The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has extended the Conditional Sail Order (CSO) with minor modifications for cruise ships until the middle of January.
The CSO was scheduled to expire next week on November 1, 2021. The order has been extended and will remain in effect until the earliest of the following:
- The expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency
- The CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations
- January 15, 2022 at 12:01 am EDT
Although the CDC has extended the CSO, the cruise industry will continue to operate as it has over the past four months.
The CSO does not apply to cruise ships that arrive and depart from ports in Florida. For these cruises, they are just nonbinding recommendations.
The CDC is continuing to operate the CSO as a voluntary program for such ships that choose to follow the CSO measures voluntarily.
After the expiration of the Temporary Extension & Modification of the CSO, the CDC intends to transition to a voluntary program, in coordination with cruise ship operators and other stakeholders, to assist the cruise ship industry to detect, mitigate, and control the spread of COVID-19 onboard cruise ships.