Disney Cruises has become the fifth cruise line to sign with the Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors Division to resume sailing in the region.
Disney Cruise Line joins Royal Caribbean Cruise LTD, World Residences at Sea, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines in inking port agreements that they would commit to follow health and safety protocols in alignment with the CDC’s COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships in order to operate in the state.
As of May 5, cruise ship vaccination status threshold is 90% of passengers, according to CDC.
CDC says cruise lines capable of carrying over 250 persons (counting passenger and crew) with itineraries and overnight stays must have a formal port agreement with local port and health agencies. The agreement needs to have a medical agreement with an evacuation plan for passengers or crew needing care; a housing agreement if passengers or crew need to be quarantined or isolated, and language that cruise lines acknowledge and enact “public health response resources of the local jurisdictions and vaccination strategies.”
The agreements also call for every ship to have on-board testing and medical staff and for cruise lines to commit to “full vaccination rates in addition to pre-board testing and onboard safety and cleaning protocols.”
For more on the CDC’s program, visit https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/management/technical-instructions-for-cruise-ships.html
