MCC COVID-19 RESOURCE CENTER

Enhanced policies and procedures for COVID-19 pandemic response & FAQs

First and foremost, the management and staff at MITAGS and Maritime Conference Center (MCC) would like to express our gratitude to the heroes on the front lines of COVID-19. Our thoughts are also with those that have been impacted directly by illness or loss during this difficult time.

MITAGS reopened its doors to enrolled students on May 31, 2020, and Maritime Conference Center reopened its hotel to house students and instructors on May 30, 2020. Student classes have safely resumed in our East and West campuses. Maritime Conference Center has hosted safe, successful in-person meetings and hybrid events over the past several months and looks forward to working with customers planning events for the future.

As of May 15, 2021 Maryland's Governor lifted restrictions on indoor and outdoor venues, including "convention and banquet facilities", and indoor and outdoor dining. Meeting room capacities are no longer limited, however physical distancing setup options are still available. Here is the executive order for your reference. Please review the updated MITAGS-Maritime Conference Center COVID-19 Policy below for details about our internal plans and procedures to keep our staff, students and guests safe. In order to keep everyone safe, we are urging guests to be fully vaccinated, or receive a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival. Masks are now REQUIRED in public spaces, but are optional inside classroom spaces. All guests are subject to a daily temperature check and COVID-19 screening questionnaire.

As of December 6, 2021 President Biden's new actions and travel restrictions to protect Americans against COVID-19 variants took effect. This means travelers entering the U.S., including American citizens and non-citizens, are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within one day of boarding their flight regardless of vaccination status. To read President Biden's full statement, click here. The U.S. Travel Association has also provided these international travel FAQs.

We recommend travelers reach out to their specific airline or departure airport for pertinent information in regards to travel. Additional resources can be found here: https://governor.maryland.gov/marylandunites/

BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport information can be found here:    https://www.bwiairport.com/COVID19

On December 31, 2021, due to a sustained increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations and outbreaks, Anne Arundel County Executive, Steuart Pittman, mandated that all people two years and older shall wear a mask in indoor public areas and outdoors in crowded areas where social distancing is not possible. All businesses shall require that staff and customers wear masks in indoor and outdoor settings with the exception of activities that cannot take place while masked. Masks must be well fitting and cover the nose and mouth. Click here to read the mandate, which is set to expire on January 7, 2022 unless extended by the county council.

MITAGS-MCC already had a mask mandate in place as of August 2021, and will continue to require masks in ALL indoor public areas on our campus regardless of vaccination status until further notice.

As of January 4, 2022, Maryland has seen a dramatic surge in COVID hospitalizations, and the Governor expects the next four to six weeks to be the most difficult time to date. Therefore, Governor Hogan has issued a 30-day state of emergency with two new executive orders. Please use the links below to read more:
MD State of Emergency Proclamation (1.4.22)
MD Executive Order (Healthcare Matters 1.4.22)
MD Executive Order (EMS Workforce 1.4.22)

MITAGS students are also required to be fully vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 within three days prior to arrival on campus. Additionally, we request that if you are able to receive the seasonal flu vaccine that you do so prior to arriving. Many of the COVID-19 symptoms mirror flu symptoms. Prior to arrival please read through the COVID-19 Policy, screening questions and be prepared to sign the last page of the document.

Note that the risk of being infected by COVID-19 will likely exist until vaccines become more widely available. However, MITAGS and Maritime Conference Center recognize that it is our responsibility to make every effort to reopen in a responsible and safe manner. This is why we’ve worked diligently to create, and continually modify, protocols and resources for our staff, students, meeting planners and guests to mitigate this risk to the best of our abilities. Our policies are based on the latest safety guidance from CDC, state health department and other regulatory authorities. MCC’s protocols can be found here on this page, in our COVID-19 Resource Center. MITAGS' COVID-19 Resource Center can be found here: https://www.mitags.org/faqs-covid-19/.

Both Resource Centers will be modified and updated as we continue moving forward, as changes are inevitable.

If you have any specific questions that you need assistance with or if you would like a copy of our full COVID-19 Operational and Safety Manual, please email us at Conference_Sales@mccbwi.org.

COVId-19 Policies for All Staff, MITAGS Students & MCC guests

The buttons below take you to our current policies and procedures for visiting MITAGS and MCC in Baltimore during this COVID‐19 health crisis, as well as a list of self‐screening questions staff, students and guests are required to answer.

