Posted on 02/11/2022 8:28:29 AM PST by Capt. Tom
'Unmerited and Unnecessary': Cruise Industry Reacts to CDC's New Voluntary Guidance February 10, 2022
-- Cruise lines and industry officials are reacting to the new voluntary regulations set forth late Wednesday evening by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which signaled it still considers cruising a high-risk activity despite having the most stringent protocols of any segment of the U.S.-based travel industry.
The new guidance -- which includes the creation of three new categories of "vaccinated cruises," along with testing, reporting and isolation requirements that extend far beyond anything required on land by the CDC or local health agencies -- has drawn the ire of industry officials and cruise operators, who have committed to working with the CDC on the safe resumption of cruising for the past two years, first through the No-Sail Order, then through the Conditional Sail Order, which the agency retired in January.
What was expected to be a soft transition into guidance similar to that from the Conditional Sail Order has morphed into what some are calling heavy-handed guidance that has surprised most industry watchers.
"Our first read is that the voluntary program is far more confusing to lines and consumers than even the previous guidelines at a time when restrictions are being reduced everywhere else as cases drop," Laziza Lambert, director of communications for the Cruise Lines International Association, told Crise Critic.
"All of this seems unmerited and unnecessary for an industry that is already one of the most highly regulated and has continued to be so even after the expiration of the CSO on January 15."
CDC Doubles-Down on Warnings Against Cruise, Even as U.S. Cities Open Up
The CDC has doubled-down on its warnings against taking a cruise, despite the fact the industry is the only one within the United States to require the vaccination of nearly all passengers along with precruise COVID-19 testing, reduced capacity limits and masking in most areas of the vessel.
"It is inexplicable why cruise would continue to be categorized at a Level 4 Travel Health Notice, which in theory discourages people from cruising even if they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines," Lambert told Cruise Critic. "This discounts the importance of what the CDC has otherwise promoted as the single most important touchstone for public health and safety and is counter to what hard data shows as the cruise industry's effectiveness unmatched by virtually any other commercial setting."
Analysis conducted by the Finnish-based PBI Research Institute showed hospitalizations on cruise ships were 80 times lower than on land in the U.S. at the height of the omicron surge.
Between December 30, 2021, and January 12, 2022, only five cruise passengers were hospitalized out of more than 416,000 passengers carried, equivalent to 34 per 100,000 positive cases of COVID-19. During the same period, the U.S. saw 269,067 hospitalizations on land, according to data provided by PBI and CLIA. The rate of on-land hospitalization during the reflected time period was 2,786 people per 100,000 positive cases.
How Are Cruise Lines Responding to the CDC's New Voluntary Guidance? Norwegian Cruise Line funnel logo (Photo: Aaron Saunders)
For their part, cruise lines are largely staying silent on the CDC's new voluntary regulations program. So far, only one cruise company -- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania and Regent Seven Seas -- had committed to joining the CDC's voluntary program.
The CDC's guidance had not yet been released when Norwegian announced their participation. Since the announcement, NCLH has said it is evaluating the current guidance.
"We are aware that the CDC has posted its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Operating in U.S. Waters, the agency's voluntary COVID-19 risk mitigation program for foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in U.S. waters which replaces the agency's Conditional Sail Order which expired on January 15," an NCLH spokesperson told Cruise Critic in a written statement. "
"We are currently reviewing the requirements of the Program. The health and safety of our guests, crew and communities we serve remains our number one priority and we continue to believe that while the virus remains prevalent in our communities that cruising with all eligible guests and crew fully vaccinated and with universal testing provides a level of protection unparalleled in the travel industry."
Contacted Thursday morning, Carnival Corporation had much the same to say, commenting that it was reviewing the CDC's new protocols and had not yet decided about whether to join the program. Carnival Corporation's brands, like Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, have been operating successfully under strict health and safety protocols since restarting passenger operations last summer and have continued to do so since the CDC's Conditional Sail Order expired January 15.
"We have created an onboard environment in which virtually everyone on board is vaccinated, has shown proof of a negative COVID test and is wearing a mask in indoor places where people congregate," a Carnival Corporation spokesperson told Cruise Critic.
"These protocols, among others, have helped us become among the safest forms of socializing and travel, with far lower incidence rates than on land. In fact, we have safely sailed over 1.2 million guests and counting in the best interest of public health -- while delivering great and often long-awaited vacations for our guests. In turn, our guests are reporting historically high guest satisfaction scores. Our guests feel safe and they are having a wonderful time.
"In light of our highly effective protocols, we are disappointed that the CDC, with its latest travel health notice, continues to treat the cruise industry differently than other sectors, nor does the CDC's notice account for the cruise industry's stringent and enhanced health and safety protocols.
"Ultimately, we must always be in compliance, and we will continue to follow the science and comply with guidelines from global government and health authorities, including CDC.
"We, like the rest of the cruise industry, will evaluate whether to participate in the voluntary CDC program after further valuation and discussion. As we have learned during this pandemic, the situation constantly evolves, and we will continue to be well-prepared to comply and adjust to changing circumstances while serving the best interest of public health."
Cruise Critic will update this article with more information as it becomes available.
