WASHINGTON, June 18 ― The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its warnings for cruises by a notch from the highest level that led to a sailing hiatus, and recommended only fully vaccinated people take trips when sailings resume from US ports in a few days.
The health regulator's updates, first posted on Wednesday, comes after two passengers on Royal Caribbean Group's Celebrity Millennium tested positive, and cases of infection among crew members aboard its Odyssey of the Seas, forcing delay of its first trip. The previous warning, the highest at level 4, imposed after incidents of rapidly spreading infections on ships last year, recommended that travellers avoid cruise trips altogether. The CDC lowered it to level 3 that indicates “high” risk.
With nearly half of the US population fully vaccinated, cruises are in huge demand as consumer are eager to travel after staying at home for over a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.