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There's COVID-19 on nearly every cruise ship right now: Here's what cruisers need to know

Things are getting iffy again for cruisers -- at least for those with near-term bookings.

The ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases around the world is causing a growing number of disruptions to itineraries and even some last-minute cancellations of entire voyages.

The number of passengers being quarantined on ships (after testing positive for COVID-19) also is on the rise. And passengers who aren't COVID-19 positive are getting caught up in short-term quarantines for being "close contacts" of shipmates who are.

For more cruise guides, tips and news, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Meanwhile, just getting to ships is becoming increasingly stressful, as getting the pre-cruise COVID-19 test that's often required before cruising is getting more difficult . Plus, a "perfect storm" of soaring COVID-19 cases and rough winter weather has wreaked havoc with airline operations for weeks.

Still, the situation isn't anywhere near as dramatic or disruptive as what we saw at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, when whole ships were being quarantined due to outbreaks of the illness and, eventually, the entire industry shut down.

As I saw myself during a cruise to Antarctica in recent weeks, many sailings are operating relatively normally, even when there are COVID-19 cases on board.

Here's a look at everything you need to know if you've got a cruise booked in the coming weeks -- or further out.

COVID-19 cases on ships are up a lot

While cruise ships have recorded relatively few cases of COVID-19 over the past year, in part due to unusually strict health protocols , the number of passengers and crew testing positive on ships has been rising sharply in recent weeks along with the greater surge on land.

At the end of December, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 5,013 COVID-19 cases had been reported on cruise vessels operating in U.S. waters during the last two weeks of the month, up from just 162 cases during the first two weeks of the month.

That's a 3,094% increase.

Anecdotal reports are that the number of cases on ships is up even more in the first 10 days of the new year.

Notably, all 92 cruise vessels currently operating in U.S. waters have recorded at least a handful of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, according to CDC data.

Still, it's important to note that most of these "cases" of COVID-19 are asymptomatic or mild, only discovered during routine testing. While some ships only are testing passengers who report feeling ill for COVID-19 (and close contacts of those who subsequently test positive), other ships are testing every single passenger at least once per voyage, sometimes more. One line, Viking , is testing every single passenger for COVID-19 every day.

Cruise lines also are testing all crew members regularly.

The result is the detection of many asymptomatic cases that otherwise would have gone undetected. This is a level of surveillance that is much greater than what is the norm for other travel venues such as land-based resorts or theme parks, and it can give the false impression that the positivity rate for COVID-19 on ships is unusually high as compared to other places.

If anything, the positivity rate is far lower on ships than on land, thanks to much stricter health protocols (more on that in a moment).

It's also important to note that the detection of COVID-19-positive passengers or crew on board your ship won't necessarily impact your sailing (unless you are among those testing positive).

Health authorities no longer are quarantining whole ships when a few -- or even a lot -- of passengers and crew test positive for COVID-19. The current protocol on most ships is to isolate COVID-19-positive passengers and crew but otherwise continue on with voyages as planned.

Your itinerary could change

While health authorities no longer are quarantining whole ships when a few passengers or crew test positive for COVID-19, the presence of the illness on board a vessel still could result in notable disruptions to your itinerary.

Cruise lines in recent weeks have faced a growing number of ports that are balking at allowing ships with COVID-19-positive passengers or crew to dock.

Several ships recently had to skip port calls in Mexico , for instance, after passengers and crew on board the vessels tested positive for COVID-19. The ports have since reopened after Mexico's Health Department overruled the decisions of local port officials.

Cruise ships also have had to cancel stops recently at the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, and at San Juan, Puerto Rico, due to local worries about COVID-19-positive passengers and crew on board and/or tighter COVID-19-related entry requirements.

Lines also are dealing with a small but growing number of destinations -- India and Hong Kong, for example -- that are at least temporarily closing to cruising completely, even for ships where no one has tested positive for COVID-19.

Viking on Sunday was forced to announce a major revision of its soon-to-begin, 120-day world cruise after India notified the line it was closing to cruise ships. Viking's 930-passenger Viking Star will begin its world cruise this week by heading south from Los Angeles to Central America and South America instead of sailing westward toward Asia, where it was scheduled to spend a significant amount of time in India.

Your cruise could be canceled on short notice

A growing number of cruise lines are canceling sailings on short notice, citing the disruptions caused by COVID-19. The world's largest cruise operator Royal Caribbean on Friday canceled soon-to-depart sailings on four of its 25 ships, including the next three departures of the world's largest ship, Symphony of the Seas .

Norwegian Cruise Line on Wednesday canceled soon-to-depart voyages on eight of its 17 ships.

Other lines canceling one or more sailings in recent days include Holland America , Silversea , Atlas Ocean Voyages, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, MSC Cruises , Costa Cruises and Oceania Cruises .

The cancellations come as lines struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels on some ships due to crew members testing positive. When crew test positive, they and their close contacts must stop working and isolate, even if asymptomatic, leaving shipboard venues short-staffed.

You probably won't be quarantined, stranded or stuck

As noted above, health authorities no longer are quarantining whole ships when a few -- or even a lot -- of passengers and crew test positive for COVID-19.

The current protocol on most ships is to quickly isolate COVID-19-positive passengers and their close contacts. But only the COVID-19-positive passengers are being isolated long term.

As my colleague Ashley Kosciolek experienced first-hand on a cruise in 2021, close contacts only are being isolated for a short period while they are tested for COVID-19. If they test negative, they typically are allowed out of their rooms to rejoin the rest of their fellow cruisers on board.

This means that many sailings are going ahead as planned, with little disruption, even when some passengers and crew on the trips test positive for COVID-19. I experienced this myself in late December when on a Silversea vessel where four passengers tested positive for COVID-19. Some passengers who were deemed close contacts of the passengers who tested positive were isolated for a short period while being tested for COVID-19. But the positive cases had little impact on most of the passengers on board the vessel, and the voyage went ahead as planned.

Such a protocol comes at the recommendation of the CDC, which has set guidelines for how cruise lines should respond to COVID-19-positive cases on board ships, and it has worked well for the past year .

Of course, if you do test positive for COVID-19 on a ship, you will, unfortunately, face what could be several days of isolation in a cabin on a ship or on land. If you are an American cruising overseas, you also won't be able to return to the U.S. until you have tested negative for COVID-19 (or until you recover from the illness and are cleared in writing to travel by a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official).

This is one of the biggest risks of taking a cruise right now, and one reason you may consider canceling a sailing scheduled in the short term (see the section on more-flexible cancellation policies below).

Most COVID-19 cases on ships aren't serious

Cruise lines are reporting that the vast majority of passengers testing positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

All major cruise lines currently are requiring all or nearly all passengers to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, with some also starting to require booster shots , to boot. This creates an onboard population that is far less likely to experience serious symptoms of COVID-19 than a cross-section of people on land, according to CDC data.

For all adults ages 18 years and older, the cumulative COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate is about eight times higher in unvaccinated persons than in vaccinated persons, according to the latest CDC data.

You'll face lots of new health protocols

If you haven't cruised since before the pandemic, you might be surprised by how many new health- and safety-related policies cruise lines have implemented to keep COVID-19 off ships.

For starters, there are the vaccine mandates noted above. No other segment of the travel industry has been as uniform in requiring almost every customer to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Related: Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? A line-by-line guide

As noted above, cruise lines also are requiring passengers to undergo COVID-19 tests before boarding ships -- a screening process that is keeping many COVID-19 positive people from ever stepping on board a vessel.

When COVID-19 is detected on a ship, cruise lines sometimes then test passengers multiple times to ensure it isn't spreading. On my recent trip to Antarctica, I underwent six COVID-19 tests in just eight days -- three in advance of stepping on board the vessel (including a PCR test required by Chile, where my trip began) and three while on board.

In addition, most cruise lines now are requiring passengers to wear masks at all times while in interior spaces of vessels, and they have stepped up cleaning regimens, improved air filtration systems on ships and made other onboard changes.

The CDC says to avoid cruising for now

On Dec. 30, the CDC added cruise ships to its list of "Level 4" destinations you should avoid visiting for now due to high levels of COVID-19.

For what it's worth, more than 80 countries around the world -- including a good chunk of all the places you might want to travel -- are on this list. So, the CDC is basically telling you that now isn't a good time to travel. Fair enough. But the warning shouldn't be seen as a call-out on any elevated risk to cruising as opposed to visiting other places, per se.

Places on the Level 4 list currently include Canada, much of Europe and nearly every country in the Caribbean.

The cruise industry has been highly critical of the designation, arguing that cruise ships are far safer places to be right now than almost anywhere else, given their strict health protocols.

"The decision by the CDC to raise the travel level for cruise is particularly perplexing considering that cases identified on cruise ships consistently make up a very slim minority of the total population onboard — far fewer than on land — and the majority of those cases are asymptomatic or mild in nature, posing little to no burden on medical resources onboard or onshore," the main trade group for the industry, the Cruise Lines International Association, said in a statement to TPG.

You can cancel if you're worried (in many cases)

If you're booked on a cruise in the coming weeks, and you're having second thoughts, there's a good chance you can get out of your trip. Many lines continue to be far more flexible than normal about cancellations.

Take cruise giant Carnival Cruise Line . Its current flexible cancellation policy allows passengers to cancel as long as a public health emergency remains in effect and receive 100% of the cruise fare paid in the form of a future cruise credit. Passengers are also able to cancel if they test positive for COVID-19. (Proof of a positive test result is required.)

Another large line, Norwegian, just last week extended its pandemic-era Peace of Mind policy to allow passengers to cancel any sailing taking place between now and May 31. For now, the cancellation needs to be done by Jan. 31, and the refund would come in the form of a future cruise credit to be used on any sailing that embarks through Dec. 31.

That means you could call the line right now to back out of a cruise that is just days away. In normal times, you'd lose all your money if you backed out of a seven-night Norwegian cruise with fewer than 31 days' notice.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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What’s it like to go on a cruise now? Here’s how COVID changed the onboard experience

Cruise passengers will see a lot of changes on the ship due to the pandemic.

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The cruise industry suffered its biggest financial blow in decades when the COVID-19 pandemic halted most sailings for months and made nervous cruise fans think twice about booking an ocean voyage.

But cruising is back and all signs point to a turn of the tide for the industry: More cruises are scheduled to depart the Port of Los Angeles next year than in 2019.

Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise company, reported that bookings for the second half of 2022 already surpassed bookings for 2019. Royal Caribbean cruises for 2022 are nearly at 2019 levels, the company’s chief financial officer, Jason Liberty, said on a recent earnings call.

Despite the shutdown, the world’s cruise lines have more than 100 new ships on order to set sail by 2027. The Majestic Princess, a ship designed to serve the Chinese market, made its maiden call from the Port of L.A. on Oct. 6. Some 200 cruises are scheduled to depart from there in 2022, up from 120 in 2019.

What are cruise lines requiring of passengers? How have boarding, dining and other activities on board changed? We gathered some information to answer common questions.

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Do I have to be vaccinated to go on a cruise?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all passengers be fully vaccinated before boarding a cruise ship. The world’s largest cruise companies now require passengers leaving U.S. ports to be fully vaccinated, with limited exceptions. Vaccines are required for passengers on Carnival , Princess , Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise lines.

You will usually be required to show proof of vaccination at the terminal before boarding. Some cruise lines will also require passengers — whether vaccinated or not — to show proof of a COVID-19 test taken within two days of boarding a vessel. Check the requirements and protocols of your particular cruise.

Do I have to wear a mask at all times on the ship?

Passengers are strongly encouraged to wear masks in public spaces and are required to do so in such indoor areas as elevators, stores, casinos and dining halls, except when eating or drinking. You typically won’t be required to wear masks around the pool and hot tubs, but deck chairs are spaced farther apart than in the past to maintain physical distance.

What about shore visits and excursions?

To go onshore, you must meet the health protocols of the country the ship visits. The government of the Bahamas, for example, recently announced that all cruise visitors must be fully vaccinated, with the exception of travelers under age 12 and those with medical exemptions.

On some ships, such as Carnival Cruises, unvaccinated passengers are not allowed to go onshore except with a pre-booked “bubble tour,” in which passengers travel with friends and family in a controlled environment. On other cruise lines, such as Holland America, shore excursions managed by the ship are strongly encouraged.

Are ships sailing at full capacity?

Most ships are sailing at less than full capacity, partly to encourage physical distancing. The Majestic Princess left on its maiden voyage from the Port of Los Angeles at about 60% capacity. The cruise lines plan to increase capacity over the next few months.

Have any activities been eliminated because of COVID-19?

You won’t be lining up at the buffet for meals. Most self-serve buffets have been modified so that employees serve passengers to avoid unnecessary crowding. Indoor dancing, karaoke and nightclubs are no longer allowed on many ships, including the Majestic Princess, which converted its karaoke area into extra room for spa treatments. On some ships, passengers won’t be allowed to try on clothing for sale. Physical distancing is encouraged for all activities.

Will I need to make reservations for dining and other onboard activities?

To manage capacity and physical distancing, many onboard restaurants recommend reservations and will limit groups at dining tables to eight. On Princess Cruises, reservations can be made through the MedallionClass app. On Celebrity Cruises, reservations can be made on the Celebrity Cruises App.

What else do I need to know?

You won’t be required to assemble at a designated spot on the ship to hear the pre-departure safety instruction, also known as the “safety muster drill.” Instead, passengers can watch parts of the safety drill on their stateroom televisions or on a cruise ship app.

Spas and gyms remain open, but some cruise lines limit them to vaccinated guests. Hand sanitizer stations can be found throughout the ships.

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Hugo Martín is an assistant editor on the Fast Break Desk, the Los Angeles Times’ breaking news team. He has been a journalist with the Los Angeles Times for more than 30 years, covering politics, transportation, travel, business and the outdoors. A native Californian, Martín was part of the Metro staff that won Pulitzer Prizes in 1993, 1995 and 1998. He is an avid outdoorsman, a proud father and die-hard Lakers fan.

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Cases Rise, Criticism Mounts, but Ships Keep Cruising

One day after the C.D.C. advised against all travel on cruise ships, thousands of cruisers partied like it was 2019. But worries about onboard policies — and frustration over quarantines — are rising.

By Ceylan Yeginsu

On the fourth day of a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise, Jesse Suphan and other passengers onboard the Carnival Cruise Line’s Panorama were denied entry at the port of Puerto Vallarta, because of the number of onboard coronavirus cases. That was the first Mr. Suphan heard about the virus spreading on the ship.

“The captain announced that five people had tested positive for Covid and were quarantining,” Mr. Suphan, a 39-year-old revenue cycle manager, recalled in a telephone interview. “But, then, talking to the crew, they told me there were between 100 and 150 crew members who also tested positive, but the captain didn’t mention that.”

Two days later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Americans to avoid travel on cruise ships, regardless of their vaccination status. The advisory, the agency’s highest coronavirus warning , came in response to a surge in cases in recent weeks, caused by the spread of the contagious Omicron variant.

But even as case numbers rise, and criticism mounts about the safety of cruising and over cruise line protocols in reporting cases to passengers, ships keep sailing and guests keep embarking, adamant that the onboard environment is safe because of stringent health and safety requirements, including pre-departure testing and vaccine mandates.

Consider the New Year’s Eve festivities held on ships around the world. One day after the C.D.C. announcement, as dozens of crew members and other passengers were confined to small cabins, infected and quarantined, thousands of revelers packed into ship bars, casinos and deck venues, partying like it was 2019.

Harvey Freid, 56, recently returned from a 17-day sailing to Antarctica, during which one positive case was reported. But Mr. Freid, an avid cruiser, is undeterred and is scheduled to go on a Caribbean cruise in late January.

“The cruise ships do a very good job of handling Covid, and I think it’s safer than my building in Miami and most places that I go on land, because people are vaccinated and cases are quickly identified and isolated,” he said.

On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line canceled several voyages in response to the growing number of coronavirus cases onboard some of their ships.

The cruise industry’s trade group, Cruise Lines International Association, called the C.D.C.’s warning “perplexing,” and said that cases identified on ships “consistently make up a slim minority of the total population on board — far fewer than on land.”

“No setting can be immune from this virus — however, it is also the case that cruises provide one of the highest levels of demonstrated mitigation against the virus,” the group said in a statement.

But some passengers are starting to question the effectiveness of health and safety protocols, and say they aren’t being informed of the full extent of coronavirus cases on board. They say they learn of the positive cases only after returning home and would have been able to make more informed decisions about their behavior and participation in activities, if they had been made more aware.

When Mr. Suphan booked his vacation, he felt confident that Carnival had good protocols in place, which included pre-departure testing and requiring vaccines for all crew and most passengers. But as the ship sailed, Mr. Suphan was surprised by the number of people he met who said they had been exempted from the vaccine mandate. He said there were not enough crew members to enforce indoor mask rules for more than 3,000 passengers on board.

Carnival said only a small number of passengers had been exempted from the vaccination requirement, but did not specify how many.

Mr. Suphan was also struck, he said, when a crew member told him that several infected crew were isolating on board when the ship departed from Long Beach.

“The fact that they had infected staff on board when the cruise left Long Beach means that they knew there was the possibility of more cases coming up after we left,” Mr. Suphan said. “But they still continued with the cruise so they could take everyone’s money. It feels like a cash grab to maintain payments.”

Carnival said four asymptomatic crew members were in quarantine when the cruise departed, while others had been taken off the ship.

Reporting positive cases

Most major cruise lines do not publicly announce the number of coronavirus cases on board their ships, but they are required to submit daily figures to the C.D.C. Currently, the agency is monitoring more than 90 cruise ships, because of reported cases that have reached the agency’s threshold for an investigation. (An investigation is undertaken when a certain number of cases is reported among a percentage of passengers.)

Carnival has denied that the number of infected crew was as high as 100 on Mr. Suphan’s sailing, but has not disclosed the total number of people who tested positive. On Dec. 28, when the cruise was denied entry to port, the Jalisco state health ministry said 69 cases had been detected among the ship’s 1,450 crew members. That day, Christine Duffy, the Carnival president, called into the ship and briefed guests on the situation. Passengers said she did not give updated figures for positive cases, which many found concerning.

Chris Chiames, chief communication officer for Carnival, said the company takes its responsibility for public health “very seriously” and has implemented protocols that exceed C.D.C. guidance since restarting operations in the United States in June.

“The extreme majority of the crew who test positive are asymptomatic and detected through the random testing protocol, and they and their close contacts are put into isolation or quarantine,” Mr. Chiames said. “None have required escalated medical attention or hospitalization, and we have also moved most crew off the ship to complete their isolation or quarantine.”

