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The
assurance comes after the state of Alaska last week joined
Florida's April 8 suit to overturn a CDC decision to bar the
industry from immediately resuming operations halted for a year
because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"If a ship attests that 98% of its crew and 95% of its
passengers are fully vaccinated," the agency told the industry
in a letter released publicly, that ship may skip simulated
voyages and move directly to open water sailing.
The CDC said it would respond within five days to applications
for simulated voyages, down from an anticipated 60 days.
It added that it would update testing and quarantine
requirements for passengers and crew to align with its guidance
for fully vaccinated individuals, among other steps.
The industry did not immediately comment.
However, the CDC said in its letter that the mid-summer timeline
envisaged compliance with a conditional sail order (CSO) it
issued this month and "aligns with the goals announced by many
major cruise lines."
It said, "Cruising will never be a zero-risk activity," adding
that the goal of the CSO phased approach was to resume
operations in a way that cuts the risk of COVID-19 transmission
onboard ships and across port communities.
The agency looks forward to reviewing plans from cruise lines,
it said.
Cruise company chief executives met this month with health
experts and White House staff to consider ways for the
pandemic-battered industry to return to business.
This month, largest player Carnival Corp called the CDC
instructions "unworkable", threatening to shift the home ports
of its cruise ships to other parts of the world if the United
States did not allow it to start sailing.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
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