The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention has this week updated its recommendations to assist US cruise ship travellers get home as quickly, and safely, as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a directive listed on the CDC’s website, cruise lines must now get travellers “directly to their homes via chartered or private transportation”. The site says commercial flights and public transportation cannot be used.
“Since February 2020, travellers on dozens of cruise ships have been affected by COVID-19 outbreaks. Cruise ships are often settings for outbreaks of infectious diseases because of the semi-enclosed environment and contact between travellers from many countries,” the CDC warns.
Cruise ship companies are required to also provide travellers with a surgical mask, cloth face covering or similar which must be worn during ship disembarkation, transport to any flights, the duration of the flight and when using any ground transportation until they arrive a their final destination.
The directive also pinpoints affected cruise ships that had voyages with US ports, that are under the CDC’s jurisdiction. Affected ships and their cruise dates are:
| Ship name | Voyage Start Date | Voyage End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Imagination | 5 March | 8 March |
| Carnival Valor | 29 February | 5 March |
| Carnival Valor | 5 March | 9 March |
| Carnival Valor | 9 March | 14 March |
| Carnival Vista | 15 February | 22 February |
| Carnival Vista | 29 February | 7 March |
| Celebrity Infinity | 5 March | 9 March |
| Celebrity Eclipse | 2 March | 30 March |
| Celebrity Reflection | 13 March | 17 March |
| Celebrity Summit | 29 February | 7 March |
| Crown Princess | 6 March | 16 March |
| Disney Wonder | 28 February | 2 March |
| Disney Wonder | 6 March | 20 March |
| Grand Celebration | 22 February | 24 February |
| Grand Princess | 11 February | 21 February |
| Grand Princess | 21 February | 7 March |
| MSC Meraviglia | 1 March | 8 March |
| Norwegian Bliss | 1 March | 8 March |
| Norwegian Bliss | 8 March | 15 March |
| Norwegian Breakaway | 29 February | 7 March |
| Norwegian Breakaway | 7 March | 14 March |
| Pride of America | 29 February | 7 March |
| Oceania Riviera | 26 February | 11 March |
| Explorer of the Seas | 8 March | 15 March |
| Liberty of the Seas | 15 March | 29 March |
| Majesty of the Seas | 29 February | 7 March |
| Oasis of the Seas | 8 March | 15 March |
| Symphony of the Seas | 7 March | 14 March |
(The list excludes international voyages without US ports of call.)
Combined, the 28 sailings could have been carrying upwards of 86,600 passengers, based on the berthing options of the ships.
High-profile coronavirus outbreaks on ships in other countries, including Diamond Princess in the waters of Japan, Greg Mortimer in Uruguay and closer to home, Ruby Princess, are not included in the CDC’s list.
For more details, see the CDC’s website – cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
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