If you pay attention to cruise news, you know that at the end of December, the CDC announced a recommendation that people avoid cruising. This, of course, comes from the recent rise in cases of the Omicron variant of Covid 19. This announcement has caused some cancellations, but for the most part, travelers are going ahead with their cruise plans anyway. If you're not someone who loves to cruise, you may be puzzled to hear that news. You may also be surprised to hear that in 2021, the popularity of cruising reached levels that nearly matched the numbers recorded before the pandemic. I personally sailed on Virgin Voyages in October 2021 and I have two cruise vacations planned for 2022. I am comfortable cruising because I know that protecting the passengers and crew is the number one priority of the cruise lines. Each ship tests their crew regularly, requires that passengers be vaccinated, gives testing access to passengers, and other safety protocols. Some cruise lines even require passenger testing at the dock before boarding. I would like to take a look at what most die-hard cruisers already know. 

In the early days of the pandemic, there was a lot to learn. You might remember the media coverage in 2020 of the Diamond Princess which was quarantined at sea for about two weeks. That was certainly an example of how not to handle an outbreak, but that was then and this is now. A whole lot has been learned since 2020. Currently, some cruise ships are reporting small numbers of Covid cases onboard their ships; however, the positive cases are mild and mostly asymptomatic. Most travelers who test positive are saying they just feel like they have a cold. In my opinion, the CDC is once again singling out the cruise industry. Did you know the cruise industry is the only travel sector that tests, tracks, and reports Covid cases to the CDC? No other industry is required to do this- not hotels, resorts, theme parks, or airlines. Are you really safer at Disney World than on a cruise ship? Is it really safer to be crowded in an economy seat on a plane than travel on a cruise ship?  As we all know, Covid can exist in all travel environments. However, because the cruise lines are required to report infections, it captures the media's attention. Even when the number of Covid cases onboard a ship is minuscule, it is sensationalized by the media. There are different rules for cruise ships and it is hurting the travel industry. 

As a travel advisor, I would just like to provide my clients some reassurance. When you take a cruise vacation, your safety and wellness come above all else. In fact, cruise ships have always held themselves to a far higher level of cleanliness than most hotels, restaurants, and theme parks. I feel confident promoting and experiencing cruises. Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Sales, recently said, "You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf." Everyone in the travel industry has become great at surfing over the last two years and will continue to adapt to this virus to deliver amazing vacations!