by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:40 AM ET, Thu March 23, 2023
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) announced it would abandon ship on the return of in-person muster drills and require passengers go through the digital version, starting on April 1.
The cruise company reverted back to in-person muster drills in January, a decision that was met with frustration by passengers who wanted to avoid gathering with many people in each ship's public or outdoor spaces, according to Cruise Critic.
"In an effort to enhance the onboard guest experience while keeping the safety of our guests and crew our top priority, we will reinstate e-muster drills through our online check-in for sailings beginning April 1," a Norwegian Cruise Line spokesperson told Cruise Critic.
"We are committed to delivering an exceptional and safe experience on board and as such will continue to actively evaluate and modify our processes for best practices," the statement continued.
The transition back to e-muster drills impacts all ships across the NCLH brands: Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
The electronic protocols were widely adopted after cruising resumed from its pandemic-prompted hiatus in 2021, providing guests with a socially distanced and more flexible means of fulfilling their safety drill requirements upon embarkation.
Earlier this week, NCLH announced that CEO Frank J. Del Rio would retire from the company and relinquish his position on the board of directors, effective June 30. Norwegian named Harry J. Sommer-the chief executive of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) since 2020-as CEO, starting on July 1.
Del Rio is expected to remain in a consultant capacity as senior adviser to the board through 2025. As for who will take over the helm for NCL, company officials revealed David J. Herrera would assume the role after serving as chief consumer sales and marketing officer for the cruise line since 2021.
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