On April 8th, 2020 the US Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an Extension of the 'No Sail Order' for Cruise Ships. Initially signed on March 14th, 2020, the Order has been extended for an additional 120 days effective April 8th, on the declaration that COVID-19 continues to constitute a public health emergency.
The Order is intended to:
- preserve human life;
- prevent further introduction, transmission, and spread of COVID-19 into and throughout the United States;
- preserve the public health and critical resources of Federal, State, and Local governments;
- preserve hospital, healthcare, and emergency response resources within the United States; and
- maintain the safety of shipping and harbour conditions, including safety of personnel.
The No Sail Order and other measures applies only to "Cruise Ships" which are defined as 'all commercial, non-cargo, passenger-carrying vessels operating in international, interstate, or intrastate waterways and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States with the capacity to carry 250 or more individuals (passengers and crew) with an itinerary anticipating an overnight stay onboard or a twenty-four (24) hour stay onboard for either passengers or crew'. The Order also applies to any cruise ship that was previously excluded from the March 14th, 2020 Order, by virtue of having voluntarily suspended operations.
It is further ordered now that Cruise ship operators must immediately develop, implement, and within seven (7) days of the signing of this Order:
- Operationalize an appropriate, actionable, and robust plan to prevent, mitigate, and respond to the spread of COVID-19 on board cruise ships;
- Make the Plan described above available to the CDC and US Coast Guard (USCG) personnel within seven (7) days of the signing of this Order; and
- Ensure that the Plan is consistent with the most current CDC recommendations and guidance for any public health actions related to COVID-19.
All terms and conditions of the March 14, 2020 No Sail Order remain in effect. Please
click here to view the Order in its entirety.