Carnival declined to comment on its policies for reporting daily cases to passengers onboard its ships, but Mr. Chiames said, “the additional complications caused by the fast-spreading Omicron variant will require us to evaluate how to communicate moving forward.”

Testing positive

For many, the idea of testing positive for the coronavirus on a cruise ship conjures up the horrors of the major outbreaks in the early stages of the pandemic, when thousands of people were confined to their rooms for endless days while the pandemic raged through the ships.

The health and safety protocols that allowed U.S. cruise ships to restart operations in June have helped cruise lines contain the virus and avoid large outbreaks, and until now, many of the small percentage of guests who tested positive during sailings have been satisfied with the handling of their cases. Some even received complimentary food and champagne to their rooms and were flown home by charter plane.

But since more contagious variants like Delta and Omicron have emerged, causing cases to increase among passengers and crew, guests have started to complain about quarantine conditions.

Richard Lewis, the chairman and chief executive of Savile Row Travel group, recently caught the coronavirus during two back-to-back Caribbean cruises with his family on board Celebrity Apex. It was his first cruise during the pandemic and initially, the protocols met his expectations and the experience felt relatively normal.

On day two of the cruise, the captain announced that there were two coronavirus cases on board the ship, which Mr. Lewis appreciated for keeping him informed. But there were no further announcements for the remainder of the week. That is when both he and his family started noticing changes.

“The staff were masking up a heck of a lot more, social distancing was being enforced between passengers and things did not seem right,” he said. “As we moved into the second week, some of the staff we became friends with disappeared and we found out they had gone into isolation. Then I started developing symptoms and tested positive and that’s when it became a nightmare.”

Mr. Lewis was moved from his “concierge class infinite veranda cabin” room to a standard cabin allotted for quarantines, which he said had a slightly oversized porthole and no fresh air. He had been under the impression that he could quarantine in his own room, saying the cruise line encourages people to book bigger rooms in the event that they will have to isolate.

Celebrity Cruises said its policy from day one was to move coronavirus-positive guests to a quarantine zone. Those identified as close contacts are permitted to isolate in their state rooms for 24 hours while they are tested and await results.

“Even the food was hideous,” Mr. Lewis said, sharing a picture of fried eggs, hash browns and bacon strips in a takeout container. ‘The first two meals were cold and appeared to have come from the crew canteen. It was only after I kicked up a fuss that I was allowed to order from the regular room service menu.”

That day, the captain announced that there were five coronavirus cases on board, but when Mr. Lewis pressed the doctor who visited him, he says he was told there were 16 cases.

“I know the cruise industry has suffered and I’m so supportive of getting travel back to normality, but there’s a serious lack of transparency and covering things up, and hiding them away is not going to help people make informed decisions,” Mr. Lewis said. Royal Caribbean Group, which owns Celebrity Cruises, said that passenger and crew members are informed when a threshold of virus cases has been met or exceeded.

“Publishing a dashboard of daily cases to all persons onboard is a less meaningful public-health mitigation measure than reinforcing continuous adherence to our industry-leading health and safety protocols, which has resulted in lower prevalence rates onboard than those found shoreside,” the company said in a statement.

Milly Parkinson, 28, developed coronavirus symptoms one day after returning from an eight-night Caribbean cruise with friends on board Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas. While more than 50 people tested positive for the virus on board the ship, Royal Caribbean, like most cruise companies, does not require passengers to test before disembarking at their final destination.

“I took a test because I had symptoms, but think of all the people who were asymptomatic who just walked off the ship straight into the grocery store, a restaurant or a nightclub,” Ms. Parkinson said.

“We booked the cruise because we were convinced it would be a fun, safe bubble of vaccinated people,” she said. “But who were we kidding? There’s no place to escape Omicron.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list for 2021 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a London-based reporter. She joined The Times in 2013, and was previously a correspondent in Turkey covering politics, the migrant crisis, the Kurdish conflict, and the rise of Islamic State extremism in Syria and the region. More about Ceylan Yeginsu

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Coronavirus Updates

People should avoid cruise travel regardless of their vaccination status, the cdc says.

Jonathan Franklin

The Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Sunrise ship is seen in the port of Miami on Dec. 23, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic. Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

The Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Sunrise ship is seen in the port of Miami on Dec. 23, 2020, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new advisory Thursday that travelers should avoid traveling by cruise ship, regardless of vaccination status, after a recent surge in positive COVID-19 cases onboard ships.

The agency increased its travel warning for cruises to Level 4 — the highest level — following investigations of dozens of ships that have had outbreaks of the virus.

"Even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants," the CDC said on its website .

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Following the identification of the omicron variant, there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases among cruise passengers and crew reported to the agency, the CDC said.

More cruise ships have reached "level yellow" — the level where the CDC investigates a ship's COVID outbreak.

"It is especially important that travelers who are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, regardless of vaccination status," the agency added.

More cruise ships are under CDC investigation following COVID-19 outbreaks on board

There are 91 cruise ships currently under investigation or observation, according to the CDC website. However, the agency has not specified how many COVID-19 cases have been reported, according to The Associated Press .

An additional three ships are being monitored.

The CDC advised that those who choose to travel on a cruise should get vaccinated against COVID-19 before their trip and, if eligible, receive a booster dose.

In addition, masks should also be worn in shared spaces and passengers who are not fully vaccinated against COVID should self-quarantine for five days after travel, in addition to getting tested three to five days after their return, the CDC said.

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In an email to NPR, a spokesperson for the Cruise Lines International Association said the trade group was "disappointed" by the CDC's latest advisory against cruise ship travel.

"While we are disappointed and disagree with the decision to single out the cruise industry—an industry that continues to go above and beyond compared to other sectors—CLIA and our ocean-going cruise line members remain committed to working collaboratively with the CDC in the interest of public health and safety," the trade group said .

Most cruise lines require adult passengers to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19, according to AP.

For now, CDC guidanc e allows cruise ships to relax measures — such as mask usage — if at least 95% of passengers and 95% of the cruise ship crew are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

• CDC COVID-19 guidance
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'I felt safer on the cruise than Walmart': COVID protocols on cruises prove effective, initial CDC data shows

• From June 26 through Aug. 26, there were 452 confirmed cases of COVID on cruise ships reported by cruise lines to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• CLIA "conservatively" estimates 262,000 passengers sailed in that time on ocean-going member lines.
• The protocol in place on ships to mitigate COVID-19 "absolutely has" worked to make cruise ships safer.

The coronavirus continues to be present on cruise ships sailing in U.S. waters, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention obtained by USA TODAY shows.

But travelers are feeling more secure with the protocols in place. 

In the two-month period spanning from when the first cruise sailed with paying passengers on June 26 through Aug. 26, there were 452 confirmed cases of coronavirus on cruise ships reported by cruise lines to the health agency.

The cases reported were spread among crew and passengers who tested positive via viral testing on ships belonging to cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, among others.

It doesn't come as a surprise that coronavirus found its way back onto cruise ships after more than a year without cruising in U.S. waters due to the pandemic. 

"We've never said that cruising will be a zero-risk activity," Capt. Aimee Treffiletti, who leads the CDC's maritime unit, told USA TODAY in late October.  "I think we've all always expected that cases would be identified."

►COVID on cruises: What happens if the coronavirus gets on board?

►Here's why I didn't panic: Six COVID-19 cases emerged on my Royal Caribbean cruise.

"Unlike other forms of travel, a cruise ship is more like congregate residential setting where thousands of travelers (passengers and crew) are living for multiple days (or months for crew) on the same ship: eating, sleeping, and participating in activities together in one location. COVID-19, like other illnesses, can spread quickly in group settings like cruise ships," ​​​​​Caitlin Shockey, spokesperson for the CDC, added in an email to USA TODAY.

But just because cases are emerging on cruise ships doesn't mean that cruising is as risky as it was at the beginning of the pandemic when outbreaks forced ships, including the Diamond Princess and Grand Princess, into quarantine with more than 700 infected on Diamond Princess and dozens infected on the Grand Princess.

COVID-19 protocols make ship environment safer

The protocol in place on ships to mitigate COVID-19 "absolutely has" worked to make cruise ships safer as the world faces a global pandemic, Treffiletti said.

While there still remains some risk of transmission of COVID-19 on board cruise ships, robust protocols including testing and masking, among other elements, have reduced the risk of the pandemic's onboard spread. 

Alex Heller, who cruises frequently with his husband, Michael Bonham, on Royal Caribbean International ships, told USA TODAY they have been on five cruises since the pandemic began and have four more scheduled for this year.

Royal Caribbean International has required that all passengers ages 12 and over show proof of vaccination and a negative test for every passenger age 2 and older, a protocol which was put into place Aug. 1. As a result, Heller said they have felt safe.

"On one of the trips, we stayed a few nights in Florida after we disembarked," Heller said. "It felt like Florida had hardly any restrictions and a few people even approached us with snide remarks about wearing our masks, so we actually felt safer on the ship than we did on land."

Kathy Simmons, who sailed on the Carnival Magic in September, echoed Heller's statement.

"I felt safer on the cruise than Walmart," Simmons told USA TODAY. "I live in rural (Georgia) and next to no one masks or distances anymore."

Alex Winter added that he felt safer sailing on MSC Meraviglia this October than he did on a December 2019 Norwegian cruise thanks to additional protocols and lowered capacity.

As of Thursday, 52 cruise ships were sailing with paying passengers in U.S. waters following CDC guidance, according to the CDC's cruise ship status tracker , spokesperson Dave Daigle told USA TODAY.

"We've never expected that there would be zero risk of transmission," Treffiletti said. "But one thing that's really important is that we haven't seen medical resources overwhelmed on ships – we haven't seen high rates of hospitalizations or deaths that we saw early on in the pandemic related to cruise ships. So, I think we can consider that a success."

►A year without cruising: There was no ‘crystal ball’ to tell when sailing could restart amid COVID-19

What the data tells us

Cruise lines are required to report confirmed coronavirus cases and COVID-19-like symptoms reported on ships in U.S. waters to the CDC, but most cases of coronavirus on cruise ships have not been required to publicly report those numbers.

Crewmembers are also required to be tested on a weekly basis or at other intervals as required by the health agency after an initial testing requirement and testing of newly arriving crew.

Of the 452 cases confirmed, 146 were among crew members and 306 were among passengers. Fifty-seven ships reported COVID-19 data to the CDC within the two-month period, 11 of which reported no confirmed cases at all. 

The CDC repeatedly told USA TODAY it does not have a count of how many people sailed on cruise ships in total during that period.

Story continues below.

Cruise Lines International Association, however, "conservatively" estimates 262,000 passengers sailed between June 26 and Aug. 26 on member cruise lines that sail on the ocean. The number does not include crew members, Bari Golin-Blaugrund, vice president of strategic communications, told USA TODAY.

The association's cruise lines make up more than 90% of ocean-going cruise capacity.

"The relatively low occurrence of COVID-19 during that period, particularly when compared to the rest of the country, further demonstrates the leadership of the cruise industry and the effectiveness of the science-backed protocols that have enabled a successful return to operations around the world," Golin-Blaugrund continued.

During the time that these 452 cases of coronavirus were identified on cruises, about 4.9 million cases were reported in the U.S. in the 62 days between June 26 and Aug. 26, CDC data show. With an American population of about 332.8 million, about 1 in 68 Americans tested positive during the same time when 452 cases of coronavirus were identified on cruises.

The ships that reported cases to the CDC were traveling under different circumstances: Some were sailing on test cruises (sailing with volunteer passengers to test onboard protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19); some were on restricted revenue sailings (with paying passengers); and some were sailing with crew only.

Cruise lines are required by the CDC to submit information on coronavirus cases in its "Enhanced Data Collection During COVID-19 Pandemic Form" as a part of its Conditional Sailing Order, originally introduced in October 2020  and extended last month.

The CDC did not specify when over the two month period cases were identified, on what sailing the cases happened or the conditions of the sailing whether it be a test sailing, a sailing with paying passengers, or a sailing with crew only. This information is not asked for in the daily form required by the CDC, USA TODAY reviewed the form required by ships.

And the vessels that reported coronavirus cases to the CDC were sailing for varying amounts of time during the two-month period. Some cruise ships resumed operations earlier, others started at a later date in the industry's phased-in resumption.

People who tested positive during quarantine or upon embarkation were not counted as the CDC classified those cases as not contributing to the onboard spread.

It is not clear over   how many sailings the cases were spread out, nor is it clear how many sailings each ship has completed and the duration of each sailing. Not all cruise ships in the U.S. are back in operation yet and it has been a rolling start with ships slowly resuming service. 

There are many other variables at play too: Ship size, capacity filled, protocols, port stops and other factors could have contributed to coronavirus on board ships.

Cruise lines sharing coronavirus protocol results

Cruise companies have begun to share how their protocols have mitigated coronavirus on board as well.

During its third-quarter earnings call on Oct. 30, Royal Caribbean Group's chief financial officer Jason Liberty shared that out of 500,000 passengers who have sailed with the brand globally, only 150 have tested positive for coronavirus across the cruise company's five brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea Cruises along with TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Those 500,000 passengers have sailed around the globe since June not just in U.S. waters, spokesperson Jonathon Fishman told USA TODAY.

Jessica John, spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., parent company to Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises, told USA TODAY that the company has identified positive cases on certain sailings since resuming operations but did not specify the exact count.

"Our rigorous SailSAFE health and safety protocols, including mandatory vaccination and universal pre-embarkation testing, are working as designed to greatly mitigate the risk of introduction and transmission of COVID-19 on board our ships and the prevalence of cases we have seen since resuming has been well below the general population during that time," John said.

Roger Frizzell, spokesperson for Carnival Corp., parent to Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, AIDA, Costa Cruises and P&O Cruises, told USA TODAY that onboard protocols are working to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

"When those rare situations occur when there has been variant cases for fully vaccinated guests, they are typically extremely mild and our protocols in place have been effective."

Coronavirus cases identified on board don't mean cruising is unsafe

While coronavirus is on board cruise ships, that doesn't mean cruising is stopping again any time soon or that travelers should be discouraged from boarding.

"Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and development of variants of concern, including the delta variant, CDC has continued to collaborate with cruise ship operators to provide safe and healthy cruising environments for crew and passengers," CDC's Shockey said.

The CDC issued a "Level 3: High Level of COVID-19" notice warning on Aug. 20 for cruise travel that remains in place.

The number of cases shows that the coronavirus protocol implemented on ships is working.

"I was very impressed by their vaccine and testing requirements," Simmons said of her Carnival cruise. "I know things can still slip through the cracks, but knowing that all adults were vaccinated and everyone was tested prior to boarding gave me great peace of mind."

Heller, who prefers to cruise with Royal Caribbean International, said he "certainly wouldn’t feel safe" without the protocols in place.

If public health measures were not in place, Shockey said the CDC "would expect COVID-19 cases to increase on ships and potentially overwhelm their medical and public health resources."

►Cleaning a floating petri dish: How is a cruise ship sanitized after a coronavirus outbreak?

Contributing: Mike Stucka

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With the relaxation of travel requirements around the world, we’re thrilled to welcome all guests back on our ships to cruise freely to the places they’ve been dreaming of – regardless of vaccination status and with no testing requirements.

Destination specific requirements will still need to be met. For specific country requirements, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country .

Benefits of 100% Vaccination Requirements*

• Cruise Mask-free**

Breathe freely and witness smiles everywhere you go!

• No Social Distancing Required

Get up close and personal with confidence, everyone on board is vaccinated.

• All Restaurants & Experiences Are Fully Open

Dine in any of our restaurants mask-free, including our self-service buffet. Plus enjoy all entertainment options.

• No Restrictions on Shore Excursions †

Feel Free to take the shore excursion you’ve been dreaming of or explore on your own!

• No Capacity Restrictions

Appreciate the full Norwegian experience — all venues and experiences are entirely open.

• Surround Yourself in Safety

Peace of mind knowing all guests and crew on board are fully vaccinated.

*As government regulations evolve, our health and safety protocols will evolve as needed to ensure compliance. This may mean different protocols from ship to ship based on local requirements. For additional information, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country .

**On Europe sailings only, currently local government regulations requires all guests to wear masks onboard. Refer to FAQs section for complete details.

† Due to local government regulations, guests are required to take a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion while visiting Colón, Panama; St. Kitts and ports in Italy as guests will not be allowed to explore on their own.

Safety FOR OUR GUESTS & CREW

Safety aboard our ships, safety ashore.

We have developed a comprehensive and multi-layered set of health and safety protocols that span the entire cruise journey, guided by the expert advice from our Healthy Sail Panel. We will continuously refine and improve these protocols as science, technology and our knowledge of the virus improve and will provide guests with all relevant information or any changes to protocols prior to setting sail.

We will initially control the guest capacity onboard each ship to provide even more space per guest and allow for physical distancing while onboard.

Contactless food and beverage service will be provided across all ships with service staff stationed ship-wide, including all restaurants and lounges.

All guests will be required to engage in frequent handwashing and hand sanitizer will be prominently placed and easily accessible throughout the ship.

Daily temperature checks and ongoing symptom screening will be practiced so you can feel confident your fellow guests aren’t fellow carriers. But don’t worry, looking hot is still okay.

Safety Aboard our Ships

With Sail Safe, our industry leading Health & Safety Programme, we will continue to put our guests and our crew members first by keeping everyone safe and healthy on board our ships and in the communities we visit. In addition to requiring our crew to be up-to-date with all their vaccinations, we will continue to evolve our already robust science-backed programme to broaden our cleaning, sanitation and air filtration technologies across our fleet.

With Sail Safe, our industry leading Health & Safety Program, we will continue to put our guests first by keeping you safe and healthy on board our ships. Here’s what we’re doing.

Continuous Ship-Wide Cleaning & Disinfection Measures

Upgraded medical-grade air filters, enhanced onboard medical teams & health services.

We constantly monitor the health environment across the globe and will modify or cancel itineraries to affected areas as needed.

We’re partnering with our local destinations and tour operators to extend our comprehensive health & safety protocols to shore.

Guests are free to explore ports of call on their own, according to protocols in each specific port, and can purchase shore excursions as they wish. Face coverings may be required in certain settings to comply with local requirements, for example in terminals for embarkation and disembarkation or at ports of call. We will continue to monitor public health guidance, including from the CDC, at the time of your voyage and modify requirements accordingly.

*Due to local government regulations, guests may be required to take a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion in select ports. For additional information on this and other destination specific requirements, please visit the Cruise Travel Requirements by Country page.

SAIL SAFE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Pre-cruise and onboard frequently asked questions.

