Travel expert Mark Murphy takes a look at the future of travel in the new year.
The CDC lifted its COVID-19 cruise travel advisory on Wednesday after two years of shedding advice, lawsuits and criticism from industry leaders who accused the agency of hardline regulations.
The travel health warning was lowered from “very high” to “high” in mid-February, then from “high” to “moderate” in mid-March.
On Wednesday, the CDC updated its website to reflect the lifting of the travel health notice, and now only recommends prospective passengers wear masks, get vaccinated, wash hands and take other precautions before boarding a ship walk.
The Crystal Symphony cruise ship departs Charleston, SC (AP Photo/Bruce Smith, File)
“While cruising always poses some risk of transmission of COVID-19, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, similar to any other travel environment,” the CDC said in a statement Wednesday.
ROYAL CARRIBEAN DEBUTS THE WORLD’S LARGEST CRUISE LINER AS COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS EASE
When the pandemic broke out in March 2020, the CDC completely paralyzed the US cruise industry for 15 months. Last June, ships were allowed to set sail again under a strictly conditional sailing order.
The Quantum of the Seas cruise ship docked at the Marina Bay Cruise Center. (AP Photo/Danial Hakim)
The Cruise Lines International Association praised the CDC’s decision to lift the travel advisory on Wednesday, saying it “will create a level playing field between cruises and similarly located land-based venues for the first time since March 2020.”
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, CLIA cruise line members have prioritized the health and safety of their guests, crew and the communities they visit, and today sail with health measures unmatched by virtually any other commercial environment,” said the organization in a statement.
CRUISE SHIP CARRYING HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS DIVERSITED TO BAHAMAS AFTER US ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED FOR UNPAID BILLS
CLIA had previously expressed dismay at the CDC’s warnings about cruise travel, saying in December that cruises offer “one of the highest levels of proven containment of the virus” through a “highly controlled environment with science-based measures.”
The Radiance of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, docked in Seward, Alaska. (iStock)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Florida originally sued the CDC in April 2021 over the agency’s conditional sail order, which expired in January.
This week, Florida and several other states announced a lawsuit against the Biden administration over the federal mask mandate, which mandates face coverings on planes, buses, trains and other public transportation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.