The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has praised the cruise industry for its collaborative approach to the restart of sailings, despite its current advice against cruising.
CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky also indicated that the current Conditional Sail Order would not be renewed after its expiry on Saturday, Cruise Industry News in the US reported.
Walensky was speaking during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, where she commended lines for their efforts in monitoring Covid cases and implementing enhanced procedures.
She noted a 30-fold increase in Covid-19 cases onboard ships over the past two weeks, leading to the change in the CDC’s advice, but said the current Sail Order was still expected to move to a voluntary programme run by cruise lines with CDC oversight.
She said: “I think the Conditional Sail Order and the fact the industry has stepped up and is now interested in exceeding the compliance with the Sail Order without the order necessarily being in place is a real testimonial to how well that has worked.”
Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski had asked for reassurance over the 2022 cruise season, but Walensky would not be drawn on the outlook for the year ahead.