Over the weekend, Travel Pulse reported that Carnival Cruise Line will be required to have their entire fleet of cruise ships certified 60 days prior to setting sail again — all domestic cruise lines are currently still under the CDC’s extended ‘No-Sail Order’ at least until October 31.
Here, we take a look at why Carnival has been ordered to undergo ship inspections and if the same mandate is likely to impact Disney Cruise Line.
Why is Carnival Cruise Line subject to certification?
As per Travel Pulse’s report:
A federal judge in Miami is warning Carnival Corp. that she plans to hold the cruise line to the parameters of its probation, meaning the company must certify that every ship is compliant 60 days before setting sail again in U.S. waters.
The stern reminder from U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida Patricia Seitz will certainly endanger Carnival’s plan to resume operations on Dec. 1, assuming the Centers for Disease Control lifts its ‘no-sail order’ on Nov. 1, according to the Miami Herald.
The article also shared details about why Carnival is on probation in the first place:
Carnival has been on probation since April 2017 after pleading guilty to dumping oily waste into the ocean for a period of eight years from its Princess Cruises ships. It paid a $40 million fine at the time, but just two years later it pleaded guilty again to violating probation with more environmental crimes and paid another $20 million in fines.
This time, Carnival agreed to more oversight of the company.
Credit: Disney Cruise Line
Will DCL have to undergo the certification process?
Because Disney Cruise Line is not on any sort of probation for violating federal laws or regulations and they are in good standing with CLIA, it is highly unlikely that the Disney fleet — the Disney Dream, the Disney Fantasy, the Disney Magic, and the Disney Wonder — will have to undergo this particular 60-day advance ship certification process.
Furthermore, the Walt Disney Company will have their own health and safety protocols — possibly similar to those in Disney theme parks worldwide — that Disney cruise ships will have to adhere to. Although no official health and safety announcement for cruise vacationers has been made at this time, it serves to reason that protocols will include mandatory face masks and social distancing policies.
Disney will also be subject to any restrictions set forth by the CDC once the ‘No-Sail Order’ is actually lifted.
Credit: Disney Cruise Line
What could delay Disney Cruise Line setting sail again?
Credit: Disney
