Just days after lowering the risk level of cruising down to ‘moderate’ or risk Level 2 after being at the highest risk Level 4 in DEC and JAN, the CDC has made more moves to return cruising to pre-pandemic ‘normal.’
Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidance for ships that have opted into its COVID-19 cruise program. Most major cruise lines voluntarily signed up to participate in the program that replaced the Conditional Sailing Order which expired on 15JAN.
The updates allow for the resumption or more relaxed operation of cruise activities - notably, shipboard enrichment and shore excursions - that had been interrupted or altered by COVID protocols.
Under the updated "Operations Manual for CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Operating in U.S. Waters":
- Cruise lines can restart approved “passenger interactive experiences” that had been suspended. They include activities like culinary classes and galley tours;
- Shore excursion and transfer physical distancing requirements have been reduced to a recommendation for ships that meet the CDC’s highest vaccination standards; and
- COVID-postive guests/ their close contacts, depending on vaccination and booster status, may be permitted to remain in their original stateroom if they are disembarking within 36 hours of testing positive.
The second ‘win’ for cruising in less than a week was greeted as “welcome” by CLIA, which said in a release that the CDC updates “acknowledge the effectiveness of the cruise lines in their ability to create an environment that provides one of the highest levels of COVID-19 mitigation and reflect the improvements in the public health landscape.”
