CDC issues instructions for test cruises with volunteer passengers, and the real thing
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued instructions to cruise companies Wednesday for conducting test cruises — a key precursor to restarting revenue cruises from the U.S.
If a cruise ship does not meet a previously established percentage of vaccinated passengers and crew, it will have to conduct at least one test voyage before restarting cruises from the U.S. Test voyages must carry at least 10% of the total passenger capacity permitted by the ports it will visit, made up by volunteer passengers 18 years old or older who agree to be tested for COVID-19 and have their test results recorded after the cruise.
Volunteers who aren’t vaccinated must attest that they are not at high risk of severe COVID-19. Cruise companies will have to end a test cruise if 1.5% COVID-19 cases are detected in passengers or 1% of COVID-19 cases are detected in crew. The CDC hasn’t determined the threshold for ending revenue cruises yet.
In late April, the CDC announced that cruise ships that can certify that 98% of their crew and 95% of their passengers are vaccinated would not be required to hold test cruises. Still, cruise ships will need to abide by CDC guidelines regarding masks and social distancing. The CDC previously said it will require companies to test all passengers and crew for COVID-19 during embarkation and debarkation. Fully vaccinated people will be required to take a rapid antigen test; those who aren’t vaccinated will need a PCR test.
Scheduled revenue cruises will be allowed to visit other countries, a contrast to “cruises to nowhere” expected to be offered in the United Kingdom this summer. Cruise companies must prohibit passengers from exploring destinations on their own and ensure shore excursion companies require masks and social distancing.
How quickly cruise companies can begin test cruises or scheduled cruises depends on how quickly they meet existing CDC requirements. The CDC and cruise companies say their goal is to restart scheduled revenue cruises from U.S. ports as soon as July.
Cruises have been banned in the U.S. since mid-March after COVID-19 outbreaks on multiple ships. In October, the CDC issued its conditional sail order, a list of requirements cruise companies need to meet to get cruises restarted. Despite pressure from cruise companies, Miami politicians and the industry lobbying group Cruise Lines International Association, the agency has maintained its requirements. The first step to restart required companies to test crew members weekly for COVID-19 and report results to the agency. The second phase required them to secure agreements with port and health authorities in the U.S. cities they plan to visit.
Cruise lines must also establish vaccine protocols. The CDC recommends that all passengers and crew be vaccinated but leaves the decision on whether to require vaccination up to the companies themselves. For cruise companies operating out of Florida ports, restarting safely is complicated by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature’s decision to prohibit businesses from requiring patrons be vaccinated.
The CDC has not received agreements or vaccine protocols from any cruise lines yet, a source familiar with the process said.
Cruise executives say they are confident that the CDC protocols can make the COVID-19 risk at sea lower than on land. But the CDC has maintained a Level 4 warning against cruise travel — the agency’s highest — citing the high risk of getting COVID-19 on a cruise ship. It urges all people to avoid cruise travel worldwide during the pandemic.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
