Guidance for Traveling on Cruise Ships Changed

Guidance for Traveling on Cruise Ships Changed

Americans are anxious to get back to normal after over a year of being limited in their activities because of the pandemic.  For many seniors, as well as others, that includes vacationing, and vacationing includes trips on cruise ships.

Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relaxed its warning for cruise travel for the first time since several outbreaks on ships brought the industry to a halt last year.

The new guidance is as follows:

  • CDC recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide. Since the virus spreads more easily between people in close quarters aboard ships, the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high. It is especially important that people who are not fully vaccinated with an increased risk of severe illness avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises.

Cruise passengers who are not fully vaccinated are more likely to get COVID-19, which spreads person-to-person, and outbreaks of COVID-19 have been reported on cruise ships.

  • People who decide to go on a cruise should get tested 1–3 days before their trip and 3–5 days after their trip.
  • In addition to testing, passengers who are not fully vaccinated should self-quarantine for 7 days after cruise travel, even if they test negative. If they do not get tested, they should self-quarantine for 10 days after cruise travel.

Close