• Individuals that test positive within 90 days of their scheduled embarkation date are exempted from the pre-arrival testing.
• They must have one of the below acceptable forms of COVID-19 Recovery (dated no less than 10 days and no more than 90 days (US) & 180 days (EU) before the date of embarkation) available during check-in.
• For European Citizens, this would include an EU Green Pass or comparable certificate. 
• For all others unable to present an EU Green Pass (i.e., US Citizens) a doctor’s note, plus a laboratory-confirmed PCR test result with the proper information (i.e., Name, Date, Date of Birth, Positive Result, etc.)
• COVID-19 Recovery must be dated no less than 10 days and no more than 90 days (US embarkation) & 180 days (EU embarkation), documentation must be available during check-in.
• Bermuda government does not allow certificate of recovery in lieu of negative test result.

In order to facilitate pre-cruise testing requirements, Norwegian has partnered with Inspired Diagnostics lab to ensure that guests have access to a quick, efficient and easy way to access the required FDA-approved proctored in-home antigen test prior to embarkation from the comfort of their own home. Inspired Diagnostics is a subsidiary of Inspire Health Alliance, a leader in best-in-class health services. Testing at home is safe, simple, and convenient. Purchasing in-home testing kits is simple.

• Sign up on the testing site https://inspirediagnostics.com/ncl/
• Receive the test kit(s) by UPS
• Timetable an on-line proctoring consultation
• Receive certified results via email

Additionally, the following services offer a verified third party or medically supervised at home testing: eMed or BioReference-Scarlett Concierge testing service – BioReference sends a trained Scarlet Health Professional to your home to collect your COVID-19 test specimen.

Should you need to locate a testing provider prior to beginning travel or whilst travelling prior to your cruise, please visit TestForTravel.com , an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world. Simply enter your postcode, or city and country, and the website will display locations, contact information, and testing hours. It also allows you to search by test type – PCR or Antigen.

Effective for sailings 10/4/22 and beyond, all guests regardless of vaccination status are able to sail and with no testing requirements. This does not supersede country specific requirements - Travel Requirements by Country

Local regulations may have booster requirements to enter certain countries – make sure to check Travel Requirements by Country to understand country specific requirements.

Local regulations may have vaccine requirements to enter certain countries – make sure to check  Travel Requirements by Country  to understand country specific requirements about accepted vaccines

As of August 8, 2022, effective for sailings September 3, 2022 and beyond, vaccines will not be required to sail. However, requirements will vary for unvaccinated guests and guests must still adhere to country specific requirements. Refer to Will all guests be required to be vaccinated prior to the cruise? ” and Travel Requirements by Country page.

Hawaii Cruisetours

For sailings through and including September 2, 2022:

For sailings beginning September 3, 2022:

Guests age 11 and younger, and vaccinated guests age 12 and over who have purchased a pre-cruise Cruisetour in Hawaii with Norwegian Cruise Line are not required to be tested prior to the sailing. Unvaccinated guests age 12 and over must provide proof of a medically supervised negative PCR or antigen taken no more than 72 hours prior to embarkation. This test will be facilitated and paid for by Norwegian Cruise Line.

Alaska Cruisetours

Guests age 5 and over who have purchased a pre-cruise Cruisetour in Alaska with Norwegian Cruise Line will undergo a COVID-19 antigen during their program. This test will be paid for by Norwegian Cruise Line. Further details will be outlined by your Tour Manager while on the program.

At this time, our Cruisetour vendors do not require any pre-tour Covid-19 testing; however, Norwegian Cruise Line still recommends all guests participating take a test prior to joining the Cruisetour. Please note that for unvaccinated children ages 2 through 11, the pre-embarkation testing requirements as listed on Sail Safe and Travel Requirements by Country are required to be met.

If a Cruisetour guest receives a positive COVID-19 result when testing at the pier upon arrival, they will be denied boarding and will likely be required to quarantine by local officials. Norwegian Cruise Line will assist with expenses related to any mandatory quarantine that are not covered by their travel insurance only if the guest provides proof of negative COVID-19 NAAT test (I.e. PCR) or antigen test taken within 48 hours prior to Cruisetour start date.

Guests age 2 and over who are unable to provide proof of a negative test taken within 48-hours of their Cruisetour start date will not qualify for reimbursement should the applicable expenses not be covered by their travel insurance. Proof of negative COVID-19 NAAT test (I.e. PCR) or antigen test taken within 48-hours of Cruisetour start date must show guest name, date of birth and date the test was taken in order to be eligible.

Please visit https://www.ncl.com/refund-and-cancellation-policy-covid-19 for the most up to date information on refund eligibility including how to request a refund should you or your travel companions qualify.

Yes, we welcome all guests to sail with us, regardless of vaccination status and age, and with no testing or masking requirements. This does not supersede country specific requirements - Travel Requirements by Country .

Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 traveling with vaccinated parents will be welcomed at all venues not restricted by age requirements. Children will be prohibited from adults-only venues, such as Vibe Beach Club.

For sailings through September 2, 2022:

Guests age 12 and older must acknowledge vaccination status prior to their sailing and bring proof of vaccination to the terminal for their cruise. Preferred proof form is the original vaccination record document issued by either the country's health authority that administered the vaccination or the guest's medical provider that completed the vaccine administration, however, photo of vaccination record document will also be accepted. Electronic vaccination records will be accepted for residents of countries where electronic documentation is the standard issued form. Confirmation email of vaccination appointment will not be accepted.

All guests are advised to monitor and comply with applicable travel restrictions.

Guests can expect to provide the following:

• Any documentation required from the country where the guest is embarking. This could include but is not limited to proof of a specific negative COVID-19 test result or Booster. These requirements will vary by country and is the responsibility of the guest and supersede our policy. Please refer to  Cruise Travel Requirements by Country
• Completed health questionnaire (prior to embarkation);
• Standard travel documents, including passport or any visas as required

We are closely monitoring the evolving global public health environment and to the extent any itineraries are affected, we will notify impacted guests in a timely fashion and update our booking requirements. Additional travel restrictions for certain nationalities or countries may arise based on the quickly evolving public health environment. All guests are strongly advised to monitor current travel requirements and advisories for their home countries.

For additional information, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country .

We will comply with all local regulations at all destinations we visit. These regulations are continuously evolving and if an additional test is required at a port of call we will provide advanced notice to all guests. For additional information, please visit Cruise Travel Requirements by Country .

*Please note, in the event a port included as part of an itinerary requires additional COVID-19 testing in order for guests to disembark, Norwegian Cruise line will facilitate the testing onboard.

All guests are required to accept the terms and conditions in our guest ticket contract. In addition, guests will be required to agree to abide by all of the cruise line's health and safety protocols and acknowledge the risks associated with COVID-19 during their voyage and shoreside experiences. Guests who fail to agree to these terms and conditions will not be permitted to board.

Antigen Tests

COVID-19 antigen tests prior to disembarkation will be administered on board and paid for by the Cruise Line for those guests who require a test to return home.

Effective for all disembarkations beginning January 8, 2022, PCR tests will only be available onboard to confirm a positive antigen test, or to test a symptomatic patient. Those guests requiring a PCR test to return home will be responsible for expense and must obtain the test shoreside after the disembarkation either at a company designated facility, at the airport prior to flying out, or at a nearby clinic of their choice. At all US disembarkation ports, Norwegian Cruise Line has engaged a vendor to administer PCR testing at the terminal for those guests requiring a PCR test to return home. If guests choose this service, the guests will proceed to a designated area in the terminal for their PCR test at the guests' expense which varies by port, then proceed with their travel plans as they await their test results which will be sent electronically approximately 90 minutes after the test.

In non-U.S. ports availability may be available for PCR testing prior to flying home in the terminal, however guests are free to book their PCR test at the airport or a local clinic at their convenience. Please allow the proper time in your travels to obtain the result before flying home.

Estimated PCR test costs by port are as follows:

• All current US departure ports (except those listed below) - $125 per person
• New Orleans - $180 per person
• New York - $250 per person
• San Juan - $150 per person
• All current Europe departure ports - $125 per person

We will continue to update as additional services become available.

If a guest booked a post-cruise hotel, it is the responsibility of the guest to make their own arrangements to get re-tested at their own expense.

Italy Disembarkation Testing:

In order to best comply with local regulations, all guests disembarking in Italian ports (Civitavecchia and Trieste) who require proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to their home country, will now have the following options:

• Purchase an easy-to-use telemedicine kit onboard
• Test at your convenience at the Rome-Fiumicino International Airport or Trieste Airport
• Visit a local clinic

For sailings September 3, 2022 and beyond:

Guests age twelve and over will be allowed to board unvaccinated. Unvaccinated guests age twelve and over will be required to show proof of a medically supervised negative PCR or Antigen test taken no more than 72 hours prior to embarkation.

We will initially control the guest capacity onboard each ship to provide even more space per guest.

All onboard venues and activities will be available unless staffing or other challenges onboard prevent normal operations.

No, we do not currently have any restrictions or limitations for guests with pre-existing health conditions. All guests should assess their individual risk level and consult with their doctor if needed prior to sailing.

Safety Aboard Our Ships Frequently Asked Questions

Guests who have symptoms of COVID-19 whilst onboard should immediately contact the onboard medical centre for further instruction. Onboard medical consultations and treatments are provided at a charge for all respiratory illnesses. Medical centres will be equipped to test for COVID-19 onboard and if a positive case is identified, contact tracing for that individual will begin immediately and occur at the same time as treatment.

We have also enhanced our onboard medical capabilities with additional staffing and enhanced facilities. This includes an increase in intensive care unit capacity, new and upgraded equipment, onshore medical institution partnerships, telemedicine capabilities and additional robust consultation and treatment options. Onboard medical centres are also abundantly stocked with common prescription medications, remedies, and virus-testing equipment as available.

Onboard medical consultations and standard treatments are provided for COVID-19-related illness at a charge. If a guest follows health and safety protocols and tests positive during their cruise, the Cruise Line will help coordinate necessary onboard COVID-19-related medical consultation, standard/common prescription drugs, and required land-based quarantine.

Please note: Anti-viral COVID-19 therapeutics are readily available onboard and will be charged to the guests' account. Whilst the Cruise Line will assist with arranging land-based quarantine accommodations if required, payment for all expenses incurred during any mandatory isolation period, including hotel stay, is the responsibility of the guest. We encourage all guests to file a claim with their travel insurance carrier for reimbursement enquiries. Norwegian Cruise Line will review reimbursement submissions in the event your insurance carrier denies the claim or you do not have travel insurance.

We have improved our onboard medical capabilities with additional staffing directly related to sailing capacity, new and upgraded equipment and enhanced facilities. All vessels will have COVID-19 testing capabilities on board and results onsite. We have increased intensive care units (ICU) capacity onboard and ICUs are equipped with infusion pumps, IV treatments, cardiac monitors, defibrillators, cardiac pacemakers and ventilators.

Should the need arise, we also have partnerships with onshore medical institutions in place to provide clinical advice and assistance as needed. Vessels are equipped with an onboard laboratory, which can administer Complete Blood Counts (CBC), Blood Chemistry, Coagulation tests, and Influenza tests. Onboard medical centres are also abundantly stocked with common prescription medications and remedies.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

As delivering the best experience for our guests is always a top priority, after working closely with our destination partners, we anticipate that guests will be free to explore certain ports of call on their own. Please keep in mind that this is largely dependent on the local health authorities and the evolving regulations, which are subject to change. In order to keep our guests as safe as possible, we highly recommend taking our company organised shore excursions as a more controlled environment for you to enjoy your time in each of the destinations.

Guests requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test to return to their home country are directed to visit a clinic near the disembarkation terminal or airport. For an easy to use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visit www.testfortravel.com.

Norwegian does not require a disembarkation test. However, this does not supersede home country requirements. Effective 6/12/22, guests will no longer be required to show proof of negative Covid test to return to the United States.

Guests requiring a proof of negative COVID-19 test to return to their home country are directed to visit a clinic near the disembarkation terminal or airport.

Norwegian does not require a disembarkation test. However, this does not supersede home country requirements.

Disembarkation Testing for all Norwegian Dawn and Jade sailings beginning June 12, 2022 and beyond and for all Norwegian Epic, Escape, and Gem sailings beginning June 17, 2022 and beyond:

In order to best comply with local regulations, all guests who require proof of a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to their home country, will now have the following options:

• Purchase an easy-to-use telemedicine kit onboard (subject to availability)
• Visit a local clinic nearby or at the airport

For an easy-to-use online tool for locating COVID-19 testing providers around the world, please visit  www.TestForTravel.com .

For other vessels, if a guest requires an antigen disembarkation test to return home, this test will be administered onboard and cost will be covered by Norwegian Cruise Line. Note, there will be no PCR tests available to guests onboard unless required to confirm a positive antigen test or for symptomatic guests.

At all US disembarkation ports, Norwegian Cruise Line has engaged a vendor to administer PCR testing at the terminal for those guests requiring a PCR test to return home. If guests choose this service, the guests will proceed to a designated area in the terminal for their PCR test at the guests' expense which varies by port, then proceed with their travel plans as they await their test results which will be sent electronically approximately 90 minutes after the test.

No, guests will not be required to take a COVID-19 antigen test before continuing on the second leg of a back-to-back sailing unless symptomatic, unvaccinated or if a specific country requires it.

It's Finally Time to BREAK FREE

Let’s get cruising! Check out our variety of itineraries.

As cruise ship passengers and crew contract COVID-19, cruise lines upgrade their protocols

Three passengers tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of the recent inaugural seven-night sailing from Port Canaveral of Carnival Cruise Line’s newest and largest ship, the Mardi Gras.

The discovery was among a series of positive COVID-19 tests among passengers and crew of ships operated by Carnival and other cruise lines in recent weeks.

The appearance of COVID-19 on the Mardi Gras as cruising returned to Port Canaveral is a sign of just how precarious the restart of cruising can be. It came even as Carnival required all its crew and its passengers age 12 and up to be vaccinated; kept passenger counts far below capacity; and took a host of other steps to guard against COVID-19 on its ships, in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

So far, Carnival and other cruise lines have dealt with the cases without disrupting their ship schedules. 

In the Mardi Gras incident, three Carnival Cruise Line passengers had COVID-19 on the inaugural sailing of the ship from Port Canaveral on July 31.

Carnival discovered the cases when doing required COVID-19 tests near the end of its cruise. Two of the passengers were children who did not have the COVID-19 vaccine, and the third was a vaccinated parent of one of the children, according to Port Canaveral officials.

Related: Cruise industry restarts at Port Canaveral with 'huge milestone' sailing of Mardi Gras

Previously: Disney, Royal Caribbean resume sailing from Port Canaveral after being idled since March 2020

In a statement, Carnival — the world's largest cruise line — said that, "as a standard practice, and consistent with CDC’s conditional sailing order, all unvaccinated guests who sail on voyages five days or longer are tested 24 hours before debarkation. Such is the case on Mardi Gras, given her seven-day itineraries. Guests who test positive are advised, must stay in isolation until arrival in the home port, and then either must complete their isolation locally or drive home. Close contacts are also identified, tested and isolated."

Carnival added that "our protocols are designed to manage and mitigate COVID amongst guests and crew."

According the Carnival, the Mardi Gras had about 4,000 passengers and 1,600 crew members on its first cruise.

Port Canaveral officials say they know of no other COVID-19 incidents on ships that have sailed from Brevard County's seaport since cruising resumed — although cruise lines are not required to inform the port of such instances, unless port assistance is needed in the medical care of passengers or crew with COVID-19.

There have been COVID cases on ships sailing from other ports. Among them, there were cases involving 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista on a recent cruise that sailed from Galveston, Texas.

"The CDC’s conditional sail order and our own protocols anticipate the potential for COVID on board, and our procedures are designed to manage and mitigate any situation," Carnival said in a statement on that incident. "The health, safety and well-being of our guests, crew and the destinations we visit is our priority."

Carnival said the cases on the Vista occurred "despite all of our crew and almost all of our guests being vaccinated. We have managed the situation utilizing stringent health protocols, which included placing those who tested positive in isolation and close contacts in quarantine." 

Carnival said it also has a process in place to randomly test a large percentage of its crew on a rotating basis multiple days per week, even though all are vaccinated.  

Carnival asks that its passengers wear masks in certain indoor areas. Also, beginning Aug. 14, all vaccinated passengers, in addition to unvaccinated passengers, needed to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to embarkation, as the cruise line modified its protocols "to adapt to the changing public health situation."

Other cruise lines also have had COVID-19 cases on their ships.

For example, six passengers on a recent Royal Caribbean International Adventure of the Seas cruise sailing from Nassau, the Bahamas, tested positive for COVID-19. All were American citizens.

The tests came back as part of routine, end-of-cruise testing, which was offered as a courtesy by the cruise line, since most passengers need to show proof of a negative test in order to return home. 

Some cruise lines in recent days have announced new measures designed to keep COVID-19 off their ships.

For example:

• Norwegian Cruise Line announced Wednesday that it has extended its COVID-19 vaccine requirement through the end of the year. Passengers who are not old enough to be vaccinated — currently, anyone under age 12 — will not be allowed to sail. 
• Princess Cruises added a face mask requirement on board its ships, in addition to a COVID-19 testing requirement for passengers. Princess said all passengers will be asked to wear masks in spaces such as elevators, shops, the casino and other select areas, except when eating or drinking. Masks will be required during embarkation and disembarkation, too. All Princess ships that will sail in 2021 will have a passenger and crew vaccination requirement in accordance with the CDC. So, at least 95% of passengers and crew must show proof of vaccination to board.

Holland America Line also recently announced new requirements. Like Princess, Holland America has a vaccination requirement to sail. Additionally, now all passengers will be required to wear face masks in certain indoor areas on board. Holland America also has instituted a COVID-19 testing requirement, in effect from Aug. 14 through Oct. 31 for all passengers. A test must be taken within 72 hours of boarding.

Generally, cruise lines also are keeping passenger counts relatively low, in part, to help maintain a semblance of social distancing on the ships, as the pandemic continues, with record numbers of new cases in Florida in recent weeks, and the delta variant continuing to spread across the nation and globe.

Meanwhile,  Port Canaveral is being cautious in its outlook for the coming year, despite the resumption of cruises there at a steady pace. 

Federal grant helps port recover

Port Canaveral will be getting a major financial infusion to help improve its bottom line, after being approved for $72.21 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

The money will help cover its losses stemming from a 16½-month shutdown of the cruise industry locally because of COVID-19.

The port said it lost an estimated $113.6 million in cruise ship and cruise-related parking revenue during the shutdown, which began in March 2020. Pre-pandemic, about 80% of the port's revenue came from various fees it charged cruise ships and from cruise passenger parking.