Maritime Conference Center COVID-19 Policy

MITAGS COVID-19 Policy

House Guidelines for Sports Teams

FACT SHEETS

Download our latest fact sheets to share with your planning team and meeting/conference guests.

MCC Enhanced Cleaning Protocols

My Cleaning Promise Program

FLIK Hospitality Group Dining Room Protocols

Frequently Asked Questions

AM I REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK ON CAMPUS?

MITAGS-MCC requires masks to be worn in all public areas as of 8/9/21. Clients may choose to mandate their own organizational mask requirements within meeting spaces, require temperature checks, COVID-19 Screenings, and/or proof of vaccination for their attendees.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AT CHECK-IN?

To facilitate physical distancing, the Front Desk will have rope and stanchion placed so that two lines can form – one for each workstation. When a station is closed, that lane will be roped off so that only one individual will present to the Front Desk Clerk at a time. Each station will have an acrylic shield in front of it to protect the staff. Appliques which signify where to stand will be placed every six feet from the desk, in two lines.
We've installed contactless check-in and payment terminals at our front desk, and all room keys will be sanitized.

IS YOUR FITNESS CENTER & POOL OPEN?

The fitness center is open from 5am to 10pm, with a maximum capacity of 6 persons at a time. We ask that guests wear a mask when entering the gym, and that all equipment is whipped down after use.

The hotel pool is open from 5pm to 10pm daily. Our management company, Ace Aquatics, is adhering to all state and local health and safety protocols. Physical distancing and limited capacity requirements will be enforced by the lifeguard on duty. Used linens will be placed in a receptacle with a bag, and removed once a day to be cleaned. We ask that guests wear a mask when entering the pool area, and while interacting with people not in their household and staff. Masks are not to be worn while swimming in the pool.

The Recreation Room has opened.

What changes Have you Made in Your Dining Room & Centralized Break Area to Mitigate Risk of Infection?

Centralized Break Areas and the Chesapeake Dining Room have reopened buffet style service. Normal occupancy has resumed. Pricing can be provided for in-room, individually packaged breaks and private buffets. Please consult a sales professional for additional information.

Guest room floors will have additional trash receptacles near the elevator to dispose of the food containers should students or guests decide to eat in their guest room. Please do not leave empty containers in the room since housekeeping service is limited at this time. Arrangements for an area for day students or guests to eat their meals will be made once a firm head count is established.

Temporary meal hours are as follows:

Breakfast: 7:00am to 8:00am (Mon - Fri)
Lunch: 11:30am to 12:30pm (Mon - Fri)
Dinner: 5:00pm to 6:00pm (Mon -Thur)

Break Service tentative hours are as follows:

AM Break Service: 9:00am to 11:00am
- Coffee, fruit, assorted baked goods
PM Break Service: 1:00pm to 3:00pm (Availability of Friday PM Break depends on capacity)
- Coffee, soda, assortment of sweet and salty snacks

* Offerings may vary depending on meeting package. Please inquire with a sales professional.

Is your Shuttle Still Operating?

The MITAGS & MCC shuttle will not be in operation until further notice. If you are flying into BWI or traveling by train to the BWI Amtrak Station, please take a taxi, Uber or Lyft.

Special arrangements for larger groups may be possible, please discuss with our Sales & Conference Managers.

IS MCC Offering Virtual Tours of Its Property and Meeting Spaces?

Currently we have multiple options that allow you to view some videos and photos of our individual spaces:

If you would like to schedule a personal virtual tour via Teams, Zoom or a similar app., or an in-person tour please contact us at Conference_Sales@mccbwi.org.
In-person tours are available by appointment only, and we reserve the right to limit the number of guests allowed on a tour.
Walk-in tours are not being accepted at this time.

Is the Deck Club Lounge Open?

The Deck Club Lounge Bar reopened on Sunday, November 1st and will be open Sunday-Friday 5pm-10pm (closed on Saturdays). Subject to change.

What Air Filtration and Circulation Equipment is in place at your Facility?

Each guest room floor in the North Tower has a fresh air makeup unit in the hallway. The South Tower consist of a Roof Top unit and supplies 100% outside air to each floors . Each individual room in the North and South Towers has a water-cooled A/C unit, but no fresh air comes in through those units. Exhaust is forced out though ventilation ducts in the guest room bathrooms.

The majority of our meeting space, to include the A300 rooms, Bridge Room, A111/A113, A100 and most of our Academic Classrooms have rooftop A/C units that take in fresh air. There are also some smaller meeting spaces that have individual A/C units.

If you need additional information, we'd be happy to connect you to our Chief Engineer.

