UnCruise to Sail Fully-Vaccinated Alaska Voyages
Small-ship line UnCruise Adventures is set to be the first cruise line in Alaska to operate a fully vaccinated cruise.
Both crew and adult passengers will be required to have the vaccine, while kids under 18 will require a negative PCR test result to sail.
Alaska is considered to be the safest state as far as COVID-19 is concerned, and much of the population in the southeastern part of the state has already been vaccinated.
Starting in May, UnCruise will have six ships sailing in Alaska.
STORY: Small Ship Line to Operate First Fully Vaccinated Alaska Cruise
CLIA Calls on CDC to Allow Cruise Resumption
The Cruise Lines International Association is calling on the CDC to allow a phased resumption of cruising from U.S. ports by July.
CLIA president Kelly Craighead said that the CDC’s ‘Conditional Sailing Order’ is now outdated given the current availability of vaccines and industry advancements.
Craighead also noted that over the past eight months, there has been a successful resumption of cruising in Europe, Asia, and South Pacific with the current measures the industry has taken for health and safety.
In the United States, an estimated 300,000 jobs have been lost due to the suspension of cruises.
STORY: CLIA To CDC: Cruise Lines Are Ready to Sail Again In The U.S.
Royal Caribbean Group CEO Says Cruising is a Safe Vacation Choice
During a call with travel advisors, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Richard Fain said that the industry has demonstrated that cruising is a safe vacation choice.
He emphasized the power of testing and contact tracing, and also made note of the fact that these, coupled with vaccines, have put science much further ahead than the CDC’s ‘Conditional Sailing Order’ from October.
In the last week, Royal Caribbean has signaled its frustration with the CDC’s pace by announcing summer cruises that will sail from the Bahamas and Bermuda instead of U.S. ports.
STORY: Cruise CEO: The Industry Has Proven It Can Operate Safely