Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industry’s leading trade organization, announced it would delay resuming cruises from U.S. ports until Sept. 15.
Concerns about the coronavirus caused the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue a “no-sail order” through July 24. The CLIA, whose members carry more than 95% of the world’s cruisegoers, voluntarily decided to extend that suspension. The suspension may even go past Sept. 15, depending on the trajectory of COVID-19.
Similar to the CDC order, the suspension will apply to vessels that carry 250 or more passengers.
“Although we had hoped that cruise activity in the U.S. could resume as soon as possible after that date, it is increasingly clear that more time will be needed to resolve barriers to resumption in the United States,” Bari Golin-Blaugrund, senior director for strategic communications at CLIA, told USA Today.
“We want the traveling public to know in no uncertain terms that when we do resume operations in the U.S., it will be with the confidence that we have the necessary protocols and systems in place and that we have done so with the input of the CDC,” she added.
Some cruise lines, including Norwegian Cruise Line, have individually decided to delay sailing until the fall.
The cruise industry has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic after large outbreaks on some cruise ships.
