Carnival Cruise Line Faces Concerns as It Plans to Resume Sails in August

Carnival Cruise Line is receiving criticism following its announcement to resume sails in August.

The international cruise line released a statement on Monday, confirming cruise ships will begin leaving docks just one week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 100-day, “No Sail” order expires on July 24.

Select ships in Galveston, Miami, and Port Canaveral will be the first to set sail on August 1.

“We are committed to supporting all public health efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation,” the statement said. “We are taking a measured approach, focusing our return to service on a select number of homeports where we have more significant operations that are easily accessible by car for the majority of our guests.”

https://twitter.com/CarnivalCruise/status/1257309653886631939

Carnival has also noted that “monitoring, screening and operational protocols” will be in place as precautionary measures to ensure the safety of travelers.

While the cruise line has vowed to work closely with public health officials and the Cruise Lines International Association to provide screenings and take precautions for potential travelers, many Twitter users, including health experts, have still expressed deep concerns.

Since there likely will not be a viable vaccine by August, the idea of a late-summer/early-fall cruise is being described as a “death wish.”

“Only someone with a death wish would book a cruise this fall,” said infectious disease expert, Dr. Dena Grayson.