US CRUISE SHIPS TO MOVE TO VOLUNTARY SYSTEM OF COVID RULES

Cruise ships operating in the US are no longer be required to follow Covid-19 guidance from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) health agency.

The CDC’s guidance on Covid measures, known as the Conditional Sailing Order, has been in place for cruise ships since October 2020. But it was finally allowed to expire on Saturday (15 January), as planned and it has become voluntary for cruise lines to follow.

CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky told US Senate politicians last week the sailing order would automatically lapse, as the health agency “transitions to a voluntary Covid-19 risk mitigation programme”.

Walensky told US senators that the cruise industry had “stepped up” in the way it had implemented Covid procedures and was now “interested in exceeding the compliance” necessary to meet the sail order’s requirements.

From 15 January, cruise lines can decide to voluntarily follow the sailing order, with the CDC continuing to carry out oversight and provide technical support.

Less positively, Walensky also revealed that US cruise ships had seen a “30-fold” increase in onboard Covid-19 infections in the past two weeks, due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

Clia said the CDC’s decision to move to a voluntary system showed the industry’s “unwavering commitment” to implementing Covid health procedures.

“Cruise is the only segment of travel and tourism that requires – prior to embarkation for both passengers and crew – exceedingly high levels of vaccination and 100% testing of every individual,” added Clia in a statement.

CDC Extends Conditional Sail Order Through January 15, 2022; Voluntary Program After That

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) with minor modifications, according to a statement, through Jan. 15, 2022. 

After the expiration of the CSO, the CDC said it intends to transition to what it called a voluntary program, in coordination with the industry to detect, mitigate and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships.

The CDC Director signed the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO on October 25, 2021; it is effective upon the expiration of the current CSO on November 1, 2021.

The Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO shall remain in effect until the earliest of

• The expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency;
• The CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations; or
• January 15, 2022, at 12:01 am EDT.
• After the expiration of the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO, CDC intends to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships.

As of July 23, 2021, the CSO and accompanying measures, such as technical instructions, are nonbinding recommendations for cruise ships arriving in, located within, or departing from a port in Florida, according to a statement from the CDC.

The CDC said in its statement that it is continuing to operate the CSO as a voluntary program for such ships that choose to follow the CSO measures voluntarily. 

A number of minor changes are available to see in the updated order, announced through "Dear Colleague" communications to industry partners.

The CDC said it did not view the extension as "imposing any new burdens or obligations on cruise ship operators when compared to the previous CSO ... the most significant change is to narrow the applicability of the CSO to 'foreign-flagged cruise ships operating in U.S. jurisdictions that do not routinely exercise public health jurisdiction nor maintain public health programs that conduct surveillance, inspections, investigations, and management for communicable diseases with potential for significant morbidity and mortality on board foreign-flagged ships."

 

CDC Releases Instructions for Trial Voyages in Path to Service Resumption

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the next two phases of the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) for cruise ships operating or seeking to operate in U.S. waters.

The CDC has published technical instructions for cruise ship operators preparing to conduct simulated voyages in advance of restricted passenger voyages under a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate.

"CDC expects to quickly approve applications that are both complete and accurate," the agency said. 

The guidelines are complex, and there is one key workaround: if 98 per cent of crew are fully vaccinated and 95 per cent of passengers are vaccinated, a cruise operator does not need to conduct simulated sailings. 

The CDC said a cruise line operator should notify them and request approval to conduct a simulated voyage at least 30 calendar days prior to the date on which the cruise ship operator proposes to conduct the simulation but also noted it will respond to submissions within five business days.

With the issuance of these next two phases, cruise ship operators now have all the necessary requirements and recommendations they need to start simulated voyages before resuming restricted passenger voyages and apply for a COVID-19 conditional sailing certificate to begin sailing with restricted passenger voyages, according to a statement from the CDC.

Cruise lines will need to submit information to the CDC such as the dates and location of the voyage, as well as documentation that the cruise line has a written agreement (or a multi-port agreement) with all U.S. port and local health authorities where the cruise ship intends to dock or make port during a simulated voyage. 

 

CDC Warms to the Idea of July Cruising

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be warming to the idea of the cruise industry restarting in July from the United States, according to a report by USA Today.

"We acknowledge that cruising will never be a zero-risk activity and that the goal of the CSO's (Framework for Conditional Sailing Order) phased approach is to resume passenger operations in a way that mitigates the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard cruise ships and across port communities," said Aimee Treffiletti, head of the Maritime Unit for CDC’s COVID-19 response within its Global Mitigation Task Force for COVID-19, a letter obtained by USA Today.

The report went on to quote a spokesperson noting that cruise lines could begin sailing in mid-July, but also citing compliance with the CSO, which cruise lines have called unworkable. 

It is expected that the CDC will soon simplify the CSO, expediting timelines to approve restart plans.

The USA Today report noted that "ships can bypass the required simulated test voyages carrying volunteers and jump to sailings with paying passengers if 98% of crew and 95% of passengers are fully vaccinated."

CDC Drops No Sail Order For Framework For Conditional Sailing Order

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dropped its controversial "No Sail" order in favour of a so-called Conditional Sailing Order.

In short, the "No Sail" order has been lifted and the industry will work with the CDC on a realistic, phased-in return to service.

"The initial phases will consist of testing and additional safeguards for crew members," the CDC said in a statement posted to its website.

"CDC will ensure cruise ship operators have adequate health and safety protections for the crew while these cruise ship operators build the laboratory capacity needed to test future passengers. Subsequent phases will include simulated voyages to test cruise ship operators’ ability to mitigate COVID-19 risk, certification for ships that meet specific requirements, and a phased return to cruise ship passenger voyages in a manner that mitigates COVID-19 risk among passengers, crew members, and U.S. communities.

"These phases are subject to change based on public health considerations and cruise ship operators’ demonstrated ability to mitigate COVID19 risk. CDC will issue additional orders as needed that will be published in the Federal Register and technical instructions that will be subsequently posted on CDC’s website."

The framework allows for individual cruise lines to progress through phases at variable paces, according to the agency, and enables cruise lines successfully implementing public health measures to return to passenger operations more quickly while others by necessity may move more slowly.

The framework not only encourages cruise lines that are more successful at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 but provides a realistic timeline that anticipates COVID-19 continuing to be present and affecting cruise ship travel, the CDC said.

The phased-in approach will include (1) establishment of laboratory testing of the crew onboard cruise ships in U.S. waters; (2) 15 simulated voyages designed to test a cruise ship operators’ ability to mitigate COVID-19 on cruise ships; (3) a certification process; and (4) a return to passenger voyages in a manner that mitigates the risk of COVID-19 introduction, transmission, or spread among passengers and crew onboard ships and ashore to communities.

These phases will be further determined based on public health considerations including the trajectory of COVID-19 transmission and the demonstrated ability of cruise ship operators to successfully employ measures that mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

As part of the initial crew testing phases, the additionally contains requirements for (1) shoreside COVID-19 laboratory screening testing of all crew currently onboard; (2) onboard diagnostic testing capabilities for symptomatic travellers (crew and future passengers); (3) shoreside COVID-19 laboratory screening testing of all newly embarking crew; and (4) continued compliance by cruise ship operators with their complete, accurate, and acknowledged No Sail Order Response Plans.