Are People Still Quarantined On Cruise Ships?

Health authorities no longer quarantine whole ships when a few or many passengers and crew test positive for COVID-19. The current protocol on most ships is to quickly isolate COVID-19-positive passengers and their close contacts. However, only COVID-19-positive passengers are quarantined on cruise ships.

Guests who test positive for COVID on a Carnival cruise will need to isolate until their medical team says it is safe to resume activities. Data from July 15 shows 95 of 95 ships the CDC tracks have non-green status, indicating the possibility of COVID cases during the past seven days. The status changes from green with as.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new advisory Thursday that travelers should avoid traveling by cruise ship, regardless of vaccination status, after several Florida-based ships reported COVID-19 outbreaks. After several Florida-based ships reported COVID-19 outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 88 vessels are now under either investigation or observation.

By June 2020, over 40 cruise ships had confirmed positive cases of coronavirus on board. The last cruise ship with passengers aboard during the first wave of COVID-19 outbreak was the last ship with passengers aboard during the first wave.

The CDC requests that cruise ships submit a cumulative ARI report (even if no ARI cases have occurred) preferably within 24 hours before arrival in the country. Many people, whether on cruise ships or at home, have stopped testing themselves every time they have a runny nose or feel a little off. Since cruising will always pose some risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, ensure that people planning cruise ship travel are up to date with their vaccinations.

Major cruise lines PO, Cunard, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America have extended their ban on cruising until mid-May. Quarantined guests should always be honest with the ships’ medical staff, even if their symptoms seem insignificant.

How likely are you to get COVID on a cruise ship?

Coronavirus Disease 2019. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, spreads more easily between people in close quarters, and multiple studies have concluded that transmission rates of SARS-CoV-2 among travelers on ships are much greater than in other settings. Cruise ship COVID-19 outbreaks can tax onboard medical and public health resources. Ship-to-shore medical evacuations to facilities capable of providing higher levels of medical care can present logistical challenges and pose additional risks to ill patients.

Cruise passengers and crewmembers who are not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines are at increased risk for severe illness, hospitalization, medical evacuation, and death. Since cruising will always pose some risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, ensure that people planning cruise ship travel are up to date with their vaccinations, and assess their likelihood for developing severe COVID-19. For people at increased risk of severe COVID-19 regardless of their vaccination status (e.g., pregnant people, people who are immunocompromised), discuss the potential health hazards associated with cruise ship travel. CDC has developed recommendations and guidance designed to help cruise ship operators provide a safer and healthier environment for crewmembers, passengers, port personnel, and communities.

Influenza. Historically, influenza has been among the most often reported VPDs occurring on cruise ships. Because passengers and crew originate from all regions of the globe, shipboard outbreaks of influenza A and B can occur year-round, with exposure to strains circulating in different parts of the world (see Sec. 5, Part 2, Ch. 12, Influenza). Thus, anyone planning a cruise should receive the current seasonal influenza vaccine ≥2 weeks before travel if vaccine is available and no contraindications exist. For people at high risk for influenza complications, health care providers should discuss chemoprophylaxis and how and when to initiate antiviral treatment.

Is it safe to go to the Bahamas on a cruise?

The Bahamas – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Updated with additional water safety information. Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to crime. Country Summary: The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands.

Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due tocrime.

Country Summary:The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the “Over the Hill” area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population. Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence.

Activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated.Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications. Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities. Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred. Due to these safety concerns, U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.

Is it safe to go on a cruise now?

After the coronavirus shut down the industry, cruise lines further strengthened their protocols to include safeguards against airborne pathogens. They included social distancing and mask-wearing requirements, as well as the enhancement of air filtration systems. Other measures included contact tracing protocols, mandatory vaccination requirements and the expansion of onboard medical facilities and staff.

Many of the COVID-19-related policies — including requirements for mask-wearing and mandatory vaccination — have been relaxed, but the lines are able to reinstate them quickly if needed.