Port Canaveral Chief Financial Officer Michael Poole said he expects the port to receive about $22 million of that money during the current 2020-21 budget year that ends Sept. 30, with the other $50 million arriving during the 2021-22 budget year.

Poole said the money will be received in monthly installments, and can be used for a variety of operating and capital expenses.

Even with the ARPA money, Port Canaveral expects to report losses of $39.48 million during the current budget year.

In the 2021-22 budget year, the port expects to have a profit of $69.26 million, thanks in large part to the ARPA money. The port calls this a "change in net position," rather than a profit.

Port Canaveral Secretary/Treasurer Robyn Hattaway expressed some frustration during Wednesday's Canaveral Port Authority meeting about how long it was taking for the port to get its ARPA money.

"This has been such a slow process," Hattaway said. "We haven't seen a dollar yet."

14 cruise ships will be based here

Port Canaveral is expecting a strong year ahead for cruising. During the port's 2021-22 budget year that begins Oct. 1, the port anticipates 729 sailings out of the port by its ships based here, plus 81 port-of-call stops by ships that are based at other ports.

In all, 14 ships operated by five cruise lines will be based at Port Canaveral either year-round or part of the year.

Additionally, there will be 630 half-day sailings of the Victory 1 gambling ship. 

Revenue from cruises and cruise-related parking will be an estimated $85.1 million in the 2021-22 budget year. 

Here is a breakdown of the anticipated multiday cruises, by cruise line. These are year-round deployments of the ships, except where noted:

CARNIVAL: 256 total calls. The ships based here will be:

• Elation: 75 calls (four- and five-day sailings).
• Liberty: 96 calls (three- and four-day sailings).
• Magic: 33 calls; seasonal service (six- and eight-day sailings).
• Mardi Gras: 52 calls (seven-day sailings).

DISNEY: 157 total calls. The ships based here will be: 

• Dream part of the year and Wish  part of the year: 105 calls (three- and four-day sailings).
• Fantasy: 52 calls (seven-day sailings).

MSC:  75 total calls. This will be MSC's first year with ships based at Port Canaveral. The ships based here will be: 

• Divina  part of the year and Meraviglia part of the year: 75 calls (three-, four- and seven-day sailings).

NORWEGIAN: 39 total calls, including 26 calls by a ship-based at Port Canaveral and 13 port-of-call stops. The ship-based here will be:

• Escape: 26 calls; seasonal service (seven-day sailings). 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN:  274 total calls, including 216 calls by ships based at Port Canaveral and 58 port-of-call stops. The ships based here will be:

• Allure of the Seas part of the year and Harmony of the Seas part of the year: 51 calls (seven-day sailings).
• Independence of the Seas:  95 calls (three- and four-day sailings).
• Mariner of the Seas:  70 calls (four- and five-day sailings).

During the current budget year, there will be a total of 66 cruise ship sailings with passengers in a period stretching from July 31 through Sept. 29, according to Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray. 

That includes sailings on eight ships operated by four cruise lines.

Cautious passenger count estimates

Poole said he was conservative in his projections for port revenue from cruise operations.

He is using estimates of passenger counts that are much lower than the port has historically seen.

For example, he is projecting that ships sailing from Port Canaveral will operate at 50% of their double-occupancy capacity from October through December 2021. Then, he is projecting that they will operate at 75% of their double-occupancy capacity from January through September 2022.

"We feel like it's a very conservative approach," Poole told port commissioners on Wednesday, during their first of two budget hearings.

Related: Disney Cruise Line plans 'test sailing' on the Dream, departing Saturday from Port Canaveral

More: Disney Dream sails out on test cruise, first cruise ship out of port since March 2020

Poole noted that Port Canaveral-based cruise ships historically have sailed at 110% to 115% of their double-occupancy capacities, with three or more people occupying many cabins, typically parents and their children.

Murray said more ships will be based at Port Canaveral in the 2021-22 budget year than there were here before the pandemic began. And some are significantly larger than the ships that were here before.

So that will help make up for reduced passenger counts, Murray said.

Other port segments

Poole is projecting these amounts of revenue from other sectors of the port's business during 2021-22:

Cargo: Port fees of $11.1 million and rent of $4.1 million, with 5.3 million tons of total cargo.

The commodity categories with the most revenue are projected to be liquid bulk like petroleum ($2.8 million), lumber ($2.1 million), space cargo ($1.5 million), slag ($975,000) and limestone ($804,000).

Non-cargo leases: $4.4 million.

Recreation: $3.4 million, including at Exploration Tower and Jetty Park.

Miscellaneous: $1.8 million, including revenue from commercial vehicle fees from taxis; shuttle buses; Uber drivers and Lyft drivers; fire training operations; and permits.

Staffing ramping up

With cruising making a comeback, Port Canaveral is ramping up its staff, projecting it will have 238 employees during the 2021-22 budget year.

But that's still less than the port's pre-pandemic staffing level.

During the pandemic, the port reduced its staff by 43% — from 268 positions to 153. That was done through a combination of 68 permanent layoffs, 17 unpaid furloughs, and not filling 30 positions that were left vacant because of retirement or employees taking jobs elsewhere.

Poole said, with cruising resuming, the port will have increases in various other expenses, including for service contracts, utilities and public safety.

He said the port will continue reduced spending levels for promotions, advertising, travel, sponsorships and consultants.

After hearing the presentation, Port Authority Chairman Wayne Justice noted that there is excitement about the return of cruising at the port — which is expected to lead to a return to profits in the coming budget year.

"We're on our way back," Justice said.

Morgan Hines of  USA Today contributed to this report.

Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY . Contact Berman at [email protected]. Twitter: @bydaveberman .

If stories like this are important to you, please consider subscribing to FLORIDA TODAY. To subscribe: https://cm.floridatoday.com/specialoffer/

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• CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

Why cruise ships are setting sail again as COVID-19 rages

The surreal world of cruising during a pandemic requires temperature checks at meals, pre-boarding virus tests, and masks on the dance floor.

An employee in protective gear sprayed disinfectant on pool lounges aboard the MSC Grandiosa in October 2020. One of the world’s largest cruise ships, the boat normally holds more than 6,000 passengers, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was generally sailing at 60 percent capacity.

When you take a cruise during a pandemic, daily activities look and feel quite different from pre-COVID-19 times. Breakfast is served at socially distanced tables after a pre-meal temperature check. At night, you can dance at a club, provided you cover your face and give other passengers a wide berth. The pool is open, kept clean by staffers in face shields and protective jumpsuits who also spray the lounge chairs with disinfectants.

Before March, a cruise ship worker in a hazmat suit would’ve seemed straight out of a high-seas horror movie. But for people traveling during a pandemic, like Victoria Balabaeva, such precautions seem assuring.

“It made me feel safe seeing how seriously the ship is taking health protocols,” said Balabaeva, who, in September, after months of lockdowns in her native Italy , joined 3,000 or so other passengers for an eight-day trip on MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa. The ship set off from Genoa to destinations including Naples and Malta , one of the first sailings since the pandemic started.

An indoor gym on the MSC Grandiosa was converted into a makeshift COVID-19 testing clinic.

In October 2020, masked guests onboard the MSC Grandiosa wait in a socially distanced line to putt on a mini-golf green.

Cruise ships made headlines early in the year when they became floating coronavirus superspreader events , forcing crew and passengers to seek medical attention, evacuate, or quarantine, and leading to 3,689 cases and at least 41 reported dead in the U.S. alone.

Now, with new safety protocols and far fewer passengers on board, a handful of jumbo ships like MSC Grandiosa and Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum of the Seas have resumed sailing from European and Southeast Asian ports. How they’re doing it—and what passengers think—previews how the $150 billion industry might chart a recovery in 2021 and beyond.

The ships slowly come back

In late 2020, cruise ships still aren’t docking or taking off from United States ports. On November 22, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that “all people avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, because the risk of COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high.”

But in Europe and Asia, a few cruise lines resumed operations this summer. German -based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises was one of the first, sailing out of Hamburg starting in July. New safety precautions onboard included a mandatory health questionnaire, staggered boarding, daily temperature checks, and reducing its passenger load by 60 percent.

Before boarding, each guest—limited to residents of Germany, Austria , and Switzerland —had to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test. The company also installed an onboard testing lab and hired doctors and nurses to travel with the ship. Cold fog machines that spew antiviral disinfectant were used to clean cabins and public areas. So far, after 30 completed trips carrying more than 4,000 guests, no COVID cases have been reported.

Guests aboard the Grandiosa must reserve solo time slots to use the hot tubs.

The MSC Grandiosa cruise ship’s theaters remain open, but seating has been staggered to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Passengers attend a dance exercise class on the deck of the MSC Grandiosa . Masks and spaced-out floor stickers are used to encourage social distancing.

Finland ’s Tallink Silja line resumed voyages in May and hasn’t had any known outbreaks. Though the company operated overnight cruises between Nordic countries before the pandemic; it’s currently offering only two-hour nature trips around the northern Baltic Sea region. It prepped for “new normal” voyages by installing handwashing stations, limiting ship capacity, and adding plexiglass shields to customer stations. Masks are recommended during boarding and disembarking.

(Related: How to stay healthier on a cruise ship.)

Other lines, including Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, and Dream Cruises, require temperature checks, a slate of COVID tests onboard, and timed reservations for pool and gym access. Buffet stations are no longer self-serve, and safety muster drills (training on evacuation protocols) are streamed on stateroom TVs instead of happening in person. Crew members are usually tested and quarantined prior to boarding the ship.

What it’s like onboard now

Rebecca Wong was one of 1,400 people who boarded Dream Cruises’ World Dream on November 6, the first ship to restart service from Singapore since spring. During the day, she scaled a rock-climbing wall, played miniature golf, and tried out archery. Special “safety ambassadors” milled around making sure people didn’t cluster in large groups and reminding them to wash their hands.

However, in the evenings, Wong missed the live entertainment, canceled for now on World Dream . “It felt a little strange not to have music and karaoke in the lounges,” she said. “It felt so empty.” Otherwise, she found cruising wasn’t starkly different from before the health crisis.

Balabaeva has been on more than 50 cruises, including 20 on MSC ships. The biggest difference she found was the lack of other people. “I almost had the whole ship to myself,” she said. One of the five largest ships in the world, MSC Grandiosa can accommodate more than 6,300 passengers. During the pandemic, it’s sailing at around 60 percent capacity.

MSC Grandiosa cruise passengers admired the sunset during a October 2020 voyage.

Seats in its massive auditorium are blocked off and dining tables are spaced out to allow for more social distancing. “People were doing the same things as before,” said Balabaeva. “Food and entertainment were still good, and we got more space onboard, so that’s a plus.”

Many of these new practices—like limiting capacity or restricting sailings to people from certain countries—are being implemented temporarily, and aren’t economically sustainable in the long term, said Chris Gray Faust, managing editor of online industry publication Cruise Critic . ”The current measures are a way to help get this industry back on its feet, while still delivering a safe and healthy experience,” she said.

After months of solitude in Milan , Italian photographer Davide Bertuccio was glad to be around other people on his inaugural trip aboard Grandiosa in October. “Being able to take a break and look at the immensity of the sea during this terrible year made me feel lucky,” he said.

However, he feared contracting the virus, so Bertuccio avoided talking and mingling closely with other guests. “Seeing people having to abide by the rules was the sad thing,” he said. “Objectively, this pandemic is making our normal something with an undertone of sadness. Nothing is the same as before.”

Balabaeva (who shares her cruising videos on YouTube ) said she felt safer in some ways on the boat than she did at home in Turin. “Everyone had to pass a COVID-19 test before boarding,” she said. “That doesn’t happen on land, so you could meet a COVID-positive person that has never been tested pretty much in any public place. I’d rather wear a mask onboard and enjoy a sea breeze from my cabin balcony.” (Still, COVID-19’s long incubation period and the fact that rapid tests can be unreliable means a pre-boarding negative could turn into an on-deck positive.)

While she missed the usual cocktail gala and didn’t like the slowed-by-social-distancing buffet lines, Balabaeva enjoyed herself so much that she booked two more future cruises. She isn’t the only person eager to get back on the water: Cabins are selling out on ships that have resumed sailing in Europe and some parts of Southeast Asia.

Passengers wore protective face masks during a line-dance lesson on a Grandiosa cruise in October 2020.

During an October 2020 voyage on MSC Grandiosa , masked passengers applauded a presentation by the captain and other crew members.

Port stops and shore excursions

Cruise lines claim they are creating social pods or bubbles by only allowing passengers and crew who have tested negative for COVID-19 aboard. However, once travelers disembark to explore any port cities along the route, they risk bursting those bubbles. To protect the health of guests and the local community, companies such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are stopping only at private islands (usually owned by the cruise lines) or forgoing ports completely on “cruises to nowhere.” (Note: Cruises to nowhere have been banned in the U.S. since 2016 due to complex immigration issues.)

Other cruise lines, such as MSC, attempt to make offshore excursions safer with sanitized, socially distanced transportation and guides who have tested negative for COVID-19. In some cases, passengers must take a rapid COVID-19 test and receive a negative result before coming back onboard.

“The ability to book an independent excursion or explore on your own is not currently an option for some European cruise lines,” said Gray Faust.

Passengers who leave the group tour might not be allowed back on the ship, said cruise expert Stewart Chiron, of The Cruise Guy , a booking and news platform.

Another potential complication when cruising during COVID-19? A country could implement a nationwide lockdown while a ship is part of the way through its itinerary. For example, MSC and Costa were both forced to retool Mediterranean routes when Greece went back into lockdown on November 5. France and Germany are also currently in a second wave of partial lockdowns.

“Navigating the various destinations that cruise ships visit is still a work in progress, and a significant focus of the lines at this time,” said Gray Faust. “So far, the lines sailing in Europe have done a great job, but it does require cruise lines and passengers to be as flexible and nimble as possible.”

The giant screen above the main pool of the MSC Grandiosa projected images of the ocean and other visuals during the cruise.

Lounge chairs were spaced six feet apart on the cruise ship decks during an October 2020 voyage.

Cruise tech harnessed for safety

Over the past few years, cruise lines have invested in new technologies to streamline guest experiences. Royal Caribbean gives each passenger a snap-on electronic wristband that unlocks their stateroom door, facilitates cashless purchases, and pre-registers them for boarding. Princess Cruises’ similar OceanMedallion even enables guests to locate their family or friends around the ship.

“Now, those same technologies are being used to protect guests and crew through the pandemic,” said Gray Faust. “Things like electronic wristbands that were meant to deliver a more personalized experience are now capable of assisting with contact tracing.” The technology can also help crew staff identify if there are too many people gathered in one place and encourage them to spread out.

(Related: Will new travel technologies invade your privacy?)

In addition, paper menus have been replaced with scannable QR codes and facial recognition is being implemented at check-in. “The onboard experience [is] more contactless than ever,” said Gray Faust.

Some of the cleaning technologies the airline and hotel industries have harnessed during the pandemic are also being used, including improved air filtration systems , UV wands to sanitize common areas and cabins, and automatic handwashing stations.

How safe is it?

Despite all these precautions, the return to cruising hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Small outbreaks have been reported, including 41 crew members and 21 guests who tested positive on Norwegian cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen on July 31 and seven passengers who tested positive on Costa Cruises’ Costa Diadema on October 10. The Quantum of the Seas briefly confined 1,700 passengers to their cabins when a single case was detected onboard December 8 ; in the end, the ship returned to port early . River cruisers have also been exposed to the coronavirus.

Gulls graced the horizon as the MSC Grandiosa departed the port of Naples, Italy, in October 2020.

These cases have stirred up memories of the nightmare scenario that plagued the Diamond Princess earlier in the year. The site of the largest COVID-19 cluster outside of Wuhan, China, the luxury cruise ship had all the trappings of a ’70s disaster flick. Passengers quarantined aboard for almost four weeks before they were allowed off. By then, the number of passengers and crew who tested positive for a new, potentially deadly coronavirus had jumped from 10 to more than 700; more than a dozen of those who caught the coronavirus died.

(Related: What happens when a cruise ship becomes a viral hot zone.)

In total, more than 40 cruise ships have reported COVID-19 positive cases among their passengers and crew as of May 2020. “Those cruise ships did not handle the crisis well,” said Dr. Arthur L. Reingold, division head of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health. “No one was paying attention to any safety measures, which is why the virus spread so quickly.”

The SeaDream I— the first ship to resume sailing in the Caribbean—made headlines when seven guests and two crew members tested positive for COVID-19. The debacle has been blamed on the lack of a mask mandate onboard and the fact that passengers did not follow the pre-cruise 14-day quarantine requirement in Barbados . The inexpensive antigen tests administered by some cruise ships are not always reliable; false negative results may be as high as 50 percent, according to Science magazine.

(Related: Can testing and quarantining making travel during COVID safer?)

Even with the reported outbreaks, Chiron feels confident. “If I had the chance, I would have gone on a cruise months ago,” he said. “It’s a completely erroneous statement to compare ships to a petri dish.”

He’s not alone. When Royal Caribbean put out a call in November for volunteer passengers for a simulated voyage to test out safety protocols set forth by the CDC, more than 100,000 people signed up.

Epidemiologist Reingold maintains that if people follow the safety measures—social distancing, frequent handwashing, and proper mask wearing—the risk of exposure on a cruise ship is very low. However, he cautions that “safe is a relative term; nothing we do in life is absolutely safe.” One of the extra measures Reingold suggests is to avoid mingling with strangers in group activities and to only socialize with your cruise partner or immediate family.

Related: vintage photos remind us of the glamor of travel

Recent news of three potentially effective vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna has been welcomed by the battered cruise industry. Stock prices for Carnival Corp., Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian surged almost 30 percent and bookings increased.

However, Chiron believes cruise lines need to resume operations without relying on vaccines. “No business should plan anything surrounding a magic antidote,” he said. “There are too many unknowns.”

“Having a vaccine available will likely be an added layer of safety and confidence for guests, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the new measures might continue even after the pandemic,” said Gray Faust. “Things like staggered embarkations and virtual muster drills also solve previous onboard pain points. Likewise, buffets with servers are perceived by many people as more sanitary. If measures deliver an enhanced and healthier experience, they could stick around.”

When will U.S. ships cruise again?

When the no-sail order issued by the CDC expired on October 31, 2020, U.S. cruise operators were given a framework for conditional sailing and COVID-testing requirements. Now that the CDC has elevated the travel warning for cruises to Level 4—the highest—no one can predict when cruise lines in the U.S. will start sailing again. The incoming Biden Administration might also want to implement new guidelines.

