Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlined the details of its latest voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, and the industry has been largely dismayed.
The expectation was for the CDC to acknowledge the positive strides that cruise lines have made to operate safely upon their return to operations and to, in turn, ease up on measures. Instead, the proposed protocols — which must be opted into or out of by Feb. 18 — are even more convoluted and onerous than before.
We are confounded by the CDC’s imposition of even more complex and unwarranted measures which ignore empirical evidence that the industry’s protocols have provided a greater level of COVID-19 mitigation than most any other setting.
CLIA Criticizes CDC’s Latest Cruise Guidance
Accordingly, most signs point to a likelihood of cruise lines opting out, but so far only Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has issued an official statement ahead of the Friday deadline.
“Regrettably, upon initial review, the latest CDC guidance appears out of step with the actual public health conditions on cruise ships and unnecessary in light of societal trends away from more restrictive measures,” read CLIA’s statement. “We are confounded by the CDC’s imposition of even more complex and unwarranted measures which ignore empirical evidence that the industry’s protocols have provided a greater level of COVID-19 mitigation than most any other setting. The CDC’s guidance for multitiered cruises is counterproductive to consumers, creating market confusion between the various tiers, and potentially unworkable in practice.”
CLIA continued to express disapproval of the further presence of any Travel Health Notice for cruise travel, particularly given passengers’ relatively high rate of vaccination approaching 100% (compared to only 63% on land). CDC currently maintains its highest Level 4 warning against cruising, even if guest inoculations are up to date with boosters.
“This discounts the importance of what the CDC has otherwise promoted as the single most important touchstone for public health and safety,” CLIA continued. “CLIA and its members are committed to continue working with the CDC in mutual, cooperative partnership as part of our shared commitment to putting health and safety first. Part and parcel of that goal is seeing signals from CDC that it recognizes the lengths the entire cruise industry has gone to and the success it has achieved in guarding against COVID-19.”
CLIA reiterated that its member lines intend to continue complying with all applicable regulations. Outside of any rigid requirements, though, individual lines appear headed in a different direction than the CDC regarding the voluntary recommendations and guidance, which, according to the agency, must all be adhered to as a condition of participation.
Mainly, these now include three cruise ship classifications in which to operate, as outlined below:
- “Not Highly Vaccinated” is defined as ships sailing with less than 95% passengers and 95% crew who are fully vaccinated.
- “Highly Vaccinated” refers to ships that carry at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are fully vaccinated, but with fewer than 95% of passengers and 95% of crew who are up to date with boosters. Social distancing is not required at this level.
- “Vaccination Standard of Excellence” requires ships with at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are up to date with boosters. This is the only tier that expressly permits doing away with both physical distancing and masks indoors and outside.
Individual ships within a line can meet different classifications, and vessels will further be assigned a color code dependent on the prevalence of COVID-19 onboard: Green (no reported cases), Yellow (reported cases below the threshold for CDC investigation), Orange (reported cases meeting the threshold for CDC investigation) or Red (reported cases at or exceeding the threshold for CDC investigation). Gray indicates ships that have opted out of the program.
“These ships may have their own COVID-19 health and safety protocols, which CDC has not reviewed or confirmed,” according to the CDC. “CDC cannot confirm the COVID-19 public health measures implemented on ‘Gray’ designated ships. Therefore, CDC does not have information about precautions and interventions, such as mask use, crew testing or vaccination status of travelers for these ships.”
Only Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. — consisting of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — had previously opted in, prior to the release of the program’s details. But the corporation may be changing its stance as all three brands have since said they intend to do away with mask requirements come March 1, and boosters are only recommended for guests. This combination is incongruous with the CDC criteria.
As of today, Royal Caribbean International and corporate cousin Celebrity Cruises have also reverted to their loosened pre-Omicron masking protocols. Boosters are not needed on either brand.
Virgin Voyages additionally aims to go back to mask-free cruising on Feb. 27, 2022, while also not requiring boosters.
Lastly, while Carnival Corporation has yet to make any recent changes to its mask policy, its Carnival Cruise Line brand has today permitted smoking again in its casinos, hinting at a potential relaxing of face coverings soon.
While it’s possible CLIA will negotiate better terms with the CDC this week, it’s looking more likely that lines will simply opt out. After all, the booster distinction matters because while 63% of U.S. citizens are vaccinated, far fewer are boosted. That would cut the potential pool of customers to less than half the current market at a time when companies and their travel agent communities are targeting capacity increases.
The Details
Cruise Lines International Association
