The ‘no sail’ order that has kept cruise ships from operating out of U.S. ports since March has expired after its last extension ran out Oct. 31, but that doesn’t mean the U.S. cruises will be at sea anytime soon.
That’s because CDC, which issued the original order, has shifted from a ban to a specific set of criteria ships must meet before they can take on their first passengers. And since most of the cruise lines have canceled the rest of 2020, it won’t make them cry.
The new 40-page “framework for conditional sailing” (shouldn’t that really be “conditional framework for sailing”?) requires first that the cruise lines get approval for plans to keep their crews safe and healthy. Following that, they must show CDC that they have built enough laboratory capacity into their plans for effective and quick testing of passengers.
Following those steps will come ‘simulated voyages’ to test how well the lines can carry out their protocols, and then ship-by-ship certification that the ship is ready to take on real passengers.
The cruise lines have anticipated much of this; Cruise Lines International Association, which represents 95% of the industry has worked with several of its members, including a panel put together by Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, to create a ‘healthy sailing’ plan that the members have agreed to; it is largely similar to what CDC is asking for—but the steps will take time.
In the meantime, Canada has extended its ban on cruise ships in its waters through February 28, which might in any case be about the earliest U.S. lines could be ready to go. If Canadian authorities work with CDC, it is at least possible that it might be a shared restart.