Of course, the cruise lines are partly to blame by alienating the un- vaccinated, and the vaccinated who don't want to be wearing masks on a cruise, or risking being quarantined on a cruise ship. -Tom
The Cruise ships are brimming Petri Dishes of disease without needing a Covid excuse.
does one generally need to take a 3rd shot to be on a cruise
I miss cruising and will not return to cruising until all this Wuhan Flu (communist excuse) crap is done.
I am not paying thousands of dollars so I can spend a week or two on a ship having some assbite bug me about wearing a mask all the time or having to miss out on amenities I’m paying for but can’t use due to what now amounts to paranoia.
I’ve only been on one cruise - from Long Beach down to Mexico for a weekend. We never got off the boat.
My wife’s father used to describe cruises as follows: A floating Motel 6 with an all you can eat Denny’s attached.
We don’t fly any more. We live in south central Kentucky and have driven to Seattle twice since this thing took hold. We don’t do masks.
The cruise lines are used to the CDC leading them around by the nose. They’re upset now that the CDC has given them “voluntary” guidelines.
Ignore the CDC...and just cruise.
Concur. I’m not flying or doing anything else where I’m expected to submit to this nonsense.
What’s been interesting is just how many places I’ve been able to go to where they’re supposed to be enforcing the Fauci-approved madness and then they don’t care when I ignore it.
I discovered pretty early on (June of 2020) that most of the “masks required” signs at business entrances are just “corporate” covering their butts, and nobody that works in those establishments cares if you wear a mask.
Two exceptions: I was tracked down on multiple occasions in Costco down aisles where I was alone and told to put my mask on. Solution: We became Sam’s club members. Yes, they have the signs, but nobody asks you to mask up - even at the “new members” desk.
The other was just last week in Algonquin at the Guitar Center store. I was one of four people in the store - three of them employees. I was asked to leave if I wouldn’t mask up. They said I could shop their store online. I said that my online purchases are with Sweetwater.
“The Cruise ships are brimming Petri Dishes of disease without needing a Covid excuse.”
No, they aren’t. That tired trope has been disproved so many times. Look it up. They are far safer than eating in any restaurant, and cleaner than your kitchen or bathroom.
No. They are not requiring boosters, at least they haven’t asked me fore one.
The mask rules are widely unenforced except for elevators.
And, should you so desire, the paperwork showing a negative COVID test is easily forged.
Costco Louisville? I’m surprised. The ones here in the ATL area don’t care if you wear a mask or not.
“My wife’s father used to describe cruises as follows: A floating Motel 6 with an all you can eat Denny’s attached.”
True of Carnival. Other lines have better food.
They don’t now either. This was in lsat 2020.
BTW, I was in the Costco at Algonquin, IL a couple of weeks ago and they don’t require masks. However, I was one of only three people in the entire store that were not wearing masks.
I like to, while not wearing a mask, walk up to complete strangers not wearing a mask and say, “You’re not wearing a mask! You’ve killed us all!”
BTW, on a side note, I’ve figured out how to get away with using the N word in public: Say to someone, “Wait! Are you calling me a N****R?!” 🤣
I love to mess with language and set off Karens. 😁
I am not paying thousands of dollars so I can spend a week or two on a ship having some assbite bug me about wearing a mask all the time or having to miss out on amenities I’m paying for but can’t use due to what now amounts to paranoia.
I believe you have summed up the problem why cruise ships are not going to fill up their ships in 2022, in spite of their claims of "pent up demand".
Who wants to take a cruise on a hospital ship where you might get quarantined, and pay for that experience? -Tom
“My wife’s father used to describe cruises as follows: A floating Motel 6 with an all you can eat Denny’s attached”
Not sure which cruise line he’s referring to but I can assure you the 6 or so cruises I’ve been on the lodging and food are 1st rate....not to mention the service.
The only drawback I encountered if you can call it that was that much of the crew usually doesn’t speak English, but the ship makes sure the crew that handle passengers can.
It was the same way here during our roughly eight month mask mandate. Most places didn’t care.
I heard Costco had really bad mask nazis everywhere. I have friends who ended their memberships. I never had one.
I only encountered one mask nazi during that time - a man-bunned snot at the counter of a gas station convenience store. I went in to get a couple of bottles of water before getting gas. He greeted me with “Ma’am, do you have a mask?” I didn’t like his tone, so I just smiled and cheerfully said “Nope!” and left. I went to a gas station on the next block, got my water, filled my tank and nobody asked me about a face diaper.
“Cruise ships are brimming Petri Dishes of disease without needing a Covid excuse”
I’ve noticed that sort of comment is usually from someone who’s never been on a cruise or not many.
I’ve been on no less than 6 and all were for 7 days and I’ve not once walked off a ship with as much as a sniffle.
Just out of curiosity how many cruises have you been on?
I saw it as hyperbole. I’ll say this: On the one cruise I did go on, our room was nowhere near as nice as a Motel 6, but the food was good. We avoided the free “fast food” and went for the good stuff in the “fancy” restaurant. 😁
Sounds like a lot of hyperbole.
Last one we were on we were upgraded to a balcony suite at no extra charge.
King bed. Jetted tub. Cabin was big enough to accommodate a wet bar, love seat, chair and coffee table.
The balcony was large enough to accommodate 2 full size loungers.
We’ve found the food to always be exceptional.
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