Most North American cruising on hold until October as CDC extends 'no-sail' order
Call it the final nail in the coffin for a quick comeback to cruising in North America.
Citing the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) late Thursday extended its “no-sail” order for cruise ships operating out of U.S. ports until Sept. 30.
Initially announced in March and extended in April, the order had been scheduled to expire on July 24.
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The order forbids cruise companies from operating passenger trips out of U.S. ports or calling at U.S. ports with passengers.
"On cruise ships, passengers and crew share spaces that are more crowded than most urban settings," the CDC said in a statement. "Even when only essential crew are on board, ongoing spread of COVID-19 still occurs. If unrestricted cruise ship passenger operations were permitted to resume, passengers and crew on board would be at increased risk of COVID-19 infection."
The CDC also said that those who work or travel on cruise ships would put "substantial unnecessary risk" on healthcare workers, port personnel, Customs and Border Protection agents and U.S. Coast Guard staff. The people that cruisers come in contact with after returning home also would be put at unnecessary risk, the agency suggested.
In announcing the order, the CDC noted there had been a significant number of coronavirus cases and deaths on cruise ships within U.S. jurisdiction in recent months. The agency said it recorded 2,973 confirmed COVID-19 cases or COVID-19-like illnesses on cruise ships within U.S. jurisdiction between March 1 and July 10. It said it recorded 34 deaths.
For much of the period when the cases and deaths were recorded, only crew were on the ships.
The CDC said it recorded a total of 99 COVID-19 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships from March 1 through July 10. That was 80% of all ships within U.S. jurisdiction during the time frame.
Related: Is cruising done until 2021? This line thinks so
Nine ships within U.S. jurisdiction still have ongoing or resolving COVID-19 outbreaks on board, the CDC noted.
In a statement sent to TPG, the main trade group for the cruise industry, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), did not criticize the order extension.
"CLIA and its member lines remain aligned with the CDC in our commitment to public health and safety," the trade group said.
CLIA added that it was looking forward to discussing issues around the industry's resumption of passenger operations with the CDC.
"As we continue to work towards the development of enhanced protocols to support the safe resumption of cruise operations around the world, we look forward to timely and productive dialogue with the CDC to determine measures that will be appropriate for ocean-going cruise operations to resume in the United States when the time is right," CLIA said.
The extension of the "no-sail" order will likely bring a wave of additional cruise cancellations, although only for sailings scheduled for the last weeks of September.
Most cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Holland America already have canceled all cruises in North America through at least Sept. 15. Some lines already have canceled sailing into October or even November.
The only exceptions are a few lines that operate very small vessels in U.S. waters that still have sailings on the schedule for as early as August and may still be able to operate them.
Related: How to book a cruise with points and miles
The extended no-sail order does not apply to cruise vessels designed to carry fewer than 250 people (passengers and crew combined).
Small-ship specialists American Cruise Lines, which operates a fleet of 12 small vessels on U.S. rivers and coastal waterways, still hope to restart cruises in limited locations in the coming month or two. America Cruise Lines vessels hold just 100 to 190 passengers.
Also hoping to restart some cruising as soon as August are U.S. riverboat line American Queen Steamboat Company and Alaska small-ship adventure specialist UnCruise Adventures.
The latter company operates ships that carry just 22 to 86 passengers.
The CDC said the extended order would stay in place unless the U.S. government determines the coronavirus outbreak is no longer a public health emergency. The order also can be rescinded or modified by the CDC director. The CDC included similar language in its last extension of the order.
Additional resources for cruisers during the coronavirus outbreak:
- When will cruising resume? A line-by-line guide
- Why you shouldn't expect bargain-basement cruise deals anytime soon
- How to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus
- Expecting a refund for a canceled cruise? Here's how long it will take
- Some of the year's hottest new ships could be delayed
- Stream these 13 movies, television shows to get your cruise ship fix
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.