Whatever happens, travelers are eager to return to the seas. According to a recent Cruise Critic reader survey, 81 percent of U.S. cruisers will book a future cruise , and nearly half of respondents are already looking to book one, even if it won’t sail for months to come. “Bottom line: When the industry is ready to return safely,” said Gray Faust, “it will have cruisers ready to sail.”

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• PUBLIC HEALTH
• LUXURY TRAVEL

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Watch CBS News

First cruise ship set to sail from a U.S. port since the pandemic

June 25, 2021 / 3:42 PM EDT / CBS/AP

The first cruise ship to board passengers at a U.S. port in 15 months is set to sail Saturday from the industry's South Florida hub, a symbolic stride toward normalcy that will be watched closely by health experts as vaccines curb the coronavirus' spread .

Industry officials hope the voyage by Royal Caribbean's Celebrity Edge vessel serves as a bookend for people for whom the gravity of the pandemic first hit home in the alarming reports last year of deadly outbreaks on crowded ships, with guests quarantined for weeks , vessels begging to dock and sickened passengers carried away on stretchers at ports.

"We are excited to be part of that," said Russ Schwartz, a Florida school principal who is honeymooning on the ship and is confident it will be smooth sailing. "Things have changed drastically. Back then we really didn't know much about the virus. Cruises at that point weren't prepared."

Celebrity Cruises says at least 95% of those boarding the Celebrity Edge have been vaccinated against the coronavirus in line with health requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the ship will run at a reduced capacity.

It will be a luxurious voyage aboard a boat that was unveiled in December 2018 featuring a giant spa and multi-floor suites. The $1 billion vessel will be led by Capt. Kate McCue, who in 2015 became the first American woman to captain a cruise ship and has drawn a following of more than 1 million on TikTok and 250,000 on Instagram.

The stakes are high for cruise lines as they emerge from a CDC-imposed shutdown that lasted 15 months. During that period the three industry giants — Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean — have had to raise more than $40 billion in financing just to stay afloat without any revenue.

Collectively they lost $20 billion last year and another $4.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings. 

"The cruise lines are getting up off their knees after getting crippled by COVID-19," said Michael Winkleman, a maritime attorney. "There's just too much money at stake for the cruise lines not to get it right."

Royal Caribbean on June 4 said  six of its ships would start sailing from ports in Florida and Texas beginning next month. The Miami-based cruise line credited the successful rollout of vaccines in readying for its comeback after getting shut down by COVID-19 in March 2020, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a "no-sail" edict barring passenger cruise ships from leaving domestic ports. 

The CDC has since set conditions for cruise lines to resume sailing, including  a provision that an overwhelming majority on board  be immunized against the coronavirus. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in May signed a law to prohibit companies from requiring customers be vaccinated against COVID-19, with his state previously  filing suit to block the CDC requirements. 

Carnival Cruise Line is also  eyeing  a July restart in the U.S., with tentative plans for three of its ships to set sail from Galveston and Miami.  

Norwegian Cruise Line in late May said it expected to resume cruise operations from the U.S. starting August 7 with departures from Seattle to Alaska.

Asking but not requesting

To comply with both the CDC's 95% vaccination requirement and the new Florida law banning businesses from requiring customers to show proof of vaccination , Celebrity Cruises is simply asking guests if they would like to share their status, spokeswoman Susan Lomax said.

Those who don't voluntarily show proof of vaccination will be treated as unvaccinated and be subjected to additional protocols such as wearing face masks and being restricted to designated seating areas in common areas like dining rooms, casinos and theaters.

Last year the CDC castigated the cruise industry for keeping bars, gyms and self-service buffets open and continuing to allow crew members to gather even as the pandemic raged.

Beginning in March 2020, data showed 3,689 confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 on cruise ships in U.S. waters, and at least 41 deaths. The CDC says it spent 38,000 person-hours handling just the cruise response to COVID-19, including contact tracing for 11,000 passengers.

Medical evacuation and logistical efforts for passengers disembarking ships such as the Zaandam in Fort Lauderdale and the Grand Princess in Oakland, California, also diverted resources from local agencies that were trying to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Passenger lawsuits

Dozens of passengers have since filed lawsuits saying companies failed to protect them and warn them about the virus, especially after an outbreak on Carnival's Diamond Princess off the coast of Japan with more than 700 confirmed cases and nine deaths.

The prolonged shutdown has also been challenged in court. In April, Florida sued the federal government to demand cruise ships be allowed to start sailing, arguing the ban disproportionately harms the state where the industry generates billions each year for the economy.

Last week a judge granted a preliminary injunction that prevents the CDC from enforcing sailing conditions, which the state says effectively block most cruises.

Celebrity Edge will sail before the injunction takes effect, so it is complying with the conditions.

"Getting back to living"

The Cruise Lines International Association, which represents about 90% of the global cruise capacity, said it appreciated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' efforts to back the industry and cruise lines are prioritizing health and safety. About 600,000 passengers have sailed in member ships outside the U.S. since last summer and incidence of the coronavirus has been low.

"The industry's protocols are working as intended," the association said in a statement. "The highly successful rollout of vaccines in the United States is a game changer and facilitates safe travel."

About 44% of people nationwide are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC, and new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are down sharply from their peak earlier this year.

Katherine Quirk-Schwartz, a Celebrity Edge passenger and registered nurse who's excited for the upcoming cruise and hopes to meet Capt. McCue, recalled how her hospital took in some of the first COVID-19 patients from cruise ships when they were finally allowed onshore in Florida after days of negotiation.

"It's almost like full circle. It's amazing to reflect on that," she said. "As more things change, more things open up, we will see more of the effects of the vaccine. People are getting back to living, people are getting back to sailing."

Kate Gibson contributed to this report.

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An overview of the impact of COVID-19 on the cruise industry with considerations for Florida

This paper provides an overview of the current state of the world’s cruise industry, with a focus on the chronology and the main impacts that the COVID-19 has had on the industry. Florida is presented as a micro context of the pandemic’s impacts on the local economies of cruise-dependent regions. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the many infected ships in the first quarter of 2020, the entire cruise industry was stopped and a prohibition on resuming this industry was impose worldwide. This paper presents some of the consequences of stopping the cruise industry and the recommended protocols for resuming. Due to the dramatic impacts on the entire industry, some cruise lines are trying to resume despite the fact that the COVID-19 is not yet under control. The first aim of this paper is to cover the cruise industry and its importance for society, introduce the main facts of the COVID-19 outbreak, and the correlation between cruise ships and the spread of this disease. The second aim is to present the new pattern to resume the cruise industry and its challenges.

Introduction

COVID-19 is not the first international crisis faced by the cruise industry. This industry faced the Spanish, Asian, and Hong Kong flus of the 20th century. In the 21st century, the cruise industry has needed to cope with the consequences of the 2001 terrorist attacks on 9/11, the 2002 SARS epidemic, the 2008 global financial crisis, the H1N1 2009 Influenza pandemic, and the unprecedented worldwide COVID-19 crisis. This pandemic has been the largest crisis faced by the cruise industry to date, there are no precedents, neither in size nor in consequences. The first quarter of 2020 saw 54 infected ships with 2592 ill crew members and passengers around the world ( Harrold, 2020 ). At least 65 people died on board a cruise ship while the entire world was watching the lethal impacts of COVID-19 on the cruise industry. The ships stopped one by one at the end of March in different parts of the world, and after that, cruise lines dealt with sending crew members and passengers home while the borders were closed.

Over a year into the pandemic, the cruise industry remains sidelined while the other industries are getting back to business. Requirements for resuming business are stricter for the cruise industry than for other transportation industries, such as airlines, trains and buses. Some people argue that the cruise industry is about leisure and vacation whereas airlines supply livelihood necessities. However, both industries are responsible for providing services for leisure and work (due to the enormous quantity of direct and indirect employees who work for the cruise industry). Moreover, it is helpful to see how the whole picture involves a complete supply chain of the cruise industry. Some cities and companies are cruise-driven and provide everything for this industry. They are also struggling and may have permanent economic impacts if cruises do not open as soon as possible.

The cruise industry plays an innovative and important role in the world economy as well as many local economies. This industry has also made large contributions to different communities and stakeholders around the world. The shutdown of the cruise industry due to the COVID-19 impacts every country where it plays an important role. The aims of this paper is to present the cruise industry background, explore the timeline of the pandemic and cruise lines shutting down, analyze the major impacts of COVID-19 on the cruise industry, using the impact in the state of Florida as an example of its magnitude. The paper will then introduce some frameworks that are being required worldwide in order to allow resumption the cruise industry. The research question that the paper attempts to answer is why is the cruise industry worth resuming and how what will its resumption require.

This article is divided into five sections. First, it presents the main characteristics of the cruise industry, trends, challenges in the pre-pandemic. The second section includes the chronology and characteristics of the infected cruise ships, their itineraries, and how they coped with this issue. The third section presents data on the relationship between the cruise activities and the increase of COVID-19 in some countries. The fourth section introduces an overview on the cruise industry in Florida and its outbreak impacts in this state and the actual situation to resume sailing again. The next section shows the new framework to resume the cruise industry and some recent experiences of ships sailing with new protocols. Finally, new recommendations for the cruise industry to resume are discussed in the conclusion.

The main characteristics of the cruise industry and its importance for society

This section presents an overview of the cruise industry, including the cruise lines’ background, the most popular regions to sail, and the countries that bring more passengers to cruise ships.

The main cruise lines, their revenues and Cruise’s trends

The cruise industry is a strong example of a well-planned and successful industry. Before this worldwide pandemic crisis, all ship information was available three years in advance; this included its future location, itineraries, rates, and even on-board menus were planned in advance. The success of this industry is shown in their average annual growth rate of 5.4% between 2009 and 2019 ( Clia, 2020 ), which is higher than regular land-based tourism (4.9%) over the time period 1980 – 2017 (Perucic, 2019). Because of its popularity and success, the number of new ships launched every year and also the size of these ships is increasing ( Clia, 2020 ). Another strategy for regular cruise lines is the decrease of cruise fares, which is possibly due to the expectation of having more expenditures on board by selling services and products at an extra price. As a consequence of new and larger ships that are the destination themselves, decreasing fares, great itineraries, and other factors, the number of tourists has been rising as well. Not only does the cruise line benefit from this incredible increase, but also the ports of call, the salesforce, workforce, and the supply chain as a whole. The cruise industry is part of a global chain, which demands capital-intensive and long-term planning.

The cruise industry is composed of more than 50 cruise lines and 250 ships, but only three large companies with 15 different brands were responsible for 75% of the market share in 2018 ( Crockett, 2020 ). Carnival Corporation was responsible for 41% of this market and has nine different brands, Royal Caribbean Cruises had 21% of the market share with three different brands, and Norwegian Cruise Line represented 13% of the market share with three different brands. These three cruise lines were responsible for 34.2 billion USD in revenue, in 2018 ( Crockett, 2020 ). cruise revenue comes from ticket sales, which normally represents 62% of total revenues, and onboard purchase (38%). Onboard purchases have different impacts on different types of cruise lines. Normally, in low-price companies, the onboard purchases have more influence on their revenues due to the quantity of extra price products and the services available, while most of the high-price cruise lines have almost all of services and products already included in their fare. As a result, for the majority of cruise lines, having as many passengers as possible on board spending money on extra expenditures is the best way to increase profits. Despite the high cost of fuel, marketing, payroll, and commissions, cruise activities gain around 17% in net margins, larger than the tourism sector average ( Crockett, 2020 ).

As a means to improve their profits, cruise lines have been increasing the size of their ships to allow more passengers on board for each itinerary. In 2017, the biggest ship launched, using passenger capacity metrics, was Harmony of the Seas with 5496 passengers ( Peručić, 2020 ). In 2020 many ships under construction would permit more than six thousand passengers on board and adding their crew members could hold almost 10 thousand people on each cruise. However, according to Peručić (2020) , there are also cruise lines which focus on smaller ultra-luxury ships tailored to specific segments in different parts of the world, including 14 new entrants in the cruise industry that focus on this niche ( Peručić, 2020 ). With so many options in terms of prices, ship sizes and levels of luxury, passengers can easily fit these options within their dream vacations, making the option of cruising more popular year by year.

The cruise industry is very dynamic and before the outbreak, it was celebrating some innovations, such as connectivity through social media (being connected during a cruise is fundamental for people who are posting and researching online all the time), wellness 7(ships are investing money to create wellness experiences on board and in the port of calls), focus on experiences (high-gastronomy, visiting exotic destinies, special lectures and classes on board are some examples that contribute to make a cruise an unforgettable experience for many passengers) high technology on board (racing simulators, robotic bar, and planetarium are some examples of this trend), conscious behavior onboard and ashore (passengers expect to minimize their interferences in the environmental issues), special sights on destinations (increasing of untraditional or new ports of call), lifetime experience (high expectations from customers who are filling their bucket lists), tourists that combine leisure and work on board (there are some people who have decided to live on a cruise or spend time being on a cruise and working there in the same time, which allows them to be on board with more frequency and longer), female or sole-centered cruising (these customers are increasing today and the cruise lines offer special deals for them) ( Peručić, 2020 ).

The most popular cruise itineraries and the origin of their passengers

Another important trend of the cruise industry is the fact that most ships have been following the sun; in the other words, they are expanding to cover every place with an inviting climate. The most popular region for cruising is the Caribbean, which represents 38.9% of total itineraries. Asia and the Pacific together represent 15.7% of the total. The Mediterranean represents 13.6%, North and West Europe represent 9.0%, and Australia represents 4.3% of total cruise destinations ( Peručić, 2020 ).

In 2018, almost half of cruise tourists were from North America (14,240,000). In second place in providing tourists was Western Europe (6, 731,000), and in third place was Asia (4,240,000). The most significant increase in demand for cruises can be seen in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand in the last six years. Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific had together 1,450,000 passengers in 2018, while South America was in 5th place with 883,000 passengers ( CLIA, 2020 ). Highlighting each region, the United States had 11.9 million cruise tourists, China had 2.4 million, Germany had 2.19 million, the United Kingdom had 1.93 million, and Australia had 1.34 million in 2017. Together in 2017 they were the top 5 source markets, representing about 74% of total passengers in that year ( Peručić, 2020 ). The cruise industry is a perfect example of running an international business with international stakeholders; it is also clear that shutting down cruise lines impacts every country where this industry plays this important role.

The chronology and characteristics of infected cruise ships and their itineraries

The entire cruise industry and the world have faced an unprecedented crisis due to COVID-19. The current pandemic situation began in December 2019 in Wuhan city, China. The new virus was identified and named COVID-19 in January 2020. Since that time, the coronavirus has been present and multiplied in a reported 220 countries, covering all continents. As of November 22, 2020, the world had 57,882,183 confirmed cases, 1.337.395 confirmed deaths ( WHO, 2020b ). Globalization and international travel habits have been identified as a major cause in the quick spread of COVID-19. In this scenario, the cruise industry played a dangerous role due to the enormous quantity of ships, passengers and different destinations around the globe. In addition, passengers and crew members come from different parts of the world. It is very common to have crew members transferred among ships, while passengers from different parts of the world go on and off the ship in different places every day ( İ̇lhan, 2020 ).

Between January and April of 2020, there were 54 ships in different parts of the world that were infected with COVID-19, which represents one-fifth of the global ocean cruise fleet ( Harrold, 2020 ). According to Harrold, there were at least 2592 infected people and 65 deaths on these ships. The first and most famous case was the Diamond Princess, which underwent quarantine off the coast of Japan. COVID-19 was reported on this ship in February 2020; in total, more than 700 passengers and crew members aboard became infected, and nine people died. This ship contained 2670 passengers and 1100 crew members. Its itinerary started on January 20 and finished in the same port, Yokohama, Japan, on February 3. This fourteen-day trip went to three countries and made six stops. The first COVID case reported on the ship was an 80-year-old guest, causing the ship to remain quarantined with 3700 people on board. These people on board were from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which brings to light how the virus can spread broadly in a cruise ship with people from different countries.

The correlation between cruise ships and the spread of COVID-19

Trying to determine the correlation between the cruise industry and the fast spread of COVID-19, Ito et al. (2020) attempted to demonstrate a correlation between the cruise industry and the COVID-19 outbreak. To address this problem, the authors conducted two studies. The first study focused on discovering a correlation between the number with COVID-19 cases and the estimated number of passengers landing in departure ports and arrival ports, where people spend some days before or after their cruises, and ports of call, where only a few hours are spent during cruise itineraries and in those cities. The number of COVID-19 cases divided by number of passengers landing is 12.85% in the country of arrival and departure and 1.5% in the country only at the port of call. As a result, the cities that are located at arrival and departure cruise ports are more infected than the cities that are only ports of call. However, the authors suggest that it is not possible to isolate the other factors that could have contributed to this conclusion, especially because the departure or arrival cities tend to have airports and other facilities that could also play an important role to spread the COVID-19. This problem remains to be addressed by further research.

Another study presented by Hanaoka & Kawasaki (2020) attempted to determine the main characteristics of ships and their itineraries to find a pattern among the cruise ships that were infected with COVID-19. They found that large ships tended to be infected more than smaller ones. The worst itineraries, those with the highest possibility of being infected, were cruises with seven or eight days of sailing that had the same weekly itineraries, cruises with fixed arrival and departure ports, and cruises with fixed ports of call. Another important contributor to infection rates was the practice of welcoming new passengers every week; this situation is more dangerous than having the same passengers for several weeks.

Another important finding is that there is no correlation between the number of passengers received in ports of call in a country and the number of COVID-19 in the same country. According to Ito et al. (2020) , the three countries with the largest number of passengers in their ports from January until March were the US, Mexico, and Bahamas. When this data was compared with the numbers of COVID-19 infected people, the Bahamas had only 49 infected people despite the fact that it had the third highest number of cruise passengers who had gone ashore in Nassau (Bahamas) from January until March 2020. However, COVID-19 had spread faster in the countries that kept accepting cruises until early April than in the others that quickly banned cruise ships from entering their ports ( Ito et al., 2020 ). When analyzing the ship size and itineraries and the quantity of cruise passengers per country, it is not possible to confirm a strong cause correlation between cruise and the spread of COVID-19.

Radic et al. (2020) brought to light some weakness from cruise industry management during COVID-19 and made recommendations. The authors affirmed that the core issues were communication and contingency plans. The lack of these skills has driven the entire industry to face more difficult scenarios during this outbreak. The authors, based on their analysis, recommended the several improvements. Improving the cruise lines’ ability to communicate with society is one of the necessities showed in this study. Passengers need to be educated on how to protect themselves and others on board, including good practices as washing frequently their hands and wearing masks all the time when it is not possible to keep a safe distance from others. In addition, cruise lines need to update the best practice on board to avoid spreading illness in their ships. Adopting a previous mandatory quarantine in cruise departure cities should be better analyzed too. Moreover, the cruise industry needs to work with the local government not only to build contingency plans but also to cope with infections and infected people that need to go onshore. The COVID-19 outbreak, according to these authors, brings to the cruise lines a great opportunity to review their cultural aspects, leadership styles, and risk management ( Radic et al., 2020 ).

