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CLIA to introduce stringent boarding procedures, protocols to avoid onboard quarantines

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 09 March 2020 09 March 2020

CLIA says industry wide procedures to prevent outbreaks of coronavirus onboard cruise ships and protocols to care for guests on land to avoid quarantine onboard should an outbreak occur are under preparation.

This follows a meeting with the US Vice President Mike Pence and acting Homeland Security Chief Chad Wolf on 7 March.

“We thank the Vice President for a productive meeting marked by our shared focus on public health. We have committed to do even more to protect our guests, our crew and the communities where we sail. This includes more stringent boarding procedures, adding additional onboard medical resources and temperature screenings at embarkation,” CLIA said in a statement.

“We will also develop industry funded protocols to care for guests on land in the event of an incident to eliminate future incidents of onboard quarantine. We are pleased to know the government agencies are prepared to work with us in developing these aggressive new measures. We expect to report back this week with further details of this enhanced approach to protecting public health,” CLIA stated.

Updated: U.S. State Department issues a travel advisory on cruise travel

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 08 March 2020 08 March 2020

According to the U.S. Department of State, which Sunday afternoon issued a travel advisory against cruise travel, it's recommending that Americans, particularly those with existing health issues, avoid travel by cruise ship in light of an increased risk of infection of the COVID-19, also known as coronavirus.

In the statement, the advisory notes that cruise lines continue to face challenges. "Many countries have implemented strict screening procedures that have denied port entry rights to ships and prevented passengers from disembarking," the statement says. "In some cases, local authorities have permitted disembarkation but subjected passengers to local quarantine procedures. While the U.S. government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities."

What's not divulged in the travel advisory, which some U.S. media outlets are erroneously calling a travel warning, is the level of severity of the advisory. The U.S. State Department has three different levels of advisories. These start at #1: "Exercise normal precautions; #2: "Exercise increased caution;" and #3: Reconsider travel."

The fourth, the only level of travel warning, simply states "Do not go." No travel warning has been issued for cruise travel.

We’ll keep you posted as changes occur in this extremely fluid situation.

CLIA response to speculation about U.S. Government action

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 06 March 2020 06 March 2020

Any action to restrict cruising is unwarranted, and at odds with the World Health Organization which “continues to advise against the application of travel or trade restrictions to countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks." Singling out the travel and tourism industry, and cruise lines specifically, will have significant detrimental impacts – some possibly irreversible – on the national and local economies. The cruise industry is a vital artery for the U.S. economy, supporting over 421,000 American jobs and contributing nearly $53 billion to the U.S. economy in 2018. Cruise activity supports travel agencies, airlines, hotels and a broad supply chain of industries that stretches across the United States. With the proactive measures in place by the cruise industry based on prevailing guidance from global health authorities, restricting cruising is unreasonable and will have long-lasting detrimental effects on the U.S. economy well beyond the travel and tourism industry.