Are Cruise Ports Safe For U S Travelers?

Cruise ships are generally safe as long as passengers use common sense and avoid dangerous ports. However, rough seas and high winds can make ocean travel dangerous, while uncertainties on land pose risks for visitors. After two Carnival Cruise Line passengers were allegedly sexually assaulted in the Bahamas amid travel warnings, some travelers may wonder if the CDC has developed recommendations and guidance to help cruise ship operators provide a safer and healthier environment for crewmembers and passengers.

Cruise ships operating from U.S. ports must meet the requirements of the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), which reports Dangerous Cruise Ports You Should Stay Far Away From. It is important for travelers to assess risks and crime in the U.S. and on board cruise ships, and their cruise companies may require passports even if U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or foreign port of entry does not.

If cruise passengers avoided all countries with State Department advisories over the years, there would be no cruise industry at all. Currently, Haiti has serious rebel unrest, and U.S. citizens and U.S. embassies are being evacuated due to the port. When traveling to destinations that may not be safe or have dangerous ports, travelers should travel in a group rather than alone. Outbreaks of chickenpox, flu, and COVID-19 have been reported on cruise ships, and many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are not common in the United States.