The US Centers for Disease Control allowed cruises to resume operations. CDC spokesperson Caitlin Shockey said that “CDC and the cruise industry agree that the industry has what it needs to move forward and no additional roadblocks exist for resuming by mid-summer”.
After getting CDC’s approval, Celebrity Cruises is set to sail on June 26th. In a tweet, Celebrity Cruises CEO and President Lisa Lutoff-Perlo announced that “someday is here”.
Celebrity Edge is going to be the first ship to sail from US waters after more than a year. But what does pandemic cruising look like?
For one, Celebrity Cruises will have to meet the number of vaccinated passengers and crew. It means 95% of the crew and passengers should’ve completed their vaccine doses. In case the vaccination threshold is not met, there is an option to run a simulated voyage.
What to Expect from Pandemic Cruising
If you’re a frequent passenger on cruises, some things will be different. But is it that bad? To give you an idea, here are CDC’s current guidelines.
Under the new CDC guidelines, it looks as if the agency is already relaxing its approach on vaccinated individuals. In March 2020, it seemed that buffet on cruises will become a thing of the past. But this time around, vaccinated passengers can go on buffets. However, cruise lines are still advised to encourage outdoor dining and room service to mitigate COVID19 risks. Unvaccinated individuals will also be allowed to do independent exploration.
Cruise lines are also encouraged by the agency to provide passengers with a gadget that can make contract-tracing easier. Royal Caribbean has already implemented a mandatory waterproof bracelet that will make it easier for the cruise line to track people who were possibly exposed to COVID. Royal Caribbean CEO Michael Bayley said that the tech will have both body and facial recognition that can make contract tracing easier.
For passengers who waited for more than a year, this version of pandemic cruising might feel a bit different but it is better than nothing.