NEWS: CDC Has Updated Its Guidance for Select Cruise Ship Passengers

Cruise ships have started to sail again after a year of inactivity due to the global health pandemic. Now that cruising is returning, though, many health and safety guidelines have been put in place for both the crew and passengers.

As the situation evolves, and with the rise in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19, those health and safety guidelines continue to change.

For example, the Bahamas Customs Department recently passed a mandate that a cruise ship on a passenger voyage may not enter any port in the Bahamas unless the Captain or Master of the ship transmits a vaccination status for everyone onboard to the Port Medical Officer, including verification that everyone 12 years old and up is vaccinated. This is required in addition to adhering to other health and safety guidelines.

Now, according to USA Today, the CDC has updated guidance for passengers on cruises. The new guidance suggests that older adults, people with certain medical conditions, pregnant, and recently pregnant people avoid cruise ships, regardless of whether they are vaccinated or not.

The CDC also recommends that all cruisers, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask in shared spaces and get tested 1-3 days before their trip and 3-5 days after. The guidelines also suggest that those who are not fully vaccinated should self-quarantine for at least seven days after a cruise.

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According to the CDC website, COVID-19 can spread easily when people are in close quarters on ships, saying that the chance of catching the virus on cruise ships is “high.”

We’ll continue to keep an eye on the situation and post updates when we have them.