CDC Slams Cruise Ships Over Coronavirus Outbreaks, Bans Sailing

SAN PEDRO, CA — The Centers for Disease Control Thursday announced that the no sail order for cruise ships is extended through September 30, citing a growing number of coronavirus outbreaks from March through July.

Cruise ships are more crowded than many cities, with crew and passengers sharing spaces, according to the CDC.

With the new order, ships are banned from sailing in U.S. waters.

"This order continues to suspend passenger operations on cruise ships with the capacity to carry at least 250 passengers in waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction," the CDC reports.

"Cumulative CDC data from March 1 through July 10, 2020, shows 2,973 COVID-19 or COVID-like illness cases on cruise ships, in addition to 34 deaths," according to the CDC.

"These cases were part of 99 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships. During this time frame, 80 percent of ships were affected by COVID-19. As of July 3, nine of the 49 ships under the No Sail Order have ongoing or resolving outbreaks. According to U.S. Coast Guard data, as of July 10, 2020, there are 67 ships with 14,702 crew onboard."

Cruise Lines International Association voluntarily suspended cruise ships sailing from U.S. ports through September 15, the group announced in June.

The CDC praised this decision and described how the coronavirus can spread on a cruise ship.

"Even when only essential crew are on board, ongoing spread of COVID-19 still occurs," the CDC reports. "If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, passengers and crew on board would be at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and those that work or travel on cruise ships would place substantial unnecessary risk on healthcare workers, port personnel and federal partners (i.e., Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Coast Guard), and the communities they return to."

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