The necessity of improving contingency plans and communication of these plans with the whole society are issues that need to be addressed in order to restart the cruise industry. These points include important information to bear in mind for creating good practices that will help the cruise industry to resume.

An overview on the cruise industry in Florida and its outbreak impacts in this state

The cruise industry plays a crucial role in Florida. The headquarters of many cruise lines are located in this state. It also has strategic ports of call, including the top-three cruise ports in the world representing 59 percent of total embarks in the United States. This industry is also responsible for over 149,000 jobs, which represent $7.69 billion USD in wages in Florida ( Sauders, 2020 ). The state of Florida has been directly impacted since the cruise industry has been laid-up since March 2020.

The importance of the cruise industry in the US and Florida

The cruise industry plays an important role in the US. This economic impact in 2018 was over $52.7 billion USD, a 10% increase from 2016. In 2019, the economic impact was around $55.5 billion USD, a 5.3% increase from 2018 ( CLIA, 2020 ). Florida, California and Texas are the top three American states in this industry based on Direct Expenditures, Total Employment and Wage Impacts in 2018 ( CLIA, 2019 ).

Alaska is also playing an important role as a cruise destination. Florida represented 35.4% of Americans’ direct purchases in cruise (8.485 million dollars), had 154,646 of total employment with an average annual wage of $46.5 thousand USD in 2018. Florida received 12.48 million cruise passengers and crew members visiting or arriving in 2018. The number of cruise passenger embarkations has been increasing in previous years. Florida was responsible for 59% of all cruise embarkations in the US with 7.51 million embarkations in 2018 ( Safety4Sea, 2020a ).

Florida ports were responsible for 13% of state GDP, which includes cargo and passenger activities, and provided over 900,000 jobs before the COVID-19 pandemic ( Florida Ports Council by Martin Associates, 2020 ). Florida hosts the three busiest cruise ports in the world, Port Miami, Port Canaveral, and Port Everglades in terms of the number of passengers handled annually. In addition, there is Port of Tampa, which hovers around the thirtieth position on the list of busiest cruise ports by passengers in the world. Key West is a port of call, which only receives ships with passengers, without arrivals and departures. Together these Florida cities were responsible for welcoming a million cruise passengers from different parts of the world annually before the pandemic. Port Miami received a world record of 6.8 million cruise passengers before the COVID pandemic. This port provides over 30,000 local jobs, $5.8 billion USD in economic value, and $188 million USD in taxes for the municipalities and the state of Florida. Port Canaveral had around 13,000 direct workers and 23,745 including indirect workers until March 2020 (Saunders, 2020).

The importance of the cruise industry for Florida (and for other places where the cruise industry plays the same important role for their economies) not only is related to Florida’s ports, but also includes its airlines, hotels, food and beverage, shopping, transportation, and tourist hotspots. These sectors are composed of small, medium, and big-sized businesses, which together play an important role in Florida, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

The impact of the cruise industry outbreak in Florida

The impact of Covid outbreak has been serious globally, but it is worse in places that are tourism-driven, such as Florida is. Florida has directly received around USD 8.49 billion per year from the cruise industry. The current lack of this huge contribution has become a source of serious concern to the state government of Florida ( Sauders, 2020 ). In the US, not only Florida but also Alaska and other cruise destination spots are complaining about the enormous consequences of a “no sail order” has made in their economies. The estimated economic losses suffered by Florida’s ports (including cargo and cruise ports) in 2020 was $22.2 billion USD ( Florida Ports Council by Martin Associates, 2020 ). Port Miami alone estimated losses up to $55 million USD in 2020. Port Canaveral’s losses included at least 80% of its passengers and 16,000 jobs in 2020. The cruise industry contributes 15% of its tax base and employs 16,000 of its residents ( Sauders, 2020 ). Like Key West, there are many cities and ports of call around the world in this same dire situation due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The situation in the United States and Florida to resume the cruise industry

The CDC plays an important role in the cruise industry. During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, while some cruise-infected cases came to light, the CDC strongly recommended the Americans to “not travel by cruise ship”. As a consequence, cruise lines coped with huge quantities of cancelations, and cruise stocks plummeted by 60%, which illustrates how important the CDC’s role in this industry operation is ( Crockett, 2020 ).

Despite the fact that some cruise ships have resumed sailing in some areas of the world, as shown in Table 1 in the next section, when the cruise industry should be allowed to resume in the US remains a controversial issue. Although the Center for Disease Control (CDC) lifted the order banning the operation of cruises in October 2020 (for US based cruises), these cruise lines need to fit the new CDC’s requirements before the will be permitted to sail. Although these cruise lines could restart sailing, they remain working to fit the new framework.

Ships Operating Oceangoing Cruises Until the End of December 2020.

Note: Based on Coulter, 2020b , Cruise Industry News, 2020 , The Japan Times, 2020 .

The CDC’s new framework has 74 requirements that must be met before ships are allowed to sail in American ports, as better presented in the next section. While cruise lines are working through this new pattern, the CDC has increased the warning level for cruises to the highest level that means “a very high level of COVID-19” ( Coulter, 2020a ). According to the requirements for this Level 4, passengers should take a COVID-19 test after 3–5 days of disembarking and remain in quarantine at least for 1 week. If these passengers don’t take a COVID-19 test, their quarantine will be for 14 days ( Coulter, 2020a ). These strict rules for passengers and cruise lines have postponed the cruise industry’s resumption in the US. In order to first address all the requirements, including the implantation of simulated cruises, the lack of cruising is causing more losses for all cruise dependents areas, including Florida.

Some people argue that the cruise industry is responsible for spreading COVID-19 worldwide, being much more dangerous than other industries, such as airlines, trains, buses, or resorts because for their capacity of spreading illnesses. Reinforcing this idea, the first cruise ship to sail the Caribbean since March 2020, the SeaDream, began sailing on November 7, and five days later this small, luxury ship had seven passengers and two crew members infected, despite testing twice before cruising and one more time during sailing. The dangers of sailing could be true without the COVID-19 vaccine; however, this industry has been working hard since the beginning of this pandemic to create a new and safe environmental place for their passengers, crew members, and communities.

The fate of the SeaDream brings to light some new lessons about how to create a real bubble of COVID-free passengers and crew. Among the recommendations suggested by Bryant (2020) is that passengers should remain in quarantine in the departure city after being accepted on the cruise to be sure that they were not contaminated in their recent trip to the departure city. The passengers should be outside the ship with fresh air as much as possible, wear a mask in public areas, and go onshore only with well-planned excursions. The cruise lines should provide fast and assertive communication involving passengers and crew and take quick actions when infected cases are discovered. It is also recommended that cruise line should make ships quarantine as comfortable as possible for their passengers and trace infected people’s contact. These are some of the learning lessons with this new case of COVID-19 onboard of the SeaDream ( Bryant, 2020 ). It is not sure that these are all of the successful lessons for the cruise industry resume safely, but as a work in progress, each new case brings new lessons learned.

Providing the new requirements frameworks, associated with learning lessons from successful and unsuccessful resuming ships in the world, the cruise industry should be more prepared to restart in the US and Florida, which will be a relief not only for many cruise industry’s stakeholders, but also for people that depend on this industry for living or leisure.

The new pattern to resume the cruise industry

There are some initiatives to provide guidelines and frameworks to help restart the travel and tourism sector. The World Travel & Tourism Council has been producing global safe travel protocols. There are already nine protocols available for the following sectors: hospitality, outdoor retail, aviation, airports, tour operations, short-term rental industry, attractions, car rental, and convention centers, meetings and events. The cruise protocol, according to WTTC, is still under development ( WTTC, 2020 ). All of these protocols have included operational and staff preparedness, ensuring a safe experience, rebuilding trust and confidence, and implementing enabling policies. The WTTC also created the Safe Travels Stamp as a recognition of implementing health and hygiene protocols that are aligned with their recommendations ( WTTC, 2020 ).

In September 2020, after a four-month effort by a group of experts in public health, infectious disease, biosecurity, epidemiology, hospitality, and maritime operations, the recommendations from the Healthy Sail Panel was launched. The Healthy Sail Panel was sponsored by Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holding Ltd and was co-chaired by the former secretary of the U.S. department of Health and Human Services and the former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The panel was composed of 9 expert members, 2 public health advisors, and observed from CDC, CLIA, Carnival Cruise Line & plc, and MSC Cruises. Trying to make the cruise experience healthier and safer, the Healthy Sail Panel provides 74 recommendations in 25 different areas, including testing, health screening, denial of boarding, policy on guests at increased risk of severe illness, guest information and education, onboard symptom tracking and monitoring, personal protective equipment usage, capacity restrictions, general distancing guidelines; terminal, boarding, debarkation controls; sanitation, hand hygiene; ventilation, HVAC, filtration controls; medical personnel, onboard clinic design and operations, treatment plan, contact tracing, isolation and quarantine, debarkation scenarios, destination and itinerary planning, guest excursions, prevention, training and culture, validation of implementation, and the new pattern for the future ( Safety4Sea, 2020b ). The 74 recommendations are a work in progress to protect guests, crew, and communities; they will contribute to reducing the risk of transmission in the cruise industry, make it lower than in the other industries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also published an interim guidance for managing COVID-19 cases or outbreaks onboard ships. These operational considerations have been detailed by health authorities in several countries and cruise lines. The WHO’s guidance recommends cruise lines develop a written plan that covers all activities prior, during and after sailing. Managing a suspected case on board, managing contacts tracing, taking measures on board to avoid risks and cope with the infection including activities with the port health authority, and conducting outbreak investigations to build knowledge to control and prevent new cases are covered by this guidance.

Prior to boarding and disembarking, the cruise lines need to collect passenger information. These documents should be kept on board to help contact tracing, if necessary. A pre-boarding screening to defer or reschedule people that could be infected should also be required. The crew members must be educated on how to identify suspicious cases. In the case of having a suspicious illness on board, the cruise line must activate an outbreak plan. The outbreak plan includes several new routines, including isolation with the door closed, disembarkation and transfer of infected people to health care onshore, and laboratory testing. The ship needs to inform the health authorities at the next port of call and facilitate the needed measures. The disembarkation of suspected cases requires an extraordinary effort to protect other people and environmental contamination. This new pattern also requires notifying the WHO as soon as possible. After the suspicious case has been identified, it is also necessary to start contact-tracing to segregate other suspicious people to avoid new cases on board and to begin an epidemiological investigation. If it is difficult to identify people who were in contact with infected people and if new cases begin to appear on board, all travelers should be quarantined. The end of the cruise should be determined, and the next cruise will occur only after the ship is cleaned and disinfected ( WHO, 2020a ).

Not only the WHO, but also the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control - ECDC and Center for Disease and Control and Prevention – CDC in the US, among other centers have prepared guidelines for safe resuming of the cruise industry. The ECDC determines detailed plans for places, processes and people, while the CDC presents all of the requirements to attain a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate, which also includes a simulated voyage with volunteers’ guests. The ECDC guidance applies to cruise ships in the European Union for a gradual and safe resumption of operations. In their guidelines there is a review of shipboard operations including recommendations about information and communication from pre-boarding to disembarkation; good practices evolving physical distancing, hand-washing hygiene and health screening prescriptions; complete plans for cleaning and disinfection; strategy and measures for people going ashore and re-embarking; detailed emergency procedures; waste management; measures to avoid infection through heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; procedures to handle visitors, pilot, and other people onboard ( ECDC, 2020 ).

The CDC guidelines require a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate to resume in the US waters and ports. The standards for mitigating the risk of COVID-19 onboard include agreement with port and local health authorities; minimum standards for restricted passenger voyages (including requirements for advertisement; length of itineraries; laboratory testing of passengers and crew before, during and after cruises; standards for hand hygiene, face coverings, social distance, meal service and entertainment venues, and ship sanitation); simulated voyages with many requirements. The simulation voyages with no paid guest intend to replicate real-world onboard conditions of cruising and tests the new measures required. These voyages must include embarkation and disembarkation procedures, onboard activities, private island shore excursions if there is one planned in the future itineraries, evacuation procedures, transfer of symptomatic passengers or crew, quarantine of all remaining people onboard, and other activities ( CDC, 2020 ).

The routine on board for cruise ships is different in the cruise lines that are sailing post COVID-19. The departure process is taking more time now due to the new strict health protocols. These protocols include screening travelers’ temperature, filling health questionnaire, the COVID-19 swab test, and the medical review. According to the new patterns onboard, passengers should be wearing a mask where and when it is not possible to keep a physical distance; hand-washing should be required everywhere, including alcohol-based hand rub solution availability; buffet restaurants, now with a reduced number of tables, should have crew members serving food for all passengers during mealtime; there is more availability of shows in the theater, in order to split guests during each session. The ships should reduce the number of people in sports and entertainment activities, and for most of the cruise lines, passengers should go onshore only if they book cruise lines’ excursions that provide the same sanitary and health conditions as being on board, as a bubble. Some cruise lines are offering passengers wristbands that automatically open doors and contactless on board payment. The cruises should be sailing with less than 70% of the ship’s capacity during the COVID-19. The ships should be well-equipped with labs and health care. The itineraries available should be shorter and have fewer ports of call than usual; there is a cruise for nowhere in order to minimize the risks. In this beginning, the cruise lines are avoiding having different nationalities of passengers together and many ports of call in these experimental cruises.

As examples of following these protocols, the first giant ship that started sailing in Europe in August 2020 was MSC Grandiosa, followed by Costa Deliziosa and Costa Diadema in September 2020, and Costa Smeralda in October 2020, all of them from Italian brands. They have had successful experiences thus far, which is inspiring other cruise lines to resume in different parts of the world, where cruise lines are already allowed to it. Since December 2020, there have been some ships sailing for short time with local customers in some specific regions of the world, as seen in Table 1 . Their successful operations have brought hope for clients, the workforce, and other stakeholders in the cruise industry.

Table 1 shows ocean cruises that have resumed with new protocols to prevent being infected. These ships are sailing only in some authorized areas as a means to restart their activities step by step. The main goal is to prove that those new protocols guarantee a safe routine on board for passengers and crew members. Despite the fact that over a year has passed since the world pandemic was declared, the cruise industry is not resuming globally yet. However, the predictions for this industry in 2022 and 2023 are encouraging. Their sales have been increasing since the vaccination started, which brings enthusiasm to the entire industry.

Another trend that has been more frequent in the first semester of 2021 is sailing to nowhere only with a local vaccinated guest. The P&O Cruises announced cruises departing from Southampton next July 2021, while Royal Caribbean is launching its new ship in May 2021 in Israel only for local vaccinated guests.

The cruise industry was presented in this paper, including its background, the major impacts of COVID-19 and some of the new frameworks required worldwide in order to allow resuming this industry. The state of Florida was presented as an example of the cruise industry's role and its shutting down impacts in a cruise-dependent region.

This paper presents explanations as to why the COVID-19 crisis has been the worst crisis to face the cruise industry. There is a consensus of how dangerous having infected people in a cruise ship could be and also how it is easy to spread worldwide. It is also important to have in mind that COVID-19 is a crisis that has been disseminating fear and uncertainty because of its unprecedented and not known characteristics.

However, this industry is capital intensive, has an enormous dependently supply chain, serves to improve many ports of call economies, hires an immense quantity of people worldwide, and provides leisure and entertainment. The state of Florida’s data illustrated how the effects of cruises shutting down could be. As a consequence of the cruise industry’s importance, there are collective initiatives, such as the Healthy Sail Panel, the WHO’s guidance, and the CDC framework among others that examined every aspect of the cruise journey and recommended new patterns to increase protection for all people involved. These new protocols have been bringing hope for resuming the cruise industry, in addition to the COVID vaccine, which will be also play an important role in this resuming.

The cruise industry has the right to resume, but it must resume with responsibility, with coordinated plans, with high health protocols, and with a good communication plan. The way this industry is striving to address the current challenges demonstrates its capacity to innovate to meet the challenges of the current crisis; its making the cruise experience healthier and safer for its guests, crew, and the communities they affect.

Studying COVID-19 and the cruise industry is a work in progress and there are many opportunities to build this field of knowledge. New studies should take into consideration all the stakeholders, such as people in charge of ports of call and their municipalities, executives from the cruise industry, salesforce, companies in the supply chain, passengers and crew members, and also using a huge sample for each one of these players. There are also great opportunities to reevaluate the trends before and after COVID-19 and how these trends could affect the customer’s cruise experience.

Acknowledgements and/or funding resources

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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• CLIA, 2020. State of Cruise Industry Outlook. https://cruising.org/-/media/research-updates/research/state-of-the-cruise-industry.ashx .
• Coulter, A., 2020. CDC Raises Warning for Cruise Ship Travel to Highest Level. CruiseCritic. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5754/?et_cid=3378249&et_rid=275446642&et_referrer=newsletterPopup .
• Coulter, A., 2020. Which Cruise Lines Have Restarted Cruising? CruiseCritic. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5603/ .
• Crockett, Z., 2020. The economics of cruise ships. The Hustle. https://thehustle.co/the-economics-of-cruise-ships .
• Cruise Industry News, 2020. Here Are The Cruise Ships Sailing in December 2020. https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23998-here-are-the-cruise-ships-sailing-in-december-2020.html .
• ECDC, 2020. Guidance on the gradual and safe resumption of operations of cruise ship in the European Union in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-cruise-guidance-27-07-2020.pdf .
• Florida Ports Council by Martin Associates, 2020. Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Florida Ports and the State’s Economy. https://smhttp-ssl-63157.nexcesscdn.net//wp-content/uploads/Economic-Impact-of-COVID-on-FlaPorts-2020-v5-web.pdf .
• Miami, Harrold, 2020. Cruise ships sailed on despite the coronavirus. Thousands of people paid the price. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241640166.html .
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• Safety4Sea, 2020b. Recommendations from the Healthy Sail Panel https://safety4sea.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/healthy-sail-panel-full-recommendations.pdf .
• Sauders, A., 2020. ‘Urgent need for ships to start sailing from Florida’, Federal Maritime Commission says. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5618/ .
• The Japan Times, 2020 Japan cruise ships resuming domestic services. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/10/26/national/japan-cruise-ships-resuming-domestic-services/ .
• World Health Organization - WHO, 2020a. Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases or outbreaks on board ships: interim guidance, 25 March 2020 (No. WHO/2019-nCoV/Ships/2020.2). World Health Organization.
• World Health Organization-WHO, 2020b. Numbers at a glance. 22 November 2020. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 .
• World Travel & Tourism Council – WTTC (2020). Safe Travels: Global Protocols & Stamp. https://wttc.org/Portals/0/Documents/WTTC%20Safe%20Travels%20Stamp%20Guide.pdf?ver=2020-06-16-212952-863 .