What additional cleaning and SANITATION Protocols have you put in Place ?

Our housekeeping partner, My Cleaning Services, Inc., has developed, the “My Cleaning PROMISE” program which includes enhanced cleaning and sanitizing of
guest rooms and public spaces. A safety seal placed on your guestroom door will indicate it has been cleaned, sanitized and sealed for your safety.

In addition, our Conference Department is cleaning and sanitizing desks, chairs and all hard surfaces in our meeting rooms. Adjusted capacity and layouts to promote physical distancing are also available. And we are using our impressive internet backbone to provide solutions for guests who wish to attend online.

For more information on our cleaning protocols and the My Cleaning PROMISE Program, click here.

My Cleaning Services, Inc. has received ISSA The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association's Cleaning Industry Management Standard GB Certification.

ARE ONLINE RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FOR GROUPS?

Yes, online reservations are available for all groups. Please reach out to your Sales or Conference Manager to obtain your booking link.

HOW ARE YOU ENFORCING PHYSICAL DISTANCING?

Physical distancing is no longer recommended by the CDC for fully vaccinated individuals, however we will work with groups to assist with physically distanced meeting spaces, and creative ways to encourage distancing in common areas, etc. Breaks and mealtimes may be scheduled to limit crowds as well.

How Can you support my Virtual Training Needs?

Click here to view our current AV equipment offerings and price list. We continue to work with our IT/AV team and Conference Department to stay up-to-date on the latest technology, especially as the industry pivots to more virtual meetings. We also have several great third-party partnerships that we can recommend to you should your needs be outside of our capabilities.

The FAQ below this one, "What do you offer in terms of internet access & capabilities" will also help with your hybrid meeting plans.

For more information and to discuss your specific requirements, please contact us at Conference_Sales@mccbwi.org.

WHAT DO YOU OFFER IN TERMS OF INTERNET ACCESS & CAPABILITIES?

Maritime Conference Center performed a complete overhaul of our public Wi-Fi services in 2014. In addition to securing the services of a leading hospitality-focused support and engineering company to manage our infrastructure, we upgraded our internal cabling to CAT-6 standards, installed 95 access points, and we boast a 150MB bandwidth over microwave with a failsafe to a 100MB fiber pipe.

Both wired and seamless Wi-Fi service is available in all of our guest rooms and throughout the property. And as always, this is a complimentary service to our guests. We offer additional services for our conference and meeting guests such as private V-LAN, web conferencing, reserved bandwidth and dedicated technical support at competitive rates.

150MB bandwidth
95 access points
Complimentary WiFi service in meeting rooms and hotel rooms
Private V-LAN, Web Conferencing and Reserved Bandwidth available

HOW DO I KNOW WHAT MEETING ROOM SIZE IS NOW APPROPRIATE FOR MY MEETING SO WE CAN ENSURE PHYSICAL DISTANCING?

Our Conference Department has completed new capacity charts for each of our meeting spaces to ensure physical distancing. You can view these new capacities, which are based on 50% occupancy with 6 foot physical distancing, by clicking here.

Please contact your Sales or Conference Manager with questions or to discuss your specific needs. At this point in Anne Arundel County, Maryland all capacity restrictions have been lifted. We do encourage full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival. We also ask that temperature checks and COVID-19 screening questionnaire be administered daily.

You can also view this physical distancing room space and capacity calculator to get a general idea of how your meeting room size may need to be adjusted.

Are you Still oFFering Laundry Service at this time?

Unfortunately at this time, we are not providing laundry service. All laundry slips and bags have been removed from our guest rooms until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience, however our self-service laundry rooms are available on the 5th floor in our North Tower and 2nd Floor in our South Tower. Self-service laundry rooms may only be available during specific hours. Complimentary soap is available.

Do you have sample menus of what is now available in the dining room?

Yes, please click here to see sample menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner provided by our partner, FLIK Hospitality Group. Food selections will continue to evolve as restrictions and conference volumes change. Please ask your Sales Manager or Conference Manager should you have specific questions or requests.

What is the current limit on social gatherings in Maryland?

Anne Arundel County and Maryland no longer have capacity restrictions.

Can sports teams make reservations at the Maritime Conference Center?

Yes, we are accepting reservations for guests attending outdoor sporting events. We ask that guests review our House Guidelines for Sports Teams. Guests are required to wear masks in common areas only during our Mariner ROM Quarantine events. We have the right to ask guests who are not following our COVID-19 guidelines to leave the property, with no refund.