“The CDC’s decision to remove the cruise travel health notice was based on the current state of the pandemic and overall decreases in COVID-19 cases on cruise ships over the several weeks,” CDC spokesperson David Daigle said in an email. past”.
The Cruise Lines International Association said earlier this year that it was “disturbed” that the CDC was still publishing any type of travel health notice for cruise ships. The union welcomed the CDC’s decision on Wednesday, saying it “recognizes the effective public health measures applied to cruise ships and begins leveling the playing field, between cruises and similar places on land, for the first time since March 2020.”
Roger Frizzell, a spokesman for the industry giant, Carnival, called the move an “important step forward.” Newcomer Virgin Voyages said in a statement that the CDC’s removal of the notice “demonstrates the transition back to pre-pandemic operations” for the industry.
“Although we feel this has been a long time coming, we recognize this move as a testament to all the hard work the industry has put in to ensure we offer the safest way to travel,” said Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpine. Statement. “It’s refreshing to see them meet us where we are, and our consumers are clearly thinking about the huge increase in demand we’ve seen.”
During the omicron surge in December, the Public Health Agency warned that even vaccinated people should avoid cruises because the risk of contracting the coronavirus was too high. As the wave receded, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention watered down its language, finally declaring earlier this month that the risk of Covid-19 was “moderate” and recommending that people be up to date on coronavirus vaccines before taking a cruise.
The CDC is still urging travelers to keep up with their coronavirus vaccinations before taking a cruise, and recommends those who are immunocompromised or at risk of becoming severely ill from the virus speak to their doctor about taking extra precautions.
“The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily among people in close proximity on ships,” the agency’s website says. “If the virus is spreading on a cruise ship, passengers and crew members are at risk of infection, even if they are aware of their COVID-19 vaccines.”
Through a volunteer program, the CDC displays vaccination status and color status—indicating whether there have been cases of coronavirus reported on board participating cruise ships. Of the 107 ships sailing in American waters, all but one participate in the program.
Wednesday’s tally shows that although the number of cases has dropped dramatically, cruise ships are still not free of the coronavirus. As of Tuesday, 34 ships had reported enough coronavirus cases to meet the threshold for a CDC investigation; Another 35 reported cases, but the number was not high enough to merit investigation.
Daigle said the agency will continue to assess the cruise program and the need for health notice for cruises as the pandemic develops.
“While sailing will always pose some risk of transmission of COVID-19, travelers will make their own assessment of the risks when choosing to travel on an individual cruise ship, as they do in all other places of travel,” he wrote in the email. “The CDC recommends travelers check their cruise ship’s color status and vaccination status to make an informed decision before traveling on a cruise.”