Guidance for Cruise Ships on Management of Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) due to Viral Infection

CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance has been updated. The content of this page will be updated soon.

Describing and Defining Passengers and Crew with Acute Viral Respiratory Illness (ARI)

Reducing the spread of viral respiratory infections, vaccination of crew and passengers, managing passengers or crew with ari upon disembarkation, medical evaluation and management, diagnostic tests for acute viral respiratory illness (ari), respiratory and hand hygiene, outbreak control, infection prevention and control.

• Additional Resources

Attribution Statement

Outbreaks of influenza, COVID-19, r espiratory syncytial virus (RSV) , and other viral respiratory infections can occur at any time of the year among cruise ship passengers and crew members. Many cruise ship travelers are older adults or have underlying medical conditions that put them at increased risk of complications from these respiratory virus infections. Early detection, prevention, and control of such acute viral respiratory infections are important, not only to protect the health of passengers and crew members on cruise ships, but also to avoid spread of these viruses into communities.

This document provides guidance for cruise ships originating from or stopping in the United States to help prevent, diagnose, and medically manage acute respiratory illness (ARI) caused by SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), influenza virus, or RSV. This guidance to cruise ship clinics will be updated as needed. CDC recognizes that cruise ships travel worldwide, necessitating awareness of, and responsiveness to, local jurisdictional requirements. Cruise ship management and medical staff need to be flexible in identifying and caring for people with ARI. The healthcare provider’s assessment of a patient’s clinical presentation and underlying risk factors is always an essential part of decisions about the need for further medical evaluation, testing, and treatment.

This document also provides guidance for preventing spread of ARI during and after a voyage, including personal protective measures for passengers and crew members and control of outbreaks.

Signs and symptoms of ARIs can include acute onset of some or all of the following:

• fever or feeling feverish
• nasal congestion
• sore throat
• shortness of breath
• difficulty breathing
• muscle or body aches
• fatigue (tiredness)
• loss of taste or smell

For cruise ship surveillance purposes, CDC defines ARI as an illness of presumed viral etiology with at least two of the following symptoms : fever/feverishness, cough, runny nose, nasal congestion, or sore throat and excluding:

• Confirmed acute respiratory infection diagnoses other than COVID-19 [1] , influenza [2] , or RSV [3] (e.g., Streptococcal pharyngitis, Epstein-Barr virus infection), *
• Diagnoses of bacterial pneumonia: either clinical or test-positive (e.g., by urine Legionella antigen, urine Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen), and
• Non-infectious conditions as determined by the ship’s physician (e.g., allergies)

Fever (a temperature of 100°F [37.8°C] or higher) will not always be present in people with influenza, COVID-19, or RSV. Cruise ship medical personnel should consider someone as having a fever if the sick person feels warm to the touch, gives a history of feeling feverish, or has an actual measured temperature of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher.

*Other respiratory viruses—for which point-of-care diagnostic tests are not available—may also cause ARI (e.g., rhinovirus, adenovirus, enterovirus, human parainfluenza viruses, human metapneumoviruses).

[1] Confirmed COVID-19 means laboratory confirmation for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by viral test.

[2] Confirmed influenza means laboratory confirmation for influenza A or B by viral test.

[3] Confirmed RSV means laboratory confirmation for RSV by viral test.

Commercial maritime travel is characterized by the movement of large numbers of people in enclosed and semi-enclosed settings. Like other close-contact environments, these settings can facilitate the transmission of respiratory viruses from person to person through droplets and small particles or potentially through contact with contaminated surfaces.

CDC recommends that efforts to reduce the spread of respiratory viruses on cruise ships focus on encouraging crew members and passengers:

• 6 months and older to get vaccinated annually for influenza
• 6 months and older to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines
• who are 60 years and above  to discuss and consider RSV vaccination  with their healthcare provider
• To follow recommendations for babies and young children  and if applicable, to receive monoclonal antibody products to prevent severe RSV
• To avoid contact with ill people prior to scheduled cruising
• To postpone travel if sick with an acute respiratory illness (passengers)
• To take steps to protect themselves and others while traveling
• To consider wearing a mask  in crowded or poorly ventilated indoor areas.

Cruise ship management should include:

• Encouraging good respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette
• Early identification and isolation of crew members and passengers with ARI
• Use of antiviral medications for treatment of people with suspected or confirmed influenza or COVID-19 with severe or complicated illness, or at increased risk of severe illness or complications
• Use of antiviral chemoprophylaxis for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or during influenza outbreaks, if indicated, for people at increased risk of complications

All passengers and crew are also recommended to be up to date with all routine vaccines .

Influenza : CDC recommends that all people 6 months of age and older be vaccinated each year with the influenza vaccine. Crew members should be vaccinated yearly. Vaccination of passengers, especially those at high risk for influenza complications, is recommended at least 2 weeks before cruise ship travel, if influenza vaccine is available and the person has not already been vaccinated with the current year’s vaccine. For more information on influenza vaccine recommendations, see Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Resources for Health Professionals .

COVID-19: CDC recommends that all people 6 months of age and older be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. In addition to the protection COVID-19 vaccines provide to individual travelers in preventing severe illness or death from COVID-19, having a high proportion of travelers on board who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines reduces the likelihood that cruise ships’ medical centers will be overwhelmed by cases of COVID-19. For more information on COVID-19 vaccine recommendations, see COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical and Professional Resources .

RSV : CDC recommends adult travelers ages 60 years and older discuss RSV vaccination with their healthcare provider prior to cruise travel. These new vaccines—which are the first ones licensed in the U.S. to protect against RSV—have been available since the fall of 2023. Babies and young children should follow recommendations and if applicable, receive monoclonal antibody products to prevent severe RSV. For more information, see For Healthcare Professionals: RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) .

Pre-embarkation COVID-19 Testing

To reduce the likelihood of onboard transmission of SARS-CoV-2, pre-embarkation testing is recommended for all passengers, including those on back-to-back sailings [4] . Completion of testing closer to the time of embarkation (within 1 to 2 days) maximizes the benefit of preventing introduction of infectious persons onboard. Ships that choose to use COVID-19 antigen tests should follow FDA guidance .

[4] Back-to-back sailing refers to passengers who stay on board for two or more voyages.

Viral ARI Screening Procedures for Embarking Passengers

Cruise ship operators should consider screening embarking passengers for viral ARI symptoms, a history of a positive COVID-19 viral test within the 10 days before embarkation, and a history of exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the 10 days before embarkation.

Cruise ship operators should consider performing viral testing (e.g., COVID-19, influenza, RSV) for passengers with ARI before they embark. Ships that choose to use COVID-19 antigen tests should follow FDA guidance .

Cruise ship operators should consider denying boarding for passengers who test positive for infectious viral etiologies during pre-embarkation screening, as well as those who tested positive for COVID-19 within 10 days before embarkation. If boarding is permitted, see guidance for isolation and other measures provided below .

If the cruise ship operator chooses to test for other infectious etiologies and testing identifies an alternate etiology (e.g., Legionella , Epstein-Barr virus, Streptococcal pharyngitis) through laboratory testing, routine infection control precautions specific to the diagnosis should be followed.

For asymptomatic passengers who have a known COVID-19 close-contact exposure within the 10 days before embarkation, considerations for allowing boarding can include:

• being up to date with COVID-19 vaccines,
• having a negative result on a COVID-19 viral test conducted on the day of boarding, or
• having documentation of recent recovery [5]  from COVID-19

People who are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines are less likely to have severe outcomes if they develop COVID-19 after boarding. Testing is generally not recommended for asymptomatic people who recovered from COVID-19 in the past 30 days. If exposed passengers are allowed to board, see information below regarding recommendations for management onboard .

[5] Documentation of recent recovery from COVID-19 can include the following:

• Paper or electronic copies (including documentation of at-home antigen results) of their previous positive viral test result dated no less than 10 days and no more than 30 days before date of embarkation
• A positive test result dated less than 10 days before embarkation accompanied by a signed letter from a licensed healthcare provider indicating symptom onset more than 10 days before the voyage

Managing Cruise Travelers with ARI and Contacts while on Board

Travelers with ARI who board, as well as those who become sick with ARI onboard, should be identified and tested as soon as possible to minimize transmission of respiratory viruses. The table below provides disease-specific recommendations for persons on board with COVID-19, influenza, or RSV and those exposed (i.e., contacts).

§ The day of last exposure to a case is counted as day 0. Additional testing prior to day 6 can identify new cases earlier. Cruise ship operators may consider this strategy in situations where exposures may have occurred in crowded settings, if unsure of the date of exposure, or if there is difficulty identifying index cases, as often occurs in the cruise ship environment.

^ Individual should properly wear a respirator or well-fitting mask  at all times when outside of cabin indoors until 10 days after the last close contact with someone with COVID-19 (the date of last exposure to a case is considered day 0). During this time, these individuals should have in-cabin dining (with food trays placed and collected outside of cabins) and also wear a respirator or well-fitting mask inside their cabin if any other person (such as a crew cleaning staff) enters the cabin.

† Contacts with high risk of influenza complications should be identified in order to offer post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

Crew members with ARI, even if mild, should take the following additional steps—regardless of their COVID-19, influenza, or RSV vaccination status:

• Notify their supervisors.
• Report to the medical center for evaluation and testing, if indicated, according to shipboard protocols.
• Continue to practice respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette, and hand hygiene after returning to work, because respiratory viruses may be shed after the isolation period ends.

Disembarking cruise ship passengers or crew members who have ARI should continue to take recommended precautions after disembarkation. If a passenger or crew member with viral ARI is taken to a healthcare facility off the ship, the facility should be informed before arrival. Medical transport providers should also be notified in advance.

Medical centers on cruise ships can vary widely depending on ship size, itinerary, length of cruise, and passenger demographics.

• Cruise ship medical centers are recommended to follow the operational guidelines  published by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) as well as disease-specific clinical guidelines (see links provided at the bottom of this section).
• PPE should include surgical masks and NIOSH Approved® N95® filtering facepiece respirators or higher, eye protection such as goggles or disposable face shields that cover the front and sides of the face, and disposable medical gloves and gowns.
• Antiviral agents and other therapeutics for COVID-19 , influenza , and RSV (if commercially available), and other antimicrobial medications
• Antipyretics (e.g., acetaminophen and ibuprofen), oral and intravenous steroids, supplemental oxygen
• Onboard capacity to conduct viral tests for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza, and RSV, as well as other infections that may be in the differential diagnosis (e.g., group A Streptococcus , Streptococcus pneumoniae, Legionella )
• Medical center staff should adhere to standard and transmission-based precautions when healthcare personnel are caring for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, influenza, RSV, or other communicable diseases.

For more information, read updated resources for clinicians and guidance on the medical evaluation and management of people with COVID-19 , influenza , or RSV  are available on CDC’s websites.

Respiratory specimens for ARI testing should be collected immediately upon illness onset, with the understanding that repeat testing may be indicated based on the viral etiology or state of the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, molecular tests are recommended over antigen tests because of their greater sensitivity; multiplex assays are available that can detect SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, and RSV.

Healthcare providers should understand the advantages and limitations of rapid diagnostic tests, and proper interpretation of negative results of any antigen diagnostic tests. Rapid antigen diagnostic tests have a lower sensitivity compared with RT-PCR, and false negative results can occur frequently. In symptomatic persons, negative rapid antigen diagnostic test results do not exclude a diagnosis of COVID-19, influenza, or RSV; clinical diagnosis of these illnesses should be considered; however, positive test results are useful to establish a viral etiology and to provide evidence of infection in passengers and crew members aboard ships.

People with ARI should be advised of the importance of covering coughs and sneezes and keeping hands clean because respiratory viruses may be shed after the isolation period ends.

Cruise operators should ensure passengers and crew have access to well-stocked hygiene stations with soap and water and/or hand sanitizer, tissues, paper towels, and trash receptacles.

Respirators or well-fitting masks should be readily available and symptomatic passengers and crew should be encouraged to use them if they have to be outside their cabins.

Passengers and crew members should be reminded to wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not available, they can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Used tissues should be disposed of immediately in a disposable container (e.g., plastic bag) or a washable trash can.

For more information on respiratory hygiene, see Coughing and Sneezing .

A combination of measures can be implemented to control ARI outbreaks, including isolation of infected people, increased infection prevention and control efforts, antiviral chemoprophylaxis of influenza-exposed people, crew member and passenger notifications, and active surveillance for new cases.

Recommendations when a voyage’s crew or passenger ARI attack rate reaches 2% ‡

• Provide all crew members with respirators or well-fitting masks and provide crew with information on how to properly wear, take off , and clean (if reusable)
• Minimize the number of crew members sharing a cabin or bathroom to the extent possible.
• Instruct crew members to remain in cabins as much as possible during non-working hours.
• Cancel nonessential face-to-face employee meetings as well as group events (such as employee trainings) and social gatherings.
• Close all crew bars, gyms, and other group settings.
• Close indoor crew smoking areas.
• Maximize the introduction of outdoor air and adjust HVAC systems to increase total airflow to occupied spaces. For additional information on ventilation, see Ventilation in Buildings
• Maximize air circulation in crew outdoor smoking areas.
• Expedite contact tracing (including the use of wearable technology, recall surveys, and the onboarding of additional public health staff).
• Consider serial viral (antigen or NAAT) screening testing of crew every 3–5 days. The onboarding of additional laboratorians may be needed to facilitate the testing process.
• If an influenza outbreak, antiviral chemoprophylaxis  can be considered for prevention of influenza in exposed people depending on their risk for complications, or could be given to all contacts on a cruise ship when the threshold is met or exceeded.

Recommendations when a voyage’s crew or passenger ARI attack rate reaches 3% ‡

• Provide all passengers with respirators or well-fitting masks and provide crew with information on how to properly wear, take off , and clean (if reusable)
• Position posters educating passengers on how to properly wear respirators or well-fitting masks  in high traffic areas throughout the ship.
• Eliminate self-serve dining options at all crew and officer messes.
• Reduce the dining cohort size for crew, and shorten dining times to avoid crowding.
• Send written notification to passengers on the current, previous, and subsequent voyages informing them of the ARI conditions and measures being taken to reduce transmission on board.
• Cancel crew shore leave.
• Implement a “working quarantine” policy for all crew (i.e., crew perform job duties then return to cabin).
• Require use of respirators or well-fitting masks and provide crew with information on how to properly wear, take off , and clean (if reusable)
• Test all passengers for COVID-19 prior to the end of the voyage, regardless of their vaccination status. Advise those who test positive or have known exposure to follow guidance following disembarkation .

‡ Sources of data should include medical center records and other established surveillance systems for passengers and crew (e.g., employee illness reports).

Considerations for Suspending Passenger Operations

In some circumstances, additional public health precautions, such as returning to port immediately or delaying the next voyage, may be considered to help ensure the health and safety of onboard travelers or newly arriving travelers.

A ship should consider suspending operations based on the following factors:

• 15% or more of the passengers have met ARI criteria; or
• 15% or more of the crew have met ARI criteria; or
• 15% or more of total travelers have met ARI criteria. [6]
• Shortages of supplemental oxygen or other medical supplies related to management of patients with ARI, or
• 3 or more deaths due to ARI in passengers and/or crew during a voyage.
• Evaluate symptomatic travelers and their close contacts,
• Conduct diagnostic and screening testing of travelers,
• Conduct routine medical checks of travelers in isolation, or
• Conduct contact tracing of close contacts, if applicable
• Testing equipment,
• Antipyretics (fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen),
• Antivirals and other therapeutics for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV (if commercially available),
• Oral and intravenous steroids, or
• Supplemental oxygen
• Inadequate onboard capacity to fulfill minimum safe manning or minimal operational services, including but not limited to housekeeping and food and beverage services
• A novel respiratory virus or SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern or a new or emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant with potential for increased severity or transmissibility identified among cases on board

[6] These thresholds are subject to change based on the characteristics of the dominant COVID-19 variant or a novel respiratory virus in the United States or elsewhere.

CDC requests that cruise ships submit a cumulative ARI report (even if no ARI cases have occurred) preferably within 24 hours before arrival in the U.S. [7] , and sooner if a voyage’s crew or passenger ARI attack rate reaches 3% [8] . These reports are requested by completing the Cruise Ship Cumulative Acute Respiratory Illness (ARI) Reporting Form. Access to the online reporting form has been provided to cruise lines by CDC. Cruise lines that do not have access may contact CDC (email [email protected] ).

In addition, CDC emphasizes that any deaths—including those caused by or suspected to be associated with influenza, COVID-19, RSV, or ARI—that occur aboard a cruise ship destined for a US port must be reported to CDC immediately. Report ARI deaths by submitting an individual  Maritime Conveyance Illness or Death Investigation Form [PDF – 4 pages] for each death.

Vessel captains may request assistance from CDC to evaluate or control ARI outbreaks as needed. If the ship will not be arriving imminently at a U.S. seaport, CDC maritime staff will provide guidance to cruise ship officials regarding management and isolation of infected people and recommendations for other passengers and crew members. CDC staff may also help with disease control and containment measures, passenger and crew notification, surveillance activities, communicating with local public health authorities, obtaining and testing laboratory specimens, and provide additional guidance as needed.

[7] For international voyages with >1 U.S. port (e.g., Canada to multiple Alaskan ports), please submit report to CDC within 24 hours before arrival in the final U.S. port.

[8] For international voyages with >15 days prior to arrival in the U.S., the time period for calculating this attack rate begins at day 15 prior to arrival at a U.S. port.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) are critical to reducing the spread of ARI. Each cruise ship should maintain a written  Infection Prevention and Control Plan (IPCP)  that details standard procedures and policies to specifically address infection control and cleaning/disinfection procedures to reduce the spread of ARI.

