Top US health agency warns ‘avoid cruise travel’

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned against cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status, as it investigates dozens of Covid-infected ships.

America’s top health body has warned people against cruises, vaccinated or not, as the highly contagious Omicron variant spreads across the world.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased its travel warning for cruises to the highest level amid a major spike in Covid cases on cruise ships operating in US waters.

“It is especially important that travellers who are at an increased risk of severe illness from Covid-19 avoid travel on cruise ships, including river cruises, worldwide, regardless of vaccination status,” the agency said on Thursday.

Cruise ships operating in US waters have reported nearly 5000 Covid cases to the agency between December 15-29, compared to just 162 cases reported in the first two weeks of December, according to local news outlets.

The agency warned Covid transmits easily between people in close quarters on ships and the chance of infections is very high – even if you have been vaccinated.

It‘s advice for anyone planning a cruise is get vaccinated and take a booster shot if eligible; wear face masks in shared spaces. Take a Covid test one to three days before departure and three to five days after the trip, even if you are not showing symptoms.

If you are not fully vaccinated, self-quarantine for five days after travel.

The risk of infection on cruise ships is very high, the CDC has warned. Picture: Getty Images

Cruise ships sailing in the US must comply with a CDC-dictated framework, even when sailing outside national waters.

They are assigned colour categories depending on the Covid cases they have encountered, ranging from green (no cases) to red (reported cases at or above the threshold for investigation). If a ship is designated red, it is required to return to port.

Between the two are orange (reported cases but below the threshold for investigation) and yellow (meeting the threshold for CDC investigation).

The CDC investigates when one in a thousand passengers tests positive for the virus over a week.

Carnival line has the most ships under investigation, with at least 32 of the 86 cruises currently in yellow status. Royal Caribbean has at least 25 and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings 16.

Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas had 55 cases emerge on a recent sailing, not long after Symphony of the Seas, the world’s largest ship, had 48 cases on board.

Royal Caribbean has stopped taking bookings for January, citing its health protocols and saying they had “met the limited capacity we’ve set”.

Many lines are only accepting vaccinated passengers, who are tested before coming on board.

In recent incidents, several ports refused affected ships permission to land.

Carnival this week said that most of its ships’ itineraries were unchanged, despite the effects of the Omicron variant.

Despite Carnival’s optimism, the effects of Omicron have led to worries in the industry that US health officials may reintroduce a temporary ban on cruising, shortly after it returned.

Investigations are under way, or have been completed with the vessel under observation, for these yellow-designated ships:
American Queen Steamboat Company’s American Queen,

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s Grand Classica, Carnival Corporation’s Carnival Breeze, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Dream, Carnival Elation, Carnival Freedom, Carnival Glory, Carnival Legend, Carnival Magic, Carnival Mardi Gras, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Pride, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Sunrise, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Valor, Carnival Vista, Queen Mary 2, Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam, Zioderda, Caribbean Princess, Emerald Princess, Enchanted Princess, Grand Princess, Majestic Princess, Regal Princess, Ruby Princess and Seabourn Ovation, Walt Disney Company’s Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, Gentling Hong Kong Limited’s Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, MSC Cruise Management (UK)’s MSC Divina and MSC Seashore, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Dawn, Nowegian Encore, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Nowegian Gem, Norwegian Em, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Pearl, Insignia, Riviera, Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Splendor, Royal Caribbean Group’s Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Constellation, Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Equinox, Celebrity Millennium, Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Summit, Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, Jewell of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas, Silver Spirit and Silver Whisper, Viking Cruises’ Viking Orion, Viking Sea and Viking Star, Virgin Cruises Intermediate Limited’s Scarlet Lady.

Several crew-only cruises are designated orange and are being monitored.