‘Although we found the alignment between the CLIA’s voluntary suspension of September 15 and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention no-sail order September 30 valuable, the Global Board of Directors felt a further extension was prudent for a number of reasons,’ CLIA said.
‘The spike in COVID-19 infections in the US is, of course, an additional factor. We will consider a possible further extension on or before September 30, 2020. At the same time, if conditions in the US change and it is possible to consider short, modified sailings, we can also consider an earlier restart,’ said CLIA.
This voluntary suspension, as before, is applicable to ocean-going vessels with capacity to carry 250 or more.
Health of passengers, crew, and public
Kelly Craighead, President & CEO, CLIA said in a message to members, ‘We recognize and support all of our cruise line members who are working tirelessly to protect the health of passengers, crew, and public in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. We also recognize that the cruise community is made up of tens of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses that are struggling to survive this difficult time.’
She referred to this week as ‘crucial in the United States’ with Congress considering provisions related to extended unemployment benefits, expansion of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and other relief measures important for CLIA Travel Trade members and Executive Partners.
‘CLIA is actively engaged in supporting these efforts,’ Craighead added.
