American Cruise Lines is already back in business. The Independence sailed last March 13 for its 8-day cruise to Charleston. However, future guests should look for a way to get vaccinated soon.
American Cruise Lines announced last weekend that they are implementing a stricter health protocol. Guests who will be accommodated by American Cruise Lines from April 10 onwards are those who completed their COVID19 vaccination. This will affect some of the sailings of American Jazz.
Caught Off-Guard
This surprised a lot of guests. Many were even caught off-guard. The America Cruise Lines failed to publish the vaccination mandate either on their website or social media channels. According to their spokesperson, the decision was described as “an abundance of caution for the safe operation of our ships”. The company also issued an apology saying that they “regret any inconvenience this change has caused”. Guests can get a full refund or have the option to cruise at a later date.
This move garnered different reactions online. Some welcomed the change while others are unhappy with the lack of communication regarding the protocol. However, American Cruise Lines clarified that this announcement is not yet final. It can still change depending on different situations.
Cruises Requiring Vaccinations
American Cruise Lines is not the only company requiring vaccination. American Queen Steamboat along with its sister company Victoria Cruises is already requiring vaccinations for their voyages starting July 2021. But for now, a negative test will do for guests scheduled to have their cruise before July.
The CDC issued a conditional sailing order last October. This was an update to CDC’s no-sail order earlier in 2020.
The conditional sail order limits the number of passengers to 250 including guests and staff. This allowed a phased resumption of cruise ship operations. The American Countess was canceled due to a disagreement between the American Queen Steamboat Company and the health agency.
