The Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Sea cruise ship is docked at PortMiami on March 2, 2021 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
The trade group for the world’s largest cruise lines on Wednesday called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to allow a gradual resumption of shipping from US ports in early July.
In a press release, the president of the International Cruise Lines Association, Kelly Craighead, claims that the CDC’s position does not reflect the current conditions of the pandemic, nor the accelerated launch of Covid vaccines.
The cruise lines said the timeframe from the beginning of July was in line with President Joe Biden’s goal for the time when the US will be “closer to normal”. In his first national address as president, Biden said earlier this month that Americans should be able to gather in person with their friends and loved ones in small groups to celebrate July 4th.
As hotels, casinos and airlines begin to see a recovery in bookings, most cruise ships remain inactive, waiting for the CDC to make a decision on when to allow US shipping to resume. It’s been over 12 months since cruise lines suspended all US crossings because of Covid.
“Cruise lines should be treated in the same way as other tourism, tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors,” Craighead of CLIA said.
While some cruises have resumed some shipping in Europe and Asia, the US is still the largest market and where the industry makes the most of its profits.
Some cruise operators have looked for alternative options to welcome customers on board and not miss the crucial summer sailing season.
Royal Caribbean has announced two new voyages – one from its new home port of Nassau, the Bahamas and another from Bermuda. Both cruises will sail in June and will not stop in any American port. Instead, Royal Caribbean will take advantage of its private island – Perfect Day CocoCay and will stop in Cozumel, Mexico.