CDC Open to USA Cruise Return this Summer

[cruiserking]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/cdc-says-cruises-possible-by-mid-summer-as-tensions-boil-over/ar-BB1fmIxt?ocid=msedgntp

[harkinmr]

11 minutes ago, cruiserking said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/cdc-says-cruises-possible-by-mid-summer-as-tensions-boil-over/ar-BB1fmIxt?ocid=msedgntp

Yes, as long as they are willing to meet the requirements under the CSO, including the test cruises.

Edited April 6, 2021 by harkinmr

[njhorseman]

5 minutes ago, harkinmr said:

Yes, as long as they are willing to meet the requirements under the CSO.

Exactly. The CDC has not changed its position one bit.

People need to read the details, not just the headline.

Edited April 6, 2021 by njhorseman

[cruiserking]

2 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Exactly. The CDC has not changed its position one bit.

People need to read the details, not just the headline.

Considering the CDC hasn't said a word about a potential return date for USA cruising, this is certainly very encouraging. 

 

Jonathan

Edited April 6, 2021 by cruiserking

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, cruiserking said:

Considering the CDC hasn't said a word about a potential return date for USA cruising, this is certainly very encouraging. 

 

Jonathan

No it isn't encouraging. The CDC just said Comply with the procedures we gave you five months ago and you can restart limited cruising."

[harkinmr]

12 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

No it isn't encouraging. The CDC just said Comply with the procedures we gave you five months ago and you can restart limited cruising."

Exactly.  It's up to the cruise lines to accomplish what they need to under the framework.  If that's by mid-summer, then so be it.  

[cruiserking]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

No it isn't encouraging. The CDC just said Comply with the procedures we gave you five months ago and you can restart limited cruising."

I choose to see the glass half full.  After a year and change of crickets from the CDC the gears appear to be shifting slightly. Sure, the lines will have a few more hurdles, but, now the CDC sees a sooner than later path for a U.S. cruise return "hopefully, by mid-summer with revenue restricted cruises". 

 

Jonathan

 

 

[40yearcruiser]

The only encouraging part is that the CDC has stated mid-summer in it's statement.

“This goal aligns with the desire to resume passenger operations in the United States expressed by many major cruise ship operators and travelers; hopefully, by mid-summer with restricted revenue sailings.”

Questions for those in the know:

1. Are the "restricted revenue sailings" the same thing as test sailings? I can't see how a "test" proves anything. Each sailing has a unique mix of passengers so the outcome of a test in no way predicts what might be the outcome of a future sailing. Whoever at the CDC came up with this idea must have never been on a cruise ship.

2. What enforcement capabilities does the CDC have? For example, if a cruiseline pulled a ship into port and began loading passengers on it, how could they be stopped? What would be the penalty for defying the CDC order? 

 

[BermudaBound2014]

11 minutes ago, cruiserking said:

I choose to see the glass half full.  After a year and change of crickets from the CDC the gears appear to be shifting slightly. Sure, the lines will have a few more hurdles, but, now the CDC sees a sooner than later path for a U.S. cruise return "hopefully, by mid-summer with revenue restricted cruises". 

 

Jonathan

 

 

 

I'm not sure what the CDC was to say over the last year?  They put forth the Conditions to sail document last October. After that, it was up to the cruise lines to comply. Not trying to be disrespectful, genuinely curious in what you would have liked to see them do.

[cruiserking]

10 minutes ago, 40yearcruiser said:

The only encouraging part is that the CDC has stated mid-summer in it's statement.

“This goal aligns with the desire to resume passenger operations in the United States expressed by many major cruise ship operators and travelers; hopefully, by mid-summer with restricted revenue sailings.”

Questions for those in the know:

1. Are the "restricted revenue sailings" the same thing as test sailings? I can't see how a "test" proves anything. Each sailing has a unique mix of passengers so the outcome of a test in no way predicts what might be the outcome of a future sailing. Whoever at the CDC came up with this idea must have never been on a cruise ship.

2. What enforcement capabilities does the CDC have? For example, if a cruiseline pulled a ship into port and began loading passengers on it, how could they be stopped? What would be the penalty for defying the CDC order? 

 

I think the "Restricted Revenue sailings" are the half capacity sailings. The test cruises were supposed to have been non-revenue generating cruises. So some form of revenue cruising could potentially happen in the U.S. by mid-summer that's a huge step forward. 

 

Jonathan

[cruiserking]

2 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I'm not sure what the CDC was to say over the last year?  They put forth the Conditions to sail document last October. After that, it was up to the cruise lines to comply. Not trying to be disrespectful, genuinely curious in what you would have liked to see them do.

It took the CDC five months to lay out the conditions for Phase 2A of the Conditional Sail Order. They certainly could have put this together much sooner. 

 

Jonathan

[BermudaBound2014]

3 minutes ago, cruiserking said:

I think the "Restricted Revenue sailings" are the half capacity sailings. The test cruises were supposed to have been non-revenue generating cruises. So some form of revenue cruising could potentially happen in the U.S. by mid-summer that's a huge step forward. 

 

Jonathan

 

I read this as the same thing. A non-revenue generating cruise is restricted to zero revenue.

Edited April 6, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[harkinmr]

16 minutes ago, 40yearcruiser said:

The only encouraging part is that the CDC has stated mid-summer in it's statement.

“This goal aligns with the desire to resume passenger operations in the United States expressed by many major cruise ship operators and travelers; hopefully, by mid-summer with restricted revenue sailings.”

Questions for those in the know:

1. Are the "restricted revenue sailings" the same thing as test sailings? I can't see how a "test" proves anything. Each sailing has a unique mix of passengers so the outcome of a test in no way predicts what might be the outcome of a future sailing. Whoever at the CDC came up with this idea must have never been on a cruise ship.

