by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:42 AM ET, Tue March 8, 2022
The Canadian government announced cruise ships would once again be welcomed to its ports in 2022, but strict coronavirus-related restrictions will be in place to ensure the safety of travelers and the locals.
According to the Canadian Press, Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced a series of COVID-19 measures that will be enforced when cruise ships return to Canada's ports next month after a nearly two-year hiatus.
The move will also ensure the Alaska cruise season will include stops in Canada.
As part of the new guidelines, all cruise ship passengers and crew members must show proof of a complete vaccination before being permitted to enter Canada and a negative coronavirus test taken within one day of boarding.
In addition, passengers must present a negative test result within 72 hours before their return to Canada or an antigen test result within one day of their arrival. Cruise operators will also need to monitor and report test results to the Canadian government.
The framework for the return to sailing was developed with federal, local and provincial public health agencies, officials from the United States government and executives and representatives from the cruise industry.
"The industry will have to follow a robust protocol," Alghabra told the CBC.
The federal government revealed the cruise industry is worth about $4 billion annually to the Canadian economy and is responsible for about 30,000 jobs. The 2022 cruise season in Canada will run between April and November.
Port of Halifax CEO Allan Gray said the government's return of cruising announcement "gives a clear signal to ports and to tourism operators that ships are returning in a safe manner."
On Monday, Holland America Line announced plans for an entire season of Alaska and Canada/New England sailings in 2022, now that the Canadian government has published procedures for the safe resumption of cruises to its ports.
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