The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the No Sail Order for all cruise ships to combat domestic spread of COVID-19.
“We are working with the cruise line industry to address the health and safety of crew at sea as well as communities surrounding U.S. cruise ship points of entry,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said. “The measures we are taking today to stop the spread of COVID-19 are necessary to protect Americans and we will continue to provide critical public health guidance to the industry to limit the impacts of COVID-19 on its workforce throughout the remainder of this pandemic.”
The CDC indicated at least 10 cruise ships reported crew or passengers that tested positive or experienced respiratory symptoms or influenza-like illness in recent weeks. Currently there are approximately 100 cruise ships remaining at sea off the East Coast, West Coast and Gulf Coast, with nearly 80,000 crew onboard.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) voluntarily suspended cruise ship operations in March in conjunction with the earlier No Sail Order issued March 14. The industry is working to build an illness response framework to combat COVID-19 on ships with international crew members who remain on board and at sea.
The No Sail Order ceases operations of cruise ships in waters in which the United States may exert jurisdiction and requires they develop an operational plan approved by the CDC and the United States Coast Guard to address the COVID-19 pandemic through maritime focused solutions, including a fully implementable response plan.