The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ended its COVID-19 programme for cruise ships.
This means that the agency will no longer publicly release information about COVID cases on board cruise ships.
Earlier this year, the CDC transitioned to a voluntary programme for COVID-19 mitigation on ships, in which it offered recommendations on testing and vaccinations, and cruise lines that opted into that programme agreed to follow the recommendations.
“CDC has worked closely with the cruise industry, state, territorial, and local health authorities, and federal and seaport partners to provide a safer and healthier environment for cruise passengers and crew,” the agency’s website reads. “Cruise ships have access to guidance and tools to manage their own COVID-19 mitigation programs.”
The CDC added that “while cruising poses some risk of COVID-19 transmission, CDC will continue to publish guidance to help cruise ships continue to provide a safer and healthier environment for crew, passengers, and communities going forward.”
Cayman’s tourism minister, Kenneth Bryan, told the Compass Tuesday that the regulations regarding cruise passenger arrivals in the Cayman Islands are due to be reviewed next month.
The regulations are due to expire on 31 Aug. They require all disembarking cruise passengers to be vaccinated – apart from unvaccinated children, who must be accompanied by a vaccinated adult.
Bryan said he was aware of the recent changes by the CDC regarding the management of COVID-19 on board cruise ships, and noted that the agency had stated that it would reevaluate the guidance for cruise ships periodically, based on scientific evidence and the state of the pandemic, and update the guidance as needed.
He added, “The Government will take a balanced approach that considers the new CDC guidelines, along with the economic, social and health and safety related impacts, prior to determining whether any changes are needed in the Regulations going forward. The public can be assured that the well-being of residents remains a priority for government as we all continue to live with COVID-19 and mitigate its potential impact.”
Under its COVID programme, which ended on Monday, 18 July, the CDC had made available on its website a colour-coded chart and spreadsheet that showed the level of spread of COVID-19 on board individual ships, as well as the testing and vaccination rates. That data has now been removed from the CDC webpage.
In an FAQ section of the CDC site, the agency explained that its colour-coding system had depended upon each cruise line having the same COVID-19 screening testing standards, which may now vary among cruise lines.
“Therefore, the cruise ship color status webpage has been retired. CDC will continue to provide testing recommendations for cruise ship operators to follow and cruise ships will continue to report COVID-19 cases to CDC,” the agency stated.
The CDC website says passengers “have the option of contacting their cruise line directly regarding outbreaks occurring on board their ship”.
The agency still recommends that at least 90% of passengers and 95% of the crew on cruise ships be vaccinated and that pre-boarding testing be carried out.
However, some cruise lines have already announced they are dropping the pre-boarding testing requirement for passengers.
Norwegian Cruise Lines, which makes regular stops in Cayman, in a statement earlier this month said it will lift its requirement for passengers to test before embarking from 1 Aug.
Miami-based cruise line Azamara, which does not have a Cayman route, says it is dropping its pre-boarding testing for passengers from today, 25 July. Both cruise lines noted that testing would still be undertaken for ports where local regulations require it, and both are also retaining the requirement for passengers to be vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Princess and Virgin cruise lines have announced they are dropping the requirement that all of their passengers to be vaccinated, stating that 10% of their guests can be unvaccinated.
While Virgin does not have a route that includes Cayman, Princess Cruise Lines visits Cayman regularly, although it does not have another cruise scheduled to arrive here until November.
Under Cayman’s current regulations, unvaccinated cruise passengers are not allowed to disembark here.
Related Videos
Good news the Government continues its – I can’t make a determination about covid unvaccinated. This is the least of the worries of our county because we need leaders to make decisions best for all the people of Cayman and not collect as paycheck while promoting family business.
There is no difference in cruisers coming to the island vs individuals who have flown, that have had layovers in airports – all of these visitors are going to be exposed to non vaxxed and non symptomatic individuals on their travels to Cayman and will surely spread the germs.
The decision to open up the Islands/drop the Covid protocols was a mistake considering how contagious the new BA.5 varient is.
Until there has been enough time to study/and fully understand this terrible virus, Cayman government should have remained vigilant (and patient) and continued to focus on protecting its residents.
Tourism should not have trumped the safety of the residents.
The sooner the CI government moves away from cruise tourism the better off this country will be. This is a terrible industry for the environment, and other than some jobs that are replaceable with effort, the cruise industry adds zero value to this country. Ther per head fee the government makes off each cruiser is hardly significant enough to put up with the long lists of negatives that are associated with the cruise industry. It can be proven that the cruise industry is in fact a net-negative to this country. Georgetown will always be a place that residents avoid as long as cruises are arriving. Plans to re-develop Georgetown will never succeed as long as cruises continue to arrive. The list goes on and on,
It is time to end the the travel requirements and open for all.
Diversity is imperative! We can’t rely solely on residents and stay overs!!!
Please just open up. As a long time condo owner, May family could not all be together because one family member is not vac. It is unfair to him not to be here. He is no more likely to be positive or infect someone then a vaccinated individual. In fact a friend got off a cruise ship where she had to be vac and a negative preboarding test, and was visiting here for n Cayman during their stop. The next day she tested POSITIVE! She is vaccinated, boostered and had a negative test 4 days ago and yet she was positive while in Cayman. This goes to show how vaccinated people can and do spread the disease