2. What enforcement capabilities does the CDC have? For example, if a cruiseline pulled a ship into port and began loading passengers on it, how could they be stopped? What would be the penalty for defying the CDC order? 

 

By mid-summer IF the cruise lines meet the parameters of the phased CSO.  It still requires them to step up to the plate and do what they need to do in order to accomplish that.  The CDC has the ability to stop the cruise lines in their tracks if they don't get the conditional permit to sail and decide to side-step that process anyway.  The United States Coast Guard could prevent them boarding passengers or returning to port through US waters.  A real "cruise to nowhere"!  

Edited April 6, 2021 by harkinmr

[BermudaBound2014]

Just now, cruiserking said:

It took the CDC five months to lay out the conditions for Phase 2A of the Conditional Sail Order. They certainly could have put this together much sooner. 

 

Jonathan

If, by 'this' you mean the technical sheet, then I do agree.  

[travelhound]

1 hour ago, cruiserking said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/cdc-says-cruises-possible-by-mid-summer-as-tensions-boil-over/ar-BB1fmIxt?ocid=msedgntp

Very good news 🙂

[RaftingJeremy]

I won’t be holding my breath.  Everytime they have updated anything, the situation gets more muddled.  I’ll stick with my current plan outside the US for the time being.  

[BoozinCroozin]

I wouldn't expect it for any cruise line. I am not sure what cruise ships NCL would even have available for the US if it is lifted for July. 

[KmomChicago]

10 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I'm not sure what the CDC was to say over the last year?  They put forth the Conditions to sail document last October. After that, it was up to the cruise lines to comply. Not trying to be disrespectful, genuinely curious in what you would have liked to see them do.

 

The October conditions further stated that there would be additional instructions forthcoming and that the conditions provided at that point were incomplete.  It has not been the cruise lines that chose to wait. They were told they had to wait for further guidance.

[KmomChicago]

7 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

I wouldn't expect it for any cruise line. I am not sure what cruise ships NCL would even have available for the US if it is lifted for July. 

 

NCL has proactively pitched a scheme for resumption on July 4, which indicates their readiness to have ships available at that point.

[www3traveler]

36 minutes ago, BoozinCroozin said:

I wouldn't expect it for any cruise line. I am not sure what cruise ships NCL would even have available for the US if it is lifted for July. 

Several ships are currently parked in the Caribbean and one off of Long Beach, California.

[ace2542]

12 hours ago, cruiserking said:

Considering the CDC hasn't said a word about a potential return date for USA cruising, this is certainly very encouraging. 

 

Jonathan

What is or was Franconia? (I saw it in your signature) 😀

[Shattered__minds]

my 2c 

after the most recent request by the lines to resume was denied, a letter MAY have been sent threatening international legal action against the US for "discrimination" against the lines, which prompted this change by the CDC. I could definitely see something very messy happen if cruising is not permitted to resume as a whole from the US soon.

[DCGuy64]

13 hours ago, cruiserking said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/cdc-says-cruises-possible-by-mid-summer-as-tensions-boil-over/ar-BB1fmIxt?ocid=msedgntp

Agreed, this is good news. To those who say this is "nothing new," I beg to differ. Read the article!

It's clear the CDC is on the ropes now, with the last big holdout, Carnival, threatening to follow the lead of Royal, NCL, MSC, P&O, and Princess, who have all announced (or are already doing) cruises in the Caribbean, Europe, the UK, Singapore and Israel (the list keeps growing). It tells you something that the CDC didn't say "we haven't changed anything," instead they're forced to announce that cruising can resume this summer. What happened to "impending doom"? Guess that didn't go over too well. Spin it however you want to, with cruise lines taking their ships elsewhere, the CDC obviously had no choice but to try and play ball, finally. Good, better late than never!

 

[cruiserking]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

What is or was Franconia? (I saw it in your signature) 😀

The Franconia was a Cunard ship I sailed to the Caribbean with my folks in the early 70's. 

 

She was the one time Ivernia later refitted for cruising after having sailed the UK - Canada route from 1955 to 1962.

 

Below the Franconia is docked at the New York Cruise Pier circa 1970's. 

 

Jonathan 

[harkinmr]

51 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Agreed, this is good news. To those who say this is "nothing new," I beg to differ. Read the article!

It's clear the CDC is on the ropes now, with the last big holdout, Carnival, threatening to follow the lead of Royal, NCL, MSC, P&O, and Princess, who have all announced (or are already doing) cruises in the Caribbean, Europe, the UK, Singapore and Israel (the list keeps growing). It tells you something that the CDC didn't say "we haven't changed anything," instead they're forced to announce that cruising can resume this summer. What happened to "impending doom"? Guess that didn't go over too well. Spin it however you want to, with cruise lines taking their ships elsewhere, the CDC obviously had no choice but to try and play ball, finally. Good, better late than never!

 

I guess "spin" is in the eye of the beholder.  The CDC did not say cruising "can" resume this summer.  The spokesperson made clear that the 4-phase approach remains in place and that will be the trigger for when cruising can resume.  If that lines up with the cruise lines' goal, then great.   I don't believe that the CDC cares that cruise lines will sail one or two ships outside of the US.  Actually, that makes it easier for them.  

 

“CDC is committed to working with the cruise industry and seaport partners to resume cruising following the phased approach outlined in the conditional sailing order,” CDC spokeswoman Jade Fulce said in a response to questions about Carnival. “This goal aligns with the desire to resume passenger operations in the United States expressed by many major cruise ship operators and travelers; hopefully, by mid-summer with restricted revenue sailings.”