TAMPA, Fla. — Despite the rising cases of COVID-19 across the nation, the CDC says it's no-sail order won't be extended. After seven months cruise ships can sail again, but with strict rules.
"We want to see the cruise ships sail again," Governor Ron DeSantis said while making an announcement that he and the White House were working to get the cruise industry running.
Four days later the CDC announced guidelines that say any ship can operate as long as it has a conditional sailing certificate.
"I'm really disappointed. I think that there really is no safe way for cruises to actually resume at this point," Dr. Jill Roberts with USF Public Health said.
Dr. Roberts is surprised to see the no-sail order lifted so soon.
"They do have a whole set of guidelines for preventing the spread of norovirus and so many of those guidelines can be used in this case. I suppose a lot of sanitation, handwashing, hygiene, wearing masks, but I don't think that's how people envision their cruise. So there are things that you could do to make it safer, but it's not safe," Roberts said.
The CDC says cruises have to maintain these COVID-19 guidelines:
- No ship can operate for more than 7 days
- All passengers and crew have to be tested before and after the voyage
- Face masks and social distancing must be enforced
- The ship must be properly sanitized and have COVID-19 tests on board
Travel agent Tammy Levant is happy to see steps being taken to get the industry to come back, but she doesn't have many clients actually requesting to take a cruise.
"I have a couple that ask, but they're local. I tell them, I don't think it's the right time. I really do. I'm gonna be very honest with them because ultimately, they're coming to me for my expert advice. I can't with my right mind, say to you, 'sure, go on a cruise, because it's safe' because I don't feel comfortable," Levant said.
Cruise lines have to submit a plan to stop the spread of the virus aboard their ships to the CDC. Then, each ship has to do a simulated voyage before being approved to sail.
We reached out to cruise lines and local ports for their reaction to the announcement, here's what they had to say.
Port Tampa Bay's President & CEO, Paul Anderson:
"We have taken extra precautions to keep our cruise terminals clean and disinfected by sanitizing them with an EPA-approved chemical, as well as adding extra hand sanitizing stations. We will also create social distancing measures throughout the terminals and add more time in the schedule for embarkation and debarkation.
Port Tampa Bay is working closely with our cruise line partners to follow the updated CDC guidelines for the conditional sailing order and we are prepared to welcome them back when they are ready. Port Tampa Bay is ready to serve our cruise line partners and passengers and do our part to ensure their safety and follow all protocols in place for a safe return of cruising."
Spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings:
"Today the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) issued the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (the “Order”), a roadmap for the steps the CDC will require for resumption of cruise voyages in the U.S. We will closely review the Order and continue to partner with global and domestic authorities, including the CDC, to chart a path forward."
Royal Caribbean Group:
"Today’s announcement establishes a pathway for our ships to return to service, and that’s an important step in the right direction.
While we are eager to welcome our guests back on board, we have a lot to do between now and then, and we’re committed to taking the time to do things right. This includes training our crew in new health and safety protocols and conducting a number of trial sailings to stress-test those protocols in real-world conditions.
We will continue to work closely with both CDC and the Healthy Sail Panel as we make our plans, and we are confident in our ability to mitigate the risks of the pandemic and protect the health of our guests, our crew, and the communities where we sail."
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