In addition to following cruise ship wellness policies, there are other ways you can minimize your chances of becoming ill when you sail. The best way to avoid both catching and transmitting germs is to wash your hands, particularly before eating and after using the restroom or coming in contact with high-touch surfaces like handrails and elevator buttons.

How to prevent norovirus on cruise?

1. Wash Your Hands. The number-one way to avoid getting sick with Norovirus or other illnesses on a cruise is to thoroughly wash your hands more than you ordinarily would before and after you eat, after you use the restroom, when returning to the cruise ship after a day in port and every time you touch a stranger or an oft-touched item like a stairway railing or a slot machine. In this way, you’ll kill any germs before they can infect you.

In addition to ramping up hand-washing, also take advantage of the hand sanitizers strategically placed around cruise ships in the dining areas, by the gangway and even in various lounges and public spaces (we even recommend carrying a mini bottle in your purse or travel tote). But note that using a hand sanitizer is not areplacementfor basic hand-washing.

2. Drink Water. Staying hydrated is a great way to stay healthy, whether it’s during a hot day at the beach or in the stale air of an airplane on the way to your port of embarkation. Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up in the ship’s buffet restaurant or in your cabin, or buy beverages ashore. (Heed signs to not fill up bottles directly from the water dispenser in the buffet, and fill up glasses of water to dump into your bottle instead.)

How do I avoid getting norovirus on a cruise?

1. Wash Your Hands. The number-one way to avoid getting sick with Norovirus or other illnesses on a cruise is to thoroughly wash your hands more than you ordinarily would before and after you eat, after you use the restroom, when returning to the cruise ship after a day in port and every time you touch a stranger or an oft-touched item like a stairway railing or a slot machine. In this way, you’ll kill any germs before they can infect you.

In addition to ramping up hand-washing, also take advantage of the hand sanitizers strategically placed around cruise ships in the dining areas, by the gangway and even in various lounges and public spaces (we even recommend carrying a mini bottle in your purse or travel tote). But note that using a hand sanitizer is not areplacementfor basic hand-washing.

2. Drink Water. Staying hydrated is a great way to stay healthy, whether it’s during a hot day at the beach or in the stale air of an airplane on the way to your port of embarkation. Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it up in the ship’s buffet restaurant or in your cabin, or buy beverages ashore. (Heed signs to not fill up bottles directly from the water dispenser in the buffet, and fill up glasses of water to dump into your bottle instead.)

Do you have to be vaccinated to go on a cruise Carnival?

VACCINATION & TESTING. Although vaccines are not required, we encourage all guests, 5 years of age and older, to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, when eligible, and carry proof of vaccination. Testing is not required for either vaccinated or unvaccinated guests. However, we encourage all guests, 5 years and older, to take a pre-cruise COVID-19 test within three days of their cruise.

We will continue to monitor the protocols and requirements of the destinations we visit and will update our guests directly and this page of any changes.

Have questions? Check out our Have Fun. Be Safe. FAQs for all sailings, except Carnival Luminosa’s 09/14/2023 voyage.

Do I need any vaccinations for a Caribbean cruise?

What Vaccines Do I Need for the Caribbean and Northern America? The NaTHNaC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for travellers to the Caribbean and Northern America: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, cholera, yellow fever and rabies.

The Caribbean and Northern America offer a wide variety of experiences for all kinds of travellers. From the snows of Greenland to the seasides of Jamaica, there is something for everyone.

On This Page:What Vaccines Do I Need for the Caribbean and Northern America?Are There Other Health Concerns in the Caribbean and Northern America?What Are the Entry Requirements in the Caribbean and Northern America?Travelling to Another Destination?

Passport Health offers all the vaccinations and medications you may need to travel safely throughout the region. See our What Vaccines… section to learn more.

Do you need to be vaccinated to go on a cruise ship?

Most major cruise lines do not require guests to be vaccinated unless they’re traveling from or to a destination that requires it.Still, there are exceptions. Some cruise lines encourage vaccination even though they don’t require it. Some may also require pre-board testing for unvaccinated people.

