CDC Releases New COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships
(Latest Update: Feb. 16, 2022) The Center for Disease Control (CDC) announced a new voluntary COVID-19 program for cruise ship operators sailing in U.S. waters. This guidance, which cruise lines can choose to opt-in or opt-out, replaces the Modification of Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, which expired January 15, 2022. Cruise lines have until February 18, 2022, to inform the CDC if they opt-in or out of the program.
This new program centers around classifications defined by the CDC and places cruise ships in specific categories based on guests and crew vaccination status. The classification categories are:
Not Highly Vaccinated: This status is defined as ships with less than 95% passengers and 95% of the crew who are fully vaccinated. Masks and social distancing are required for ships of this category.
Highly Vaccinated: This category is defined as ships with at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are fully vaccinated, but with less than 95% of passengers and 95% of the crew who are up to date (boosted) with their COVID-19 vaccines. Masks are required in this category, but social distancing is only recommended.
Vaccination Standard of Excellence: This is defined as ships with at least 95% passengers and 95% crew who are up to date (boosted) with their COVID-19 vaccines. Mask and social distancing are recommended, but not required at this level.
The CDC Defines an individual as ‘Fully Vaccinated’ under the guidelines specified in the Technical Instructions for Implementing Presidential Proclamation Advancing Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic and CDC’s Associated Order.
Pre-Cruise Testing recommendations have also been revised under the new program. The CDC provided this new guidance which is based on vaccination status:
Vaccinated Passengers: One test is required two days before boarding or on embarkation day.
Unvaccinated Passengers: Three tests required – three days before boarding, embarkation day, and disembarkation day.
The CDC says that this “guidance will be reevaluated based on public health conditions and available scientific evidence no later than March 18, 2022, and updated as needed.”
On February 15, 2022, the CDC lowered its COVID-19 Travel Health Notice for cruise ships from Level 4 to Level 3. CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) made the following statement regarding this status update from the CDC, "The decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lower the Travel Health Notice threat level for cruise ships is a step in the right direction and recognizes the leadership and effectiveness of the cruise sector’s health and safety protocols that are unmatched by virtually any other commercial setting. Cruise ships have medical, isolation and quarantine facilities on-site, implement extensive response plans using private shoreside resources, and have created an environment where almost every single person is fully vaccinated. As a result, cases of COVID-19 are very low with the vast majority mild or asymptomatic—making cruise unequaled in its multi-layered approach to effectively mitigating COVID-19."
What’s Next for Cruise Lines?
Cruise operators with foreign-flagged ships in U.S. waters must inform the CDC by February 18, 2022, if they are choosing to opt-in or opt-out of the voluntary program.
Lines choosing to follow the CDC guidance are “required to follow all recommendations and guidance as a condition of their participation in the program (i.e., they will not be able to pick and choose which recommendations they follow). Those opting in will continue to receive a color status for cruise ships operating in U.S. waters on CDC’s Cruise Ship Color Status webpage.”
Cruise lines choosing to opt-out of the program will be required to “continue to exercise enforcement discretion regarding the requirements of its January 29, 2021, Mask Order, applicable to operators of, and crew and passengers on board, cruise ships.”
Should a cruise line decide to alter its status in the program from opt-in to opt-out (or vice versa), the CDC will allow for modifications.
Our Take
Under the health and safety protocols which cruise lines have created in conjunction with the CDC, cruising has successfully returned from ports around the United States. These past seven months have paved the way for cruise lines to continually bring more ships back into the fleet.
While there is still a long way to go for cruising to return to pre-pandemic levels, this new program is a recognition from the CDC that cruise lines have been successfully able to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on ships and are ready to move forward with a voluntary-based program.
At this time, no cruise line has formally stated if they will be opting in or out of the CDC’s new program. However, we will continue to share updates on each cruise line’s decision as they become available.
All cruise lines currently have a vigorous health and safety program, which remains in effect for all current and upcoming cruises unless otherwise specifically stated by the line.
Explore the CDC’s Full Technical Instructions for CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Operating in U.S. Waters
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