All major cruise lines have opted in to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s new voluntary program for cruise ships operating in the U.S.
The voluntary program replaces the Conditional Sailing Order which expired on 15JAN.
The CDC’s cruise ship status dashboard shows the 18 different brands and 121 ships that have opted in at the time of writing.
This includes:
- Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line (Bahamas Paradise)
- Carnival Corporation
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- Princess Cruises
- Seabourn
- Disney Cruise Line
- Genting Hong Kong
- Crystal
- MSC Group
- MSC Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Oceania Cruises
- Regent Seven Seas Cruises
- Royal Caribbean Cruises
- Royal Caribbean International
- Celebrity Cruises
- Silversea Cruises
- SeaDream (SeaDream)
- Sycamore Partners
- Azamara
- Viking Cruises
- Virgin Voyages
The CDC’s new program provides COVID-19 health and safety protocol recommendations, which all participating cruise ships must follow.
The agency also maintains a colour status for each ship, based on COVID-19 data reported by the cruise ships and other public health authorities. “Gray” designated ships are considered “foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in U.S. waters that have chosen not to participate” in the new program, and may have their own COVID-19 health and safety protocols which CDC has not “reviewed or confirmed.”
The CDC also updated its guidance on 18FEB and will now exclude children under the age of 5, who are ineligible for vaccination, when counting the percentage of passengers onboard who are fully vaccinated or up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. This means that cruise lines who carry many young children may qualify for “highly vaccinated” status, with 95 per cent of cruise passengers fully vaccinated, as reported by Seatrade Cruise News.
Easing Restrictions Onboard
Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International have all announced the easing of mask requirements onboard.
Royal Caribbean announced that its mask mandate for fully vaccinated guests will become optional for U.S. and Puerto Rico sailings as of 25FEB. Unvaccinated children will still be required to wear masks indoors, in “crowded settings,” and in the Adventure Ocean youth program. Masks will also become optional in Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee. For other ports, the cruise line says that guests are advised to follow local restrictions. Royal Caribbean said it has yet to determine its health and safety protocols for European sailings, but news is “coming soon,” said Cruise Industry News.
For cruises departing on 01MAR and onwards, both Carnival and Princess will only recommend face masks on board. There will continue to be certain areas onboard both cruise lines’ ships where masks will still be required, such as certain venues and events.
Carnival also announced that as of 01MAR, guests who have received their booster dose can be tested three days before embarkation instead of two days prior. Princess has yet to announce eased pre-cruise testing protocols, but will reportedly detail changes “in the coming days.”