To reduce the spread of ARI, cruise ship operators should include the following as part of a written IPCP:

• Duties and responsibilities of each department and their staff for all passenger and crew public areas
• A graduated approach for escalating infection prevention and control measures in response to ARI cluster or outbreaks during a voyage with action steps and criteria for implementation
• Procedures for informing passengers and crew members that a threshold of ARI has been met or exceeded, and of any recommended or required measures to prevent spread of infection
• Crew members entering cabins or other areas where people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are should be limited, and crew should wear an NIOSH Approved® N95® filtering facepiece respirator or higher in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Respiratory Protection standard   (29 CFR 1910.134 )
• Disinfectant products or systems used, including the surfaces or items the disinfectants will be applied to, concentrations, and required contact times
• Safety data sheets (SDSs)
• PPE recommendations for crew, which may include surgical masks or NIOSH Approved® N95® filtering facepiece respirators or higher, eye protection such as goggles or disposable face shields that cover the front and sides of the face, and disposable medical gloves and gowns in addition to those recommended by the disinfectant manufacturer in the SDS; for information on health hazards related to disinfectants used against viruses, see Hazard Communication for Disinfectants Used Against Viruses .
• Health and safety procedures to minimize respiratory and dermal exposures to both passengers and crew, when recommended
• Graduated procedures for returning the vessel to normal operating conditions after a threshold of ARI has been met, including de-escalation of cleaning and disinfection protocols

Frequent, routine cleaning and disinfection of commonly touched surfaces with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectant is recommended. For COVID-19, EPA-registered disinfectant  effective against coronaviruses is strongly recommended.

• Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19
• COVID-19 Treatments and Medications
• Seasonal Influenza Prevention
• Seasonal Influenza Treatment: What You Need to Know
• Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for controlling institutional influenza outbreaks
• Symptoms and Care of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)
• RSV transmission
• Preventing RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

N95 and NIOSH Approved are certification marks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) registered in the United States and several international jurisdictions.

• Importation
• Southern Border Health and Migration
• Travelers' Health
• Vessel Sanitation Program
• Funding and Guidance for State and Local Health Departments
• Emergency Preparedness and Response
• Division of Global Migration Health

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Disclaimer: Early release articles are not considered as final versions. Any changes will be reflected in the online version in the month the article is officially released.

Volume 30, Number 5—May 2024

Interventional study of nonpharmaceutical measures to prevent covid-19 aboard cruise ships.

Main Article

COVID-19 health measures, laboratory screening, and diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 per comparison population group in interventional study of nonpharmaceutical measures to prevent COVID-19 aboard cruise ships*

*See Appendix for more detailed information about definitions and methods used in the study. EEA, European Economic Area; EUMS, European Union member states; NA, not applicable; NPM, nonpharmaceutical measures; RADT, rapid antigen detection test. †All passengers wore masks on 1 voyage in which elevated number of cases occurred in cruise ship A. ‡Physical distancing of 1.5 m. §Information collected included demographic information (name, date/time of itinerary, port of disembarkation, cabin number, contact telephone number for 14 d after disembarkation), health questions regarding the past 14 d (presence of COVID-19 compatible symptoms, close contact of COVID-19 case, and whether person provided care was in close proximity, traveled on conveyance, or shared household with SARS-CoV-2–positive person). ¶Group 1 ships provided meals as sitting service and in a buffet line with strict hand hygiene measures, sneeze-guards, replacement of serving utensils, and food service by crew. Group 2 ships provided meals in a sitting service and not in a buffet line. Both groups applied the same rules about handwashing, maximum number of persons in food service areas, and distancing of tables and chairs. #Persons were considered fully vaccinated 14 d after the last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. **Other measures applied in the community: gathering restrictions with maximum capacities, masking and physical distancing in indoor public spaces (theaters, gyms), hybrid policies for education and workplace settings, and proof of vaccination or negative tests to attend events ( 2 ). ††During the study period, the cumulative vaccine uptake (%) in the total population in EUMS/EEA (group 3) was ≈66% for the primary course ( 3 ).

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• Stevenson  MSE . epiR: tools for the analysis of epidemiological data [ cited 2024 Feb 9 ]. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=epiR
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• Plucinski  MM , Wallace  M , Uehara  A , Kurbatova  EV , Tobolowsky  FA , Schneider  ZD , et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Americans aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship. Clin Infect Dis . 2021 ; 72 : e448 – 57 . DOI PubMed Google Scholar

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Hamburg Reports Record 2023 Cruise Season; Expects Big 2024

• April 23, 2024

With 1,204,089 passengers starting their cruise from the port last year, Hamburg is Germany’s top cruise port for 2023, according to a press release.

The new record is a significant jump from 785,000 passengers in 2022. A total of 51 cruise ships visited the Port of Hamburg 278 times, including eight maiden calls. 

Another 62 calls were made by river cruise ships.

Hamburg Minister for Economy and Innovation, Dr Melanie Leonhard, said: “The arrival and departure of a cruise ship in the Port of Hamburg is always an impressive moment. Last year, more than 1.2 million passengers experienced this. The cruise industry thus makes a significant contribution to value creation and employment in and around our port. I am therefore pleased that from 2025, we will have one of the most modern cruise terminals in the HafenCity, right in the heart of our city. As one of the most popular cruise destinations in Europe and a pioneer in sustainability issues, we also aim to further advance the topic of shore power. Therefore, we are currently massively expanding our shore-side power supply and will in future provide onshore energy supply at all cruise terminals.”

Simone Maraschi, managing director of Cruise Gate Hamburg GmbH, added: “The record number of cruise passengers who start their journey from German ports is testament to the growing interest in sea trips of German holidaymakers. We are delighted to see the industry back on course after the coronavirus pandemic. The stronger market benefits the entire north German region. As cruise trips continue to gain in popularity, Germany remains a key player in the worldwide cruise industry that offers a wide range of fascinating routes and unforgettable experiences to travelers of all ages.”

The outlook is positive for 2024 as well with 270 planned cruise calls between January and December and 60 calls by river cruise ships. T

he port will also welcome ten maiden calls, including Cunard’s Queen Anne; Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Dream; Albatros Expeditions’ Ocean Albatros, Seabourn’s Seabourn Quest and Azamara’s Azamara Onward.

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Grand Princess cruise ship had COVID-19, gastroenteritis outbreaks on previous voyage before coming to Adelaide

A cruise liner that had been dealing with cases of COVID-19 and gastroenteritis has arrived in Adelaide.

Key points:

• The Grand Princess cruise ship has arrived in Adelaide
• SA Health says the cruise ship had dealt with an outbreak of COVID-19 and gastro
• It says the number of cases for both illnesses have reduced after a deep clean of the ship in Melbourne

In a statement the ship's operator Princess Cruises said the Grand Princess arrived in Outer Harbour in Adelaide's north-western suburbs Monday  morning on day two of a four-day round trip from Melbourne.

"On the previous voyage (a 14-days round trip cruise from Melbourne to Queensland) a number of people reported to the Medical Centre with symptoms of respiratory illness and acute gastrointestinal illness," it said.

"While most guests were unaffected by illness on that voyage, we proactively launched a comprehensive disinfection program, developed in coordination with international health authorities to prevent further spread."

"In an abundance of caution, there will be another disinfection program carried out on board the ship in Adelaide today before Grand Princess returns to Melbourne on Wednesday 15 November."

The cruise operator said there is no current "dual outbreak" of illness on the ship.

"While we do not provide numbers of unwell guests we can say that the number of guests with symptoms are in the single digits," it said.

"Some guests have disembarked in Adelaide today after completing their holiday."

SA Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said there were five cases of gastro on board the ship when it arrived, and eight cases of "COVID-like infection".

The health department said it had been informed by the ship's doctor that "the outbreaks have been declared over and the few remaining cases are consistent with numbers you would expect on any cruise".

"The ship docked in Melbourne on Saturday to undergo a clean, with all passengers off while this was undertaken," SA Health said.

The Grand Princess has a capacity of 4,000, including crew members. 

'Vomit smells everywhere'

Passenger Jody, who was on board with 10 other family members including her eight-year-old daughter, said she had been desperately trying to get her overflowing toilet fixed.

She said staff had  told her the issue had been resolved but water was still leaking from the wall behind the toilet.

"We've got towels everywhere ... the room has a funky smell with the toilet overflowing," she said.

She said she and her child have not been sick, but were worried about being exposed to the virus.

"There are vomit smells everywhere," she said.

"Someone threw up in the elevator and it still smells."

The ABC spoke with Jody this morning while the ship was docked in Adelaide and she was waiting to disembark.

Passenger Diana McElligott, who was on the cruise ship for 18 days, said she was not informed about COVID-19 cases on board.

"We weren't told to wear masks, we were told to be vigilant with washing and stuff like that but never heard anything about the COVID," she said.

"They should have told us if there was [cases] on board.

"Not a lot of staff were wearing masks, only in the dining room."

Ill guests disembarked separately

Premier Peter Malinauskas said "the bulk of the illnesses" happened before the ship arrived at Melbourne on the weekend.

"When that cruise ship got to Melbourne, it was disembarked and given a thorough and deep clean. Essentially people who got back onto that cruise ship were effectively new passengers," he told ABC Radio Adelaide.

"0.6 per cent of the people on the cruise ship suffered gastro."

He said people who were ill disembarked the ship separately when they got to Adelaide while those with symptoms are told to stay on the boat and not go on tours.

Anne, who cancelled her cruise trip due to injuries, told ABC Radio Adelaide her friends have been sick with both COVID-19 and norovirus on board the Grand Princess, and have been quarantined in their cabins for most of their holiday.

"They said it's been quite horrendous, they've been overrun with cases in the medical centre, a lot of people have been on drips," she said.

"They've been sick since November 1, just after they got on, and they're still sick now, so they went from one disease to the next."

She said her friends on board wore masks and sanitised regularly, but still felt ill.

Passenger David Weeder, who had been travelling with his wife for 19 days, said crew on the ship kept the passengers informed about the outbreaks.

"I had a few incidents, I think it was lucky we escaped without anything, it's just something that goes around," he said.

Tour Guides Association president told ABC Radio Adelaide that passengers disembarking in Adelaide are expected to join tours visiting Hahndorf and wineries in the Barossa Valley.

He said he would take precautionary measures like wearing masks and using sanitisers while travelling with visitors from the ship.

"I'm hoping there's some kind of checking process before passengers get actually on a tour," he said. 

Company handled outbreak 'extremely well', says health boss

SA Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said the health department had stayed in contact with Princess Cruises, and commented the company had done "extremely well" amid "some challenges".

"I commend the company, they have very good infection protection and control mechanisms in place and protocols to deal with outbreaks," Professor Spurrier said.

"Those outbreaks came down very quickly."

Professor Spurrier's comments came amid a push for older people, particularly those in residential aged care, and immunocompromised people to get COVID-19 vaccine boosters, with the state recording a nearly 50 per cent rise in cases in just a week.

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Nearly 30 Silversea Cruise passengers sickened by outbreak on board

Passengers expecting outstanding cuisine aboard a luxury Silversea cruise liner spent much of their vacation in the ship's bathrooms with a gastrointestinal virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday.

At least 28 passengers and one crew member among the Silver Nova's 633 passengers fell ill during their 16-day Easter-themed cruise that set sail in Callao, Peru, the agency said.

They all reported the same primary symptom: diarrhea.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE PASSENGER RESCUED BY US COAST GUARD AFTER EMERGENCY OFF PUERTO RICO

The cause of the outbreak is still unknown, but the agency noted that noroviruses are typically caused by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water.

The Silver Nova, the cruise company's newest liner introduced in 2023, boasts butler service for each suite and a ratio of one crew member for every 1.3 guests.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Workers aboard the ship aim to show guests "outstanding gastronomy," according to the Silversea website. At the end of last year, "Top Chef's" Nina Compton joined its staff, and offered personal cooking lessons to passengers.

Sick passengers were quarantined in their rooms, the CDC said. Other passengers were notified, and crew members "increased cleaning and disinfection procedures."  

FLORIDA MAN BELIEVES SON IS ALIVE AFTER JUMPING OFF CRUISE SHIP: REPORT

"The health and safety of our guests, crew and communities we visit are our top priority," a spokesperson for Silversea Cruises told Fox News Digital. "To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines."

Prices for the voyage, which began on March 31 and ended on April 16, started at $11,700 for a double-occupancy room, according to CruiseMapper.

SEARCH FOR MISSING SOUTH CAROLINA CRUISE PASSENGER COMPLICATED BY JUNGLE TERRAIN AS FAMILY DEMANDS US HELP

The New York Post reported that the Silversea outbreak was the fourth this year, including one that saw 130 people struck with diarrhea and vomiting and another that saw 104 passengers fall ill on a Holland America liner.

The CDC reported 14 cruise ship outbreaks in 2023.

Original article source: Nearly 30 Silversea Cruise passengers sickened by outbreak on board

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A company is turning former cruise ships into floating hotels — see inside its largest 'floatel'

Posted: April 17, 2024 | Last updated: April 17, 2024

• Bridgemans ServicesGroup operates a fleet of former cruise ships turned into hotels. 
• Its "floatels" are designed to house workers during long-term projects.
• See its largest 652-cabin floatel with a game room and buffet.

Some old and unwanted cruise ships meet their demise at ship-breaking yards , where they are disassembled and sold for scrap.

Other vessels find a more fortunate fate, receiving a second chance to do what they already do best: serve as floating hotels.

Canada-based Bridgemans Services Group buys and charters former cruise ships to turn into "floatels," outfitted with standard cruise amenities like daily housekeeping, buffets, and relaxing lounges.

But the ships aren't designed to transport tourists from one destination to another anymore. Instead, companies turn to Bridgeman when they need to house workers for a long-term project, whether it be the construction of an offshore wind farm in Europe or the shooting of a major film in a remote destination.

Floatels can accommodate workers in remote destinations where hotels might not be an option.

In more metropolitan areas, Bridgemans says its ships could lessen the stress an inundation of workers might have on the local housing market.

And once they are no longer needed, the vessels depart and "leave no trace behind," the company said.

Over the last decade, Bridgemans has deployed its ships for 15 projects on every continent, Brian Grange, the company's president, told Business Insider.

Grange said that its deployments — most often for liquified natural gas companies — last for an average of two years.

In the past, it has also provided accommodations for MSC Cruises at its Ocean Cay private island and housing for more than 1,000 workers in the Philippines' on a project for the Manila International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company's three ships range from 150 to 652 cabins.

The floatel operator acquired its largest ship, the 561-foot-long MV Isabelle X, in 2023.

In its past life, the 35-year-old vessel sailed around the Baltic Sea as one of Estonia-based Tallink Gruipp's cruise ships.

But gone are its days of leisurely cruising. The 35,000 gross-ton ship is now on its first deployment in Howe Sound, just north of Vancouver, where it's housing more than 600 workers who are building Woodfibre LNG's "net zero" LNG export facility.

Isabelle X underwent a six-month retrofit before it was sent to Howe Sound.

The process included updating the ship's cabins and adding amenities like a game room and an 8,000-square-foot gym.

The latter two are especially important: "We need to make sure we delineate between work and home," Grange told BI. "We have to create a social environment on board these vessels that makes it attractive for workforces around the world."

During their free time, workers can play billiards, relax in the outdoor lounge, or use the ship’s WiFi to catch up on social media.

The sports lounge has large television screens, while the games lounge has darts, ping pong tables, and air hockey.

The 'quiet lounges' are the go-to space for people who need to unwind after a long work day.

Or, they could recharge and catch up on the latest shows in their cabins, which all come with desks, storage, and 32-inch televisions.

Like a typical cruise ship, Bridgemans' vessels have buffets with live cooking stations, a dessert bar, and the occasional themed night.

The ships' chefs tailor their menus to the demographic and dietary restrictions of the workers on board, the company's president told BI.

Residents can expect at least four protein options, plenty of veggies, and handmade bread and desserts.

Unlike most cruise lines, Bridgemans can pre-purchase all the food it needs before deployment.

Grange says this allows the ships to maintain food quality and consistency in remote locations.

Remember that deployment in the Philippines during COVID-19? He said the ship had packed almost 800 tons of food ahead of the project.

He wouldn’t disclose the cost to rent one of Bridgemans’ floatels.

But he did note that the cost of a cabin on the Woodfibre LNG project in Howe Sound is comparable to a hotel room in nearby Vancouver, as is the case with most of its projects near major cities.

The company’s most recent acquisition, the 150-cabin Diamond XI, is currently being retrofitted and would be ready for deployment this year.

According to the company's president, the vessel is small and high-end, likely to be used for sporting events and movie shoots.

It could also be the start of a greater expansion: He hopes to add two or three more vessels to its fleet in the next five years.

"The world has opened up to this as a valued alternative to housing," Grange told BI.

Who knows, the next time you see a cruise ship off the coast, there's a slim but possible chance it could be housing workers — not vacationers.

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Volcanic experience in Hawaiʻi, Alaska sparks student’s passion for research

• April 22, 2024

While pursuing an undergraduate degree in Earth sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Casey Wandasan had experiences that shaped the trajectory of his academic journey. Ongoing research on the inner workings of two volcanoes in Alaska and an open ocean research cruise solidified his plans to pursue geophysics in graduate school after he graduates in May 2024.

“The cruise and my research experiences have been transformative, exposing me to marine geophysics, emphasizing the unity of science and community, and honing my adaptability in research, significantly amplifying my skills for future endeavors,” said Wandasan.

Wandasan works with Earth sciences assistant professor Helen Janiszewski in the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology ( SOEST ) to help with her efforts to understand magma storage depths and seismic characteristics at two volcanoes in the Aleutian islands of Alaska. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation , they analyze seismic information to determine the structures and layers beneath the subsurface of the volcanoes.

In fall 2023, Wandasan participated in a 10-day, open ocean research cruise aboard the UH research vessel Kilo Moana . He sailed on a STEMSEAS (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Student Experiences Aboard Ships) research cruise to map the Molokaʻi Fracture Zone, gather bathymetric, gravity and magnetic data, and attempt remotely-operated vehicle dives at the undersea volcano Kamaʻehuakanaloa .

“I embraced this unique experience that not many undergraduates get to have,” said Wandasan. “Throughout the cruise, I had a variety of opportunities to delve deeper into geophysical research.”

The path to pursuing geoscience

At Waiʻanae High School, Wandasan participated in the early college program. He then completed an associate’s degree in natural sciences from Leeward Community College , where he was also a tutor for math and the Hawaiʻi Pre-Engineering Education Collaborative, which aims to build capacity at Native Hawaiian-serving institutions and prepare students for STEM degree completion and careers.

“Casey has a rare, genuine curiosity about the world that pushes him well beyond assigned tasks and minimum requirements,” said Janiszewski. “This is matched by his willingness to challenge himself by pursuing new and unfamiliar experiences. It has been a privilege to watch him develop independence in his research over the past two years, and I am excited to follow his career as it progresses.”

For more information, see SOEST ’s website .

–By Marcie Grabowski

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