rescue has provided medical and security support to its clients, including Fortune 500 companies, governments and academic institutions, during every globally significant crisis of the last two decades. For more information, visit www.globalrescue.com.