The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed its COVID-19 notice against cruise travel, around two years after introducing a warning scale showing the level of coronavirus transmission risk on cruise ships.
A Shot Of Hope
The move offers a shot of hope to major US cruise operators such as Carnival Corp CCL.N, Royal Caribbean Group RCL.N and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd NCLH.N that have struggled to bring in revenue since the pandemic started.
Discriminating
Cruise operators had also said that the health agency was discriminating against the industry, when hotels and airlines could operate with limited or no restrictions.
Statement By CDC
"While cruising will always pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers will make their own risk assessment when choosing to travel on a cruise ship, much like they do in all other travel settings," the CDC said in a statement.
Guidelines
The guidelines for traveling on cruise ships on the health agency's page no longer shows a scale for its warning. Instead, it now only says guests should make sure that they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before boarding the ships.
News by Reuters, edited by Hospitality Ireland. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
