The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new travel warning to Americans who are considering taking a cruise.
The CDC warns that the chances of catching COVID-19 while on a cruise ship are particularly high regardless of vaccination status or booster shots.
The agency says in the notice:
“It is especially important that travelers who are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 avoid travel on cruise ships including river cruises, worldwide, regardless of vaccination status.”
Cruise industry officials are frustrated with the agency’s new recommendation saying:
“We’re obviously disappointed at the CDC’s decision to raise the travel level for cruises— especially given the overwhelming level of effectiveness of cruise protocols that are resulting in a significantly lower level of cases on cruises as compared to land.”
The US federal government shut down cruises altogether at the beginning of the pandemic. Then in June 2021, after 15 months of a no sail order, the CDC allowed cruise lines to restart trips under strict conditions.
The global cruise industry has been one of the most devastated sectors of the tourism industry due to the COVID restrictions.
The industry lost $25 billion in economic activity with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) estimating that 215,800 European jobs and 164,000 American jobs were lost during 2020.
The figures for 2021 are not yet available.
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