The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention extended the conditional sailing order (CSO) for cruise ships "with minor modifications" until Jan. 15, 2022.
"Since issuing the Conditional Sailing Order (CSO), cruise lines have developed and implemented health & safety protocols to manage COVID-19 and resumed cruising. To continue to ensure safe cruising during COVID-19, CDC has extended the CSO to Jan. 15, 2022," the agency Tweeted on Oct. 25, 2021
The current CSO was set to expire Nov. 1, 2021.
The CDC said it intends to transition to a voluntary program after Jan. 15 "in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships."
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) said the move showed that the industry has been successful in mitigating COVID-19 transmission.
"The changes ... announced today show that the Biden Administration and the CDC recognize the cruise industry's successful resumption of operations. We look forward to demonstrating the industry's continued leadership in this final phase of the CSO, and to carrying out a smooth transition when the Order comes to an end on Jan. 15, 2022," CLIA said in a statement. "Cruise industry protocols are unique in their approach to monitor, detect, and respond to potential cases of COVID-19. As a result, CLIA-member ocean-going cruise ships are sailing today with some of the highest levels of COVID-19 mitigation of any industry."
The CDC said this temporary extension "leaves major provisions of the previous CSO unchanged with only minor modifications to incorporate changes in technical instructions made based on discussions and feedback from cruise ship operators and announced through 'Deal Colleague' communications to industry partners. Accordingly, CDC does not view this temporary extension as imposing any new burdens or obligations on cruise ship operators when compared to the previous CSO."
The CDC first issued a no-sail order effective March 14, 2020, after most cruise lines and CLIA voluntarily agreed to suspend cruise operations from U.S. ports for 30 days. It was extended three times until a Framework for Conditional Sailing Order was issued on Oct. 30, 2020, and modified twice before cruise ships began operating test cruises or requiring vaccination of 95 percent of passengers and crew.
The CDC began approving test cruises in late May 2021.
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