What Is The Conditional Sailing Order?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) for cruise ships to January 15, 2022, following concerns about the continued spread of the delta variant of COVID-19. The CSO was initially implemented to prevent further outbreaks among ships in US Territorial waters but has since been replaced by a new framework. The CSO requires 95% of both passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated to sail in most circumstances.

The current CSO is set to expire on January 15, 2022, at which point it will transition to a voluntary program. The guidance provides technical instructions for cruise ship operators operating in U.S. waters and those operating cruise ships. The CSO aims to prevent the further introduction, transmission, and spread of COVID-19 into and throughout the United States via cruise ships.

The CSO was initially issued in October 2020 to prevent further outbreaks among ships in US Territorial waters. However, it was later extended through January 15, 2022, citing the continued spread of the delta variant of Covid-19. The current CSO is set to transition to a voluntary program upon expiry.

The CDC’s new framework lays out a phased, deliberate, and intentional pathway toward resuming passenger services on cruise ships. Starting November 1, the CSO is the first step toward resuming cruising in and out of US ports. The next phase of the CSO will include simulated voyages that allow crew and port personnel to practice new COVID-19 operational procedures with volunteers before sailing.