CDC Explains Why It’s Lifting Conditional Sailing Order
The CDC is playing nice with the cruise lines.
In a telebriefing on COVID-19, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky was asked why the CDC is lifting its Conditional Sailing Order after recommending against cruise travel due to outbreaks onboard.
She said that the advisory was issued when the agency started seeing more omicron cases on board, just like on land. She then implied that the order is no longer needed because cruise lines are imposing their own standards that meet or exceed the CDC’s guidelines.
Both the cruise lines and the CDC acknowledge there will be cases onboard…. currently on-board COVID rates remain below one percent, whereas New York City currently has an infection rate of 31 percent.
Carnival Horizon Headed Back to Florida
After an unplanned dry dock to fix a mechanical issue, Carnival Horizon is now headed back to Florida.
The ship experienced propulsion issues in late November, forcing Carnival to cancel voyages into January. It entered dry dock in Italy to fix the problem, where it also received the new Carnival red, white, and blue livery design.
Carnival Sunshine and Liberty reentered service early to pick up Horizon’s Miami itineraries.
When it arrives back in Miami, Horizon’s first cruise is set to be an eight-night southern Caribbean voyage on January 22.
Viking Alters World Cruise One Day Before It’s Set to Begin
Luxury line Viking altered its 120-night world cruise one day before its scheduled departure this week. Instead of sailing west towards the South Pacific and Asia, Viking Star will head south from Los Angeles to Mexico and around South America before heading across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
The ship was in Los Angeles yesterday as planned, but will now depart on Wednesday evening.
Viking said issues came up with ports west of the International Dateline, including India closing to cruise ships.
Those who want to cancel instead of take the new itinerary will receive a 120 percent future cruise credit.
This news comes on the heels of an altered Regent world cruise itinerary last week, which also was announced one day before departure.
![Sun Princess Christened in Barcelona by Hannah Waddingham, Princess Cruises [PHOTOS]](https://cruiseradio.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sun-Princess-Christening-6-300x169.jpg)
