The struggling for credibility CDC reduced cruising to level three.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eased its warnings for cruise ships by a notch from the highest level, seven weeks after it advised Americans against travel on cruise ships.
The decision to reduce the warning to level three from four was made in response to a decline in onboard COVID-19 cases. The CDC still recommends that people who are not up to date with vaccines avoid cruises.
Level 3 signifies a destination with a "high level of Covid-19," and advises that travelers ensure they are fully vaccinated before traveling and that unvaccinated people avoid nonessential travel. Level 4 had directed the public, regardless of vaccination status, to avoid cruise travel, indicating ships had a "very high level of Covid-19."
The CDC in December increased the warning to level four due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant that also forced cruise operators to cancel sailings.
Trade association Cruise Lines International Association said the CDC's latest decision was "a step in the right direction."
Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean Group, which also owns Celebrity Cruises, reported that it had carried nearly 1.3 million guests since mid-2021, with around 2,500 guests testing positive for COVID-19.
At that time, Jason Liberty Royal Caribbean Group Chief Executive Officer said, "We believe we are past COVID-19 in terms of the overall impact on our business."
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