The US Travel Association, the national trade group that represents all facets of American travel, has joined the call for America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lift its conditional sailing order (CSO), thus paving the way for the resumption of cruise sailing from local home ports.

In addition to lifting its conditional sailing order, the US Travel Association is calling for the CDC to provide a path forward that allows cruise lines to resume sailing. The US Travel Association’s call yesterday comes less than a week after a similar call by the cruise industry, which declared its readiness to sail.

APPEAL FOR CDC TO ALLOW CRUISING TO RESUME IN PHASES

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry’s leading trade organisation, is urging the CDC to lift its “framework for conditional sailing order” to allow cruising to resume in phases by the start of July. The CLIA, which represents 95 per cent of ocean-going cruise capacity has called out the CDC for what it views as unfair treatment.

The health authority shut down cruising in US waters in mid-March of 2020 following outbreaks on large passenger ships, including Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess. The industry has remained idle for over a year since while other segments of the travel industry, such as airlines and theme parks have been allowed to continue or resume operating amid the pandemic, albeit with added safety precautions.

In an order issued on October 30, the CDC laid out a phased plan that cruise lines must meet before carrying paying passengers again, but the cruise industry said last week it hasn’t received additional guidance since. In a statement yesterday, US Travel Association President Roger Dow remarked, “we join the calls to identify the way toward lifting the CSO and allowing the phased resumption of cruise operations as quickly as possible”.  

CDC RESTRICTIONS TAKING HEAVY TOLL ON INDUSTRY

Dow said the CDC’s restrictions have taken a “disproportionately heavy” toll on the travel industry and that the rule keeping cruising from resuming is “uniquely specific”.

He argued that, “the standard of evidence should be exceptionally high for rules that effectively single out certain industries as other parts of the economy are allowed to reopen”.

The US Travel Association president made the point that it is economically imperative to find pathways to reopen, adding that “evidence is clear” that a multi-tiered health and safety approach can provide for a safe resumption of travel.

Kelly Craighead, CLIA president and CEO, is questioning the relevance of the CSO at this time.

Said Craighead: “The outdated CSO, which was issued almost five months ago, does not reflect the industry’s proven advancements and success operating in other parts of the world, nor the advent of vaccines and unfairly treats cruises differently.”

However, Caitlin Shockey, spokesperson for the CDC, told USA TODAY last week that the conditional sailing order will remain in effect until November 1 and that the plan for next phases of the cruise industry’s restart plan are in the works.

“Returning to passenger cruising is a phased approach to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19,” Shockey said, adding that the details for the next phase of the conditional sailing order “are currently under interagency review”.