Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. has asked U.S. federal health authorities to let it sail from U.S. ports starting July 4, saying its vaccination requirement for passengers and crew is a sufficient precaution against Covid-19.
The cruise operator on Monday said its Covid-19 vaccination policy matches the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance that international travel is safe for fully vaccinated individuals. Norwegian and other major cruise lines haven’t sailed in the U.S. since coronavirus outbreaks on ships brought voyages to a halt last year.
Norwegian said the vaccination requirement eliminates the need for the CDC’s conditional-sailing order, which requires cruise operators to conduct mock sailings and apply for a certificate at least 60 days before offering passenger cruises.
Shares of the company rose about 8% Monday morning.
The CDC on Friday issued its latest update to the conditional-sailing framework by providing operators with technical instructions on increasing reporting frequency of Covid-19 cases and illnesses from weekly to daily, creating planning materials for cruise lines’ agreements with local authorities and establishing a plan for crew and port personnel’s vaccinations. The update didn’t specify when operators can resume sailing out of the U.S.
