The CDC Has Issued a New Warning for Cruise Ship Travel
The CDC has moved cruise ship travel to its highest warning level due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its recommendations for American travels considering taking a cruise. On December 30, the CDC moved cruise travel from Level 3 in its COVID-19 warning system to Level 4, its highest level.
The advisory says travelers should "avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status." The "avoid travel" tag has been applied due to the possibility of contracting and spreading COVID-19 onboard. Additionally, the CDC notes that there have been recent outbreaks on cruise ships, which is part of the reason for the change.
"If you travel on a cruise ship," the CDC writes, "make sure you are fully vaccinated before travel and get a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose if you are eligible." It adds that the chance of getting COVID-19 on a cruise ship is "very high." The agency also recommends that you take a PCR test one to three days prior to cruise travel and three to five days after the trip. Moreover, it says that passengers who are not fully vaccinated "should self-quarantine for a full five days after cruise travel." Onboard, the CDC recommends that you wear a mask in shared spaces.
Cruise travel being placed at Level 4 has it joining many, many countries and territories that are at the Level 4 status due to the COVID-19 situation in those areas. That includes recently added countries like Sweden, Finland, Monaco, Spain, France, Italy, South Africa, and other countries.