Cruise lines have suffered perhaps worse than other businesses during the pandemic.
That's because the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has more control over cruise operators than it does airlines, concert venues, or really anything else. The reason is that Royal Caribbean (RCL), Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL), and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) operate as foreign companies, even though their headquarters are on U.S. soil.
It's a complicated political fight that allowed the CDC to keep the cruise lines grounded (at least when it came to sailing from U.S. ports) from March 2020 through July 2021. And even after the industry jumped through the hoops it needed to resume sailing, the CDC still put onerous restrictions on capacity, vaccination, and wearing masks under its Conditional Sailing Order (CSO).
Even when the CSO became voluntary and Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian finally made masks optional onboard, the CDC loomed over every choice. All three cruise lines still require proof of vaccination and negative tests taken no more than two days before a cruise.
That's by choice now, but it's sort of an "or else" type of choice where the big three cruise lines have generally gone along with CDC recommendations because, under these circumstances, voluntary is relative. Now, a new change in federal policy -- or at least a judge's ruling that the Joe Biden administration does not appear willing to fight -- has changed something else for Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian cruise lines.
TheStreet
Say Goodbye to Mandatory Masks
The cruise lines dropped mask requirements for vaccinated passengers (which would be all passengers except for kids older than two, but younger than five) not all that long ago. That led to cruises having a "back to normal" feel which should help the industry complete its recovery.
Consumers, even ones who are vaccinated and even boosted, may not want to spend the money for a vacation they don't see as being normal. For some, that meant having to wear masks on board, even in limited situations.
Now, with the onboard mask rules dropped, cruise passengers can have the experience they did before the pandemic (albeit with a masked crew in most situations) once they get on the ship. Until April 20, however, masks were still required during boarding because cruise terminals are considered federal transportation hubs.
That changed on April 19 when U.S. District Judge Kathryn Mizelle of Florida overturned a recent extension of the mask rule. That led to an immediate ending of mask requirements in cruise terminals.
The CDC Has Issued New Guidance
Now, while the Biden administration could decide to fight that ruling, it appears like it's not going to. That has led to airlines dropping mask requirement and transportation hubs no longer being allowed to require masks. That led the CDC to issue the following statement.
“As a result of a court order, effective immediately and as of April 18, 2022, CDC’s January 29, 2021 Order requiring masks on public transportation conveyances and at transportation hubs is no longer in effect. Therefore, CDC will not enforce the Order. CDC continues to recommend that people wear masks in indoor public transportation settings at this time.”
That means that Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and any other cruise line no longer has to require masks during the boarding process. And while that may seem like a small change, it's another step in the true return to normal that could lead to more people being willing to take cruises.
Some passengers, or new cruisers, of course won't book a cruise until vaccine and testing requirements are dropped, which is not likely to happen any time soon, but every piece of normal brings more people back.
