New guidelines issued for Cruise-ships by Centers for Disease Control

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention on Friday issued long-awaited technical guidelines for cross-lines, bringing them one step closer to sailing in U.S. waters again.

While some cruise lines operating in Europe require all passengers to be vaccinated, the C.D.C. did not go that far. The vaccination is critical to the safe resumption of shipping, the agency said. It is recommended that all eligible port staff, crew and passengers receive a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it is available.

By making vaccinations a reference instead of a demand, the C.D.C. avoided conflict with Florida, one of the largest operating grounds for the cruise industry, which banned businesses from proving to customers that they had to show vaccinations.

Cruise ships in the US have been on board for more than a year due to the pandemic and can only start again with the CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order, which was issued in October to ensure that cruise ships build the infrastructure needed to reduce the risks. of the coronavirus.

With the technical instructions, crossovers can serve their ships for simulation voyages, intended to test health and safety rules and operational methods with volunteers before leaving with paying passengers.

The new proposals include improving the reporting of Covid-19 cases from weekly to daily, implementing routine testing of all crew based on the Covid-19 status of a ship and making contractual arrangements with medical shore facilities for passengers who may become ill during a journey.

After cruise lines have prepared their ships, they must give 30 days notice to the C.D.C. before embarking on tours, and must apply for a conditional boating 60 days before a scheduled regular trip.

Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the largest entrepreneurs in the industry, wrote a letter to the C.D.C. On Monday, it outlined its plan to resume shipping from U.S. ports in July, which includes the mandatory vaccination of all guests and crew. The company said its vaccination requirement and multilayer health and safety protocols exceeded the agency's conditional sail requirements.

But in a statement issued Monday, the Cruise Lines International Association, the industry's trading group, called the guidelines "so heavy and ambiguous that no clear way forward or timetable can be established."