Why U.S. cruises are still in port in 2021

In October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted their “no sail” order on U.S. cruise ships and established a framework that would allow them to resume sailing, bringing relief and hope to a decimated industry – and many. cruising enthusiasts.

And then, nothing.

Almost six months later, cruise passengers are still awaiting technical instructions from the agency, which will enable them to prepare their ships for simulation trips, intended to test whether they can sail safely.

In other parts of the world, the industry is coming to life. Some cruise lines plan to resume domestic cruises to Europe later this month and trips around the British Isles are scheduled for June, when the lockdown restrictions are expected to be lifted. Royal Caribbean is organizing cruises to Greece from the Israeli port of Haifa this spring, which will require all crew and passengers on board to be fully vaccinated.

The CDC says its current goal is to work with cruise lines to implement the requirements of the initial phase of testing all crews and to set up onboard laboratories as part of a step-by-step approach. for the return of the passenger cruise. The framework includes extensive testing, quarantine measures and social distancing, but details remain unclear.

“Future orders and technical instructions will focus on additional activities to help cruise lines prepare for and resume passenger operations in a way that mitigates the risk of Covid-19 among passengers, crew, including simulated travel, certification for conditional navigation and restricted travel, ”the agency said in a statement.

The cruise stop, first launched for U.S. cruises on March 14 last year, has devastated the cruise industry, with companies reporting billions of dollars in losses, forcing some to cut back their fleets and to sell ships for scrap.

Now, with vaccinations underway around the world and infection rates falling in some areas, cruise lines are scrambling to prepare their ships for a gradual return from Europe and Asia. In the United States, cruise enthusiasts will likely have to wait until at least fall.

“We are hopeful for this year,” said Colleen McDaniel, editor of the cruise news site Cruise Critic. “There have already been successes outside of Europe where cruise lines have shown that they have established excellent protocols, that they are committed to respecting them, that they can keep passengers in a safe environment. bubble and that they could do effective tests. . We can expect these learnings to help inform cruises to the United States. “

If the schedule remains fluid, here’s what we can expect from the cruise over the next few months.

When can I restart a cruise?

Good question. Most cruise ships remain idle in open waters or in ports around the world as crossings continue to be postponed or canceled.

In Europe, some of the smaller cruise lines plan to resume operations later this month. AIDA Cruises has scheduled an excursion around the Canary Islands starting March 20 and will be followed by Costa Cruises, which plans to resume Italian cruises on March 27. MSC Cruises is also planning a European trip in May which will only be open to passengers living in the Schengen area of ​​the European Union.

Last summer, some cruise lines resumed operations in Europe with strict health and safety protocols, but closed them again in the fall after some ships reported cases of Covid-19 and the region has returned to lockdown in response to a resurgence of the virus.

In Britain, domestic cruises could start from May 17, when lockdowns on the hospitality sector are expected to be relaxed, the Department for Transport said earlier this month.

Princess, P&O, Cunard and Hurtigruten are among the cruise lines that have announced “stay cruises” around the British Isles this summer. Some ships will sail around the country’s coastline without calling at any port, while others will offer shore excursions.

“People are very excited to start sailing again and we’re seeing tons of demand right now, especially in the shipping space,” said John Downey, president of the Americas at Hurtigruten, a Norwegian line specializing in expedition cruises.

“We will continue to focus on incredible and remote destinations where our customers are more often surrounded by wildlife and nature rather than human populations,” he added. “Thanks to the strict health protocols that we put in place, we feel very comfortable for the safety of our guests and our crew.

Why is the United States lagging behind?

Major cruise lines are waiting for the CDC to issue technical requirements to help them prepare their ships for the crossings. They must then give the CDC 30 days notice before starting test cruises with volunteer crew and passengers and will need to apply for a conditional sailing certificate 60 days before a scheduled scheduled trip.

“The reality is that there was no way for the cruise lines to adhere to the guidelines that the CDC set in October and start sailing again because they provided two-thirds of the parts for the puzzles,” said Stewart Chiron, cruise industry analyst and CEO of cruiseguy.com, referring to missing technical details in the conditional navigation order.

“They are waiting for it now and they are expecting them to update their advice because it was released before the vaccine was launched and a lot has changed since then,” Chiron added.

Cruise executives say they expect the CDC to issue technical requirements soon.

What Happens With Alaska Cruises?

Little-known quirks in maritime law have led some cruise lines specializing in shipping to Alaska to cancel all crossings from ports in the lower 48 states until the end of 2021.

Although they appear to be American companies, many of the major cruise lines like Princess and Holland America are in fact foreign owned. Under US law, foreign-flagged cruise ships are not permitted to navigate between US ports without first visiting at least one foreign port. Thus, cruises from Western cities like Seattle typically stopped in Vancouver, Canada, en route to Alaska.

But in February, Canadian officials extended their cruise ban until February 2022, effectively shutting down Alaska cruise activity until then.

Earlier this month, senators introduced a bill that would drop the requirement that ships stop at a foreign port, but a vote could still take months.

While Alaska cruises are on hold, cruise lines are shifting to offer land tours of the state using their accommodation and tourism networks.

What security measures will be in place?

With ever-changing coronavirus metrics, it’s difficult to predict exactly what cruises will look like, especially in the United States.

Last year, the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry group that represents most of the largest cruise lines, announced a mandatory set of health protocols that will be implemented as part of a phased resumption of operations.

The key elements include:

• Test: 100% of passengers and crew will be tested for Covid-19 before boarding.

  Mask-wearing: All passengers and crew will be required to wear masks on board and during excursions when they are physically unable to move.

  Distancing: Physical distancing at terminals, on ships, on private islands and during shore excursions will be required.

  Ventilation: Air management and ventilation strategies to increase fresh air on board should be in place and, where possible, improved filters and other technologies to mitigate risks will be used.

  Medical capacity: Each ship should have a plan for handling possible medical needs and should allocate cabins for isolation in the event of an outbreak. Advance arrangements should be made with providers of ground transportation and medical facilities.

  Shore excursion: Operators must establish health and safety protocols and ensure that passengers comply with them. Those who do not will be prohibited from re-boarding.

  “Ultimately, our decisions will be informed by our global medical and scientific experts and the demands of the places we operate and visit,” said Roger Frizzell, spokesperson for Carnival Corporation. “Our responsibility and top priorities are compliance, protecting the environment, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, crew and the communities we visit.”

Will vaccinations be necessary?

Some companies are reluctant to rely on testing alone, after the SeaDream 1, a ship that aspired to be a model for a safe return cruise, cut its Caribbean trip short last year because several passengers tested positive for coronavirus, despite the fact they had tested negative before boarding.

Most major cruise lines have not decided whether they will require vaccinations for future crossings and are awaiting further scientific advice once inoculation becomes more widespread around the world.

In Britain, Saga Cruises and P&O have said they will require all guests to be fully vaccinated before boarding their ships throughout 2021. Royal Caribbean has announced departures from Israel to Greece in May, where all crew members and passengers over 16 must be vaccinated.

“It’s really exciting to see how quickly and dramatically science has advanced, even in a matter of weeks,” said Richard D. Fain, President and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group. “We are gaining more and more experience with overseas cruises departing from Germany, Singapore, the Canary Islands and Italy and we will continue to learn and adapt as new scientific knowledge and discoveries like the vaccine will take place.

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