Royal Caribbean gets CDC approval, while Carnival in the queue

Royal Caribbean has received approval to sail again from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), while the Carnival Cruises are still awaiting

2024-07-07 15:21:31

Royal Caribbean gets CDC approval, while Carnival in the queue

After more than a year of shutdowns and closure, the cruise lines are ready to take the next step to sail their voyages out of the United States again. In a statement on Tuesday, Royal Caribbean said that it had finally received approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for simulated voyages on Freedom of the Seas in June. The ship sails on June 20 on a two-day itinerary from PortMiami. "This is the last promising step to return to sailing in the US. We look forward to seeing our crew and guests this summer," Royal Caribbean cruise wrote in an update. As per to a letter from the Centre of Disease Control (CDC) to the Royal Caribbean, shared by their President Michael Bayley, the aim is to measure the sailings, to test Royal's plan for returning to service and to record "any shortcomings" in the process. The ship will be expected to sail with at least 10% of its normal passenger volume and maintain a colour-coded status, while the CDC gives rise to the test voyage. The CDC's notice on travel health for COVID-19 and cruise ship voyages will also be notified prior to the commencement of the CDC. The push for test cruises before CDC approval also means that Royal will sail without the vaccination requirement that the CDC has a mandate if cruise lines want to skip test cruises. Royal has chosen to take in passengers for some of their voyages, but this week's news means that Royal is looking into whether he will drop the requirement with this test cruise. There will still be no word on when invitations for guests will go out. Still, it does not look like the line will have any trouble reaching the 10% threshold - when Royal started in November 2020 for test cruise registrations, as 250,000 volunteers submitted applications. Carnival near approval According to a Galveston County Daily News report, Carnival Cruise Line is not far behind Royal to get CDC approval for test sailing. Rodger Reese, director of the Port of Galveston, told a meeting of the Board of Trustees this week that Carnival intends to conduct its test cruise out of Texas port. Carnival has preliminary plans to sail with actual cruises from Galveston on July 3, and Rees expects Carnival to attempt a test cruise ahead of time to meet the vaccinated need. Carnival, like Royal, can get families with young children aboard cruise ships by abandoning the vaccination requirement, a big part of the audience's line. According to the Galveston County Daily News, Carnival was planning to finalize the plan, and an announcement would be possible soon. Carnival still requires guests discussing its itinerary in Alaska in July to receive their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the start of the voyage and to have proof of vaccination to be allowed to sail.

Monika Walker

Monika Walker is a senior journalist specializing in regional and international politics, offering in-depth analysis on governance, diplomacy, and key global developments. With a degree in International Journalism, she is dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices through factual reporting. She also covers world news across every genre, providing readers with balanced and timely insights that connect the Caribbean to global conversations.