US Cruises Likely Resuming Soon As Trial Cruise Sets Sail On Sunday

The cruise industry in the United States may resume operations soon as one of the Royal Caribbean International ships sailed for a trial run Sunday evening.

It has been 15 months since the U.S. government suspended the operations of more than 50 cruise lines following COVID-19 virus outbreaks on the ships. But on Sunday, Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas conducted the trial cruise from Port Miami in a move that could bring the industry one step close to resuming services.

The Freedom of the Seas departed with about 600 employee volunteers who are all vaccinated against COVID-19, and there is a representative from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on board.

The simulated voyage will last two nights with a stop at Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

"We engaged the greatest experts in this country and in the world in terms of setting out what measures should we have in place," Patrik Dahlgren, senior vice president of global marine operations for Royal Caribbean Group, told CNN.

"How do we avoid and prevent cases from coming on board to the max extent and how do we mitigate them onboard the ship, leveraging technology, leveraging testing? And of course, the big game-changer is really the vaccines, and that has really changed everything for us,” he added.

The CDC had previously released guidelines that said a cruise line may resume operations if it meets one of two requirements, which is completing a trial cruise or setting sail with 95% of both passengers and crew members fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The trial cruise comes after the Royal Caribbean International was forced to delay the sailing of its Odyssey of the Seas cruise ship last week when eight crew members tested positive for SARS-COV-2.

“All 1,400 crew onboard Odyssey of the Seas were vaccinated on June 4th and will be considered fully vaccinated on June 18. The positive cases were identified after the vaccination was given and before they were fully effective,” Michael Bayley, CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said in a statement at the time.

Of the eight cases identified, six were asymptomatic and two people displayed mild symptoms. The cruise ship’s inaugural sailing was moved to July 31.

"While disappointing, this is the right decision for the health and well-being of our crew and guests," Bayley had stated.