By Jim Byers
Member, Society of American Travel Writers
Masks will no longer be required on Carnival Cruise Line ships starting March 1, putting Carnival in line with other major cruise lines.
A news release issued by the company says masks will be recommended for guests but not required on board for sailings departing on and after March 1.
“We have had a very successful restart of guest operations thanks to the support of our guests, the commitment of our shipboard team, and the effective protocols we have put in place,” Carnival president, Christine Duffy said in the release.
“There may, however, be certain venues and events where masks will be required,” Carnival said in the statement.
Carnival Corporation owns several major cruise lines, including Princess, Holland America, Cunard and Seabourn. Together those make up roughly one-half of the world’s total cruises.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently dropped cruise travel from its “very high” or level four COVID-19 list to “high,” or level three. The CDC recommends cruise ship guests be fully vaccinated against the virus.
Carnival also said it plans to offer more flexibility in pre-cruise testing requirements, NBC News reports.
The easing of the mask mandate follows similar action by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd and from Disney World, NBC said.
CTVNews says Royal Caribbean is making masks optional for vaccinated guests for voyages departing on or after February 25.
“We expect unvaccinated children to continue wearing masks indoors and in crowded settings,” the cruise line said on its website.
Flight attendants in the U.S. are asking the Biden administration to extend the requirement for masks on board U.S. flights. The current mask requirement rule is set to expire next month, the Dallas News reports.
