US ports are open to returning ships, and passengers are able to disembark and fly home as confirmed by a National Interest Exemption issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security on March 13, 2020. This includes passengers who are US citizens, legal permanent residents, and foreign diplomats. Non-US citizens will be able to fly home to their home countries.
As a result of this Exemption, CLIA and FCCA have requested that all ports in the Caribbean, South America and other areas keep their ports open to cruise ships sailing on itineraries related to US ports to allow passengers to return as soon as possible to their homes.
Additional Information:
On March 13, 2020, CLIA ocean-going cruise line members announced they were voluntarily and temporarily suspending cruise ship operations related to US ports for 30 days as public health officials and the US Government continue to address COVID-19. The temporary suspension took effect at 12:00am on March 14, 2020, at which time CLIA ocean-going cruise lines focused their efforts on the safe and smooth return of those currently at sea onboard ships affected by this decision.
On March 13, 2020, the DHS issued a National Interest Exemption from the March 11, 2020 Presidential Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants and Non-immigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus.
Approximately 40 ships and 90,000 passengers were at sea at the effective date and time of the voluntary and temporary suspension. Of those 40 ships, 29 were in the midst of their itineraries, and 11 had departed that evening. On March 16, 11 of these 40 ships will complete their sailings; the remaining have various dates of return out to March 30. Over the 30-day period, approximately 500 cruises and 1.2 million passengers will be impacted by suspended itineraries.
Guests who are booked on cruise itineraries which will be impacted by this decision are encouraged to contact their travel advisors or reach out to their cruise lines directly.
The cruise industry supports over 421,000 American jobs, with every 30 cruisers supporting one US job, and annually contributes nearly $53 billion to the US economy. Cruise activity supports travel agencies, airlines, hotels and a broad supply chain of industries that stretches across the United States. (Source: BREA/CLIA Economic Impact Study 2018)
The direct impact on the US economy over 30 days will be a loss of $1 billion (in direct spending), $14 million in wages, and 6,500 US jobs. Total economic impact to the United States (direct, indirect, and induced) is estimated at $2.3 billion in spending, $800 million in wages, and 15,500 jobs.