4 Cruises That Require Vaccines. The following cruise lines require vaccines for travel based on certain factors:

• Costa Cruises: You should get vaccines as required by the destination(s) you intend to visit, though COVID vaccines are unnecessary.
• Holland America Line: Influenza vaccination is recommended, while other required vaccinations will vary based on the destination.
• MSC Cruises: You must be vaccinated according to what’s necessary or appropriate for visiting your destination.
• Virgin Voyages: COVID vaccines are not required when sailing on the Valiant Lady and Scarlet Lady ships. However, yellow fever vaccination may be necessary for travel to Australia from a country at risk for the illness.

How common is norovirus on cruise ships?

“The virus is often associated with cruise travel simply because health officials are required to track illnesses on ships,” Shah said. “The CDC estimates only about 1% of annual U.S. norovirus cases happen on cruise ships. Rates are much higher in schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and restaurants, which collectively account for about 91% of cases.”

Minji Kang, MD, an assistant professor and infectious disease specialist in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center added that norovirus can also be brought onboard by contaminated food or water, or passengers who were infected while ashore.

Because norovirus outbreaks can flare up in the close quarters of a ship, the cruise industry has had norovirus prevention programs in place for nearly 20 years, Labus said. “They have the right chemicals needed to control it and the plans and training for how to use them appropriately.”

What if I test positive for COVID on a cruise ship?

What happens if I test positive for COVID-19 on my cruise?

While quarantine process varies by cruise line, you will be quarantined onboard the ship if you test positive. Staff on the ship will serve you in the area where you are quarantined. If you require land-based quarantine, the cruise line will likely facilitate and assist as needed.

The cruise lines will also require any travel partners to undergo additional testing and they will likely be quarantined in their staterooms until safe to resume regular activities.

What if I need medical attention for COVID-19 on my cruise?

How often do people get sick on cruises?

CLIA says that norovirus is rare on cruise ships when compared to the general risk in the US, but outbreaks do seem to be reported with some frequency. In 2023, there were 14 reports of gastrointestinal outbreaks onboard cruise ships arriving in the US (out of thousands of sailings), and all but one was attributed to norovirus.

Captain Luis Rodriguez, the acting chief of the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program, notes that the CDC reported more cruise ship outbreaks in 2023 than 2022, but there was also an increase in shoreside cases during this time. Rodriguez, who holds a graduate degree in public health, explains that the CDC directly “tracks illnesses on cruise ships, so cases are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land” (which relies on state and local health departments to collect data and report to the agency separately).

“Norovirus outbreaks commonly occur in crowded living accommodations or communities where persons are physically close,” Rodriguez says. “Pathogens that cause norovirus outbreaks can spread quickly in closed and semi enclosed environments, such as a cruise ship.” In short, any crowded space comes with higher transmission risks, and since the reporting requirements of illnesses on cruise ships are so stringent, outbreaks can appear more common than they actually are.

How likely am I to get sick on a cruise?

CLIA says that norovirus is rare on cruise ships when compared to the general risk in the US, but outbreaks do seem to be reported with some frequency. In 2023, there were 14 reports of gastrointestinal outbreaks onboard cruise ships arriving in the US (out of thousands of sailings), and all but one was attributed to norovirus.

Captain Luis Rodriguez, the acting chief of the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program, notes that the CDC reported more cruise ship outbreaks in 2023 than 2022, but there was also an increase in shoreside cases during this time. Rodriguez, who holds a graduate degree in public health, explains that the CDC directly “tracks illnesses on cruise ships, so cases are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land” (which relies on state and local health departments to collect data and report to the agency separately).

“Norovirus outbreaks commonly occur in crowded living accommodations or communities where persons are physically close,” Rodriguez says. “Pathogens that cause norovirus outbreaks can spread quickly in closed and semi enclosed environments, such as a cruise ship.” In short, any crowded space comes with higher transmission risks, and since the reporting requirements of illnesses on cruise ships are so stringent, outbreaks can appear more common than they actually are.