USA

U.S. CDC scraps COVID warning for cruise travel after 2 years

cde.news desk 31 March 2022, 17:20 · 1 min read

epa08758488 YEARENDER 2020 COVID-19 PANDEMIC The Diamond Princess cruise ship approaches the port of Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan, 06 February 2020. The cruise ship with 3,700 passengers on board docked in the morning to restock food and supplies. Passengers abord the ship have been barred from leaving due to 10 passengers testing positive for the coronavirus. According to media reports, around 28,000 people are infected and at least 563 have died from coronavirus. EPA-EFE/FRANCK ROBICHON

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed its COVID-19 notice against cruise travel, around two years after introducing a warning scale showing the level of coronavirus transmission risk on cruise ships.

The move offers a shot of hope to major U.S. cruise operators such as Carnival Corp, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd that have struggled to bring in revenue since the pandemic started.

Cruise operators had also said the health agency was discriminating against the industry, when hotels and airlines could operate with limited or no restrictions.

“While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings,” the CDC said in a statement.

The guidelines for traveling on cruise ships on the health agency’s page no longer shows a scale for its warning. Instead, it now only says guests should make sure they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before boarding the ships.

Photo – EPA/EFE