CDC issues travel warning as cruise industry deals with COVID surge

‘Chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high,’ CDC says

DETROIT – Cruise lines are in a crisis right now as almost every major ship at sea has reported COVID cases onboard. Some major cruise lines have cut trips short due to COVID-related issues.

David Fishman with Cadillac Travel says the overall numbers are low, but obviously a concern.

The CDC released a statement about how easily the virus can spread on cruise ships.

“The virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships, and the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is very high, even if you are fully vaccinated and have received a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. We are urging extreme caution if you do choose to cruise,” the CDC said.

Before you travel, some things to know are the rules onboard the ship and every port and destination.

Fishman himself has been on three cruises recently, and he showed Local 4 the safety measures put in place right now to keep passengers safe:

  • Vaccinated staff
  • Buffets closed
  • Shows limited to passengers who are fully vaccinated and boosted

Yet, there’s still only so much a person can do, so understand if you book and have to cancel. You may not lose all of your money, but you may be stuck with a credit.

Watch the videos above for the full report


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About the Authors:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Brandon Carr is a digital content producer for ClickOnDetroit and has been with WDIV Local 4 since November 2021. Brandon is the 2015 Solomon Kinloch Humanitarian award recipient for Community Service.