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Credit: DisneyThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now conducting a formal investigation of four Disney Cruise Line ships due to the spread of COVID-19 onboard.
The CDC has recently identified 89 cruise ships with COVID-19 spreading quickly, nearly all of which have met the threshold for a formal investigation to be held. According to Time Magazine, 86 total cruise ships are now under investigation including Carnival, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Norwegian Cruise Line. Four ships operated by Walt Disney Co.’s Disney Cruise Line are now also under watch according to the official CDC website.
Related: Disneyland Paris Reveals If They Plan to Close Due to COVID Outbreak
This investigation comes just as the Omicron variant is spreading quickly across the U.S. and other countries, leaving many wondering what this all will mean for Disney’s Resorts and Cruise Ships next year. Just recently, Disneyland Paris canceled its New Year’s Eve celebrations due to COVID-19, as well as implementing stronger face mask policies.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal recently urged companies to halt all cruises, saying they were “repeating recent history as Petri dishes of Covid-19 infection. See the full Tweet below:
Our warnings have proved sadly prescient & continuously compelling. Time for CDC & cruise lines to protect consumers & again pause—docking their ships. Cruises are repeating recent history as petri dishes of COVID infection.
Our warnings have proved sadly prescient & continuously compelling. Time for CDC & cruise lines to protect consumers & again pause—docking their ships. Cruises are repeating recent history as petri dishes of COVID infection. https://t.co/0P7VQNFlpo
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) December 28, 2021
Inside the Magic recently reported that COVID-19 cases were spreading rapidly aboard various cruise ships including ships from the Disney Cruise Line at Port Canaveral and Port Everglades. The cruise ship industry has been hit hard to due the COVID-19 pandemic as they faced a long-lasting shutdown. It is incredibly important that cruise ships and lines bust follow the CDC’s Conditional Sailing Order (CSO)
Disney Cruise Line offers the following health and safety notice on its official website:
Currently, Disney Cruise Line continues to require all vaccine-eligible Guests (based on US eligibility requirements) to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at the time of sailing. This will be a requirement for all Guests (US and international) ages 5 and up for sailings beginning on or after January 13, 2022. Guests who are not vaccine-eligible because of age must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result (paid for by the Guest) taken between 3 days and 24 hours before their sail date. Guests ages 5 through 11 may complete this testing requirement in lieu of being fully vaccinated for sailings that depart before January 13, 2022. Guests 4 years of age and under must complete the testing requirements. The test should be a NAAT test, rapid PCR test or lab-based PCR test. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted.
The Disney Cruise Line includes the Disney Dream, Disney Magic, Disney Fantasy, and Disney Wonder as well as the upcoming Disney Wish.
Do you think cruise ships should be docked and halt all travel? Are you planning on booking a cruise through Disney soon? Let us know below.
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