The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dropped its warnings to cruise ship travelers regarding COVID-19. Although passengers will no longer have to worry about COVID-19 protocols, the CDC urges travelers to make sure they are up to date on their COVID vaccination.
The CDC said in a statement on Friday that it will leave the decision to the individual to determine whether or not passengers want to face the risks of boarding a cruise ship.
Travelers considering a cruise can check each boat’s CDC Cruise Ship Color Code and Vaccination Status Classification.
The CDC had previously issued a travel advisory level 4 warning on December 30, 2021, due to the growing concerns over the recent Omicron variant that caused a significant outbreak of COVID-19 cases at the time.
The cruise industry took a significant hit while restrictions and lockdowns were in place. Each of the major cruise lines — Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean — reportedly lost $900 million per month during the pandemic for an estimated total loss of $80 billion.
Some cruise lines filed lawsuits against the CDC for its “discriminatory act” that prevented cruise ships from operating. In addition, advocates said the policy was “oppressive and burdensome” to cruise operators, claiming the companies had been unfairly singled out.
Virgin Voyages CEO Tom McAlpin told Yahoo Finance, “We finally see that the CDC has been listening to what we’ve been saying for a long time: that cruising is the safest way to travel… I think that they finally realize that cruising is safe.”