A month after SC’s Carnival Sunshine sets sail, CDC issues cruise COVID safety rules
Within one day of setting sail from Charleston for the first time since the pandemic began, the Carnival Sunshine detected COVID-19 on board.
The ship was leaving just a couple weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave a blanket warning to Americans advising against any and all cruise travel. The Carnival Sunshine is the only ship from a major cruise line that embarks from South Carolina.
The CDC announced Tuesday that it was lowering its safety advisories for cruise travel. The travel risk is now a Level 3 rather than a Level 4, meaning that COVID-19 levels on ships are just “high” rather than “very high.”
“The decision by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lower the Travel Health Notice threat level for cruise ships is a step in the right direction and recognizes the leadership and effectiveness of the cruise sector’s health and safety protocols that are unmatched by virtually any other commercial setting,” Cruise Lines International Association said in a statement responding to the CDC’s decision.
The agency recommends anyone planning to go on a cruise be up to date with their vaccinations, which includes getting a booster shot if eligible. People are eligible for a booster shot six months after their final dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or two months after getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The CDC noted in its updated safety recommendations that anyone booking a cruise right now should keep in mind that health recommendations could change in the coming weeks and months. The situation for COVID-19 on board ships right now might not be the same later in the spring, summer or even next week.
“Cruise ships have medical, isolation and quarantine facilities on site, implement extensive response plans using private shoreside resources, and have created an environment where almost every single person is fully vaccinated,” the cruise industry group said in its statement. “As a result, cases of COVID-19 are very low, with the vast majority mild or asymptomatic— making cruise unequaled in its multi-layered approach to effectively mitigating COVID-19.”
The Carnival Sunshine is currently at “yellow status,” according to the CDC’s case tracker, which means there is at least one COVID-19 case on board. Most U.S. ships on the water are at “yellow” status or higher and have been for weeks.
The lowered safety advisory from the CDC comes one month after the agency made its stringent COVID-19 rules optional going forward. However, many cruise lines are continuing to abide by the rules, including requiring or recommending mask wearing, and requiring full vaccination for most passengers and crew.
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 1:23 PM with the headline "A month after SC’s Carnival Sunshine sets sail, CDC issues cruise COVID safety rules."
