CARNIVAL Cruise Line (CCL) has confirmed its plans for a Jul restart from the Port of Galveston for vaccinated guests, which Governor of Texas Greg Abbott (pictured) has responded to with a ban on vaccine passports. CCL plans to return to cruise operations on 03 Jul with Carnival Vista followed...
CARNIVAL Cruise Line (CCL) has confirmed its plans for a Jul restart from the Port of Galveston for vaccinated guests, which Governor of Texas Greg Abbott (pictured) has responded to with a ban on vaccine passports.
CCL plans to return to cruise operations on 03 Jul with Carnival Vista followed by Carnival Breeze on 15 Jul for guests who have received their final dose of an approved coronavirus vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise.
However, Abbott took the news as an opportunity to announce his plans to sign a law banning businesses in Texas from asking for vaccine information.
“I’m signing a law today that prohibits any business operating in Texas from requiring vaccine passports or any vaccine information,” Abbott wrote on Twitter.
“Texas is open 100% without any restrictions or limitations or requirements.”
CCL President Christine Duffy said Carnival appreciates the support from Abbott in making vaccinations available to cruise line personnel for its American restart, but added cruising with a guest base that is unvaccinated will be “very difficult”.
“The current [Centers for Disease Control & Prevention] requirements for cruising with a guest base that is unvaccinated will make it very difficult to deliver the experience our guests expect, especially given the large number of families with younger children who sail with us,” she remarked.
Although Duffy said Jul cruises at the least would be open to vaccinated guests only, the proposed bill will take effect immediately once Abbott signs it, leaving questions about whether CCL will be forced to make any cancellations once it is law.
CCL also hopes to restart Carnival Horizon from PortMiami next month, and continues to work with both the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the state of Florida, which has already banned the requirement of vaccine passports.
An update is planned by the weekend for protocols specific to these Florida sailings.
CCL also said it will be revealing its plans for Aug sailings over the coming days.
