Cruis Ship Docks In St. Thomas, The First In 15 Months

ST. THOMAS, USVI — On July 6, St. Thomas welcomed its first cruise ship since March 2020. The docks have been empty since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the cruise industry more than a year ago.

The Celebrity Edge sailed into the harbor around 11 a.m., bringing approximately 1,500 passengers and 700 crew members to St. Thomas, as reported by the Virgin Islands Daily News.

The Centers for Disease Control requires that at least 95% of passengers be fully vaccinated. But Florida law, where the Celebrity Edge sailed from on June 26, prevents businesses from requiring proof of vaccination. That means the cruise ships cannot require passengers to prove they've been vaccinated.

In order to comply with both guidelines, Celebrity Cruises gave guests the option to share their vaccination status. Guests who chose not to share will be subject to the same rules as unvaccinated passengers, which includes restrictions like wearing a mask on the boat and while in port.

According to the V.I. Health Department, unvaccinated passengers must submit a negative COVID test within five days of embarkation and another at the time of boarding at the cruise ship port.

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