Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released guidance for cruise ships to undertake simulated voyages with volunteer passengers as part of its COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate application.
- The COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate application is the final step before restricted passenger voyages.
- Cruise ship operators now have all the necessary requirements and recommendations needed to start simulated voyages before resuming restricted passenger voyages.
- The CDC will continue to update its guidance and recommendations to specify basic safety standards and public health interventions.
With the issuance of these documents, cruise ship operators now have all the necessary requirements and recommendations they need to start simulated voyages before resuming restricted passenger voyages. In addition, this release includes the COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate application, which is the final step before restricted passenger voyages.
CDC released the CSO in October 2020 to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 on cruise ships, from cruise ships into communities, and to protect public health and safety. The order introduced a phased approach for the resumption of passenger cruises to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 onboard.
Today’s guidance provides technical instructions for simulated voyages. This includes:
