CDC lowers COVID-19 alert level for cruises
As cruise lines gear up to begin sailing from U.S. ports in the coming weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has officially lowered its travel alert level for cruising.
As recently as April, the CDC had placed cruise lines under a Level 4 warning, suggesting it was unsafe for anyone to take a cruise with the COVID-19 pandemic still not under control.
With increased vaccinations in the nation and worldwide, though, the CDC has shifted so that cruises now fall under a Level 3 warning in an update issued Wednesday, and that warning only applies to those who have not been vaccinated.
At level 3, the CDC still recommends those not fully vaccinated to avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide.
“Since the virus spreads more easily between people in close quarters aboard ships, the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high.” reads the warning. “It is especially important that people who are not fully vaccinated with an increased risk of severe illness avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises.”
But for those who do travel without the vaccine, the CDC states they should get tested 1-3 days before their trip and 3-5 days after their trip. The CDC also states that those not fully vaccinated should self-quarantine for seven days after cruise travel, even with a negative COVID-19 test result, and quarantine for 10 days if they take no test following their voyage.
Those not vaccinated should also stay 6 feet from anyone not in their traveling party and wear a mask in shared spaces.
The CDC states that while it has adjusted its recommendations for outdoor mask wearing, masks are still required for both vaccinated and nonvaccinated people indoors on planes, cruise ships and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within or out of the United States in U.S. transportation hubs such as seaports.
Cruise lines are set to sail from the U.S. for the first time since March 2020 beginning this month. Some cruise lines have recently returned to sailing from nearby Caribbean and Bahamas home ports, sailing with vaccination requirements.
In Florida, Celebrity Cruises plans to depart Port Everglades on June 26 with vaccinated passengers only. Other cruise lines have also announced plans for fully vaccinated sailings from Florida, Galveston, Texas and Seattle to Alaska in the next few months.
The CDC has been giving cruise lines that can guarantee they will sail with 98% crew and 95% passengers fully vaccinated a conditional sailing certificate.
Alternatively, the CDC requires cruise ships to perform a test sailing to prove out its COVID-19 health protocols and earn the sailing certificated.
Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line, which cater to a lot of families, have opted for this test sailing approach since children under 12 years old do not have an option to get a vaccine, and those CDC thresholds would be difficult to meet. Test sailings are expected to begin this month as well, with revenue sailings expected to begin as early as July 2 for some.
At the same time, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has an executive order in place and has signed a law that goes into effect July 1 that would fine any company that requires proof of vaccination $5,000 per instance.
It’s unclear how cruise lines like Carnival, Norwegian and Celebrity will deal with the law.
