It looks like COVID-19 will once again impact spring break. There are a lot of folks itching to go somewhere after being stuck at home for so long. However, if you were hoping to cruise to say, Alaska or actually anywhere right now, that trip may not be happening.
If you were hoping to board a cruise ship bound for Alaska for spring break or even this summer [or beyond,] it doesn’t look like that will be happening this year.
Jo Anne Verboom of Gagnon Travel, says there will be plenty of places for folks to travel if they want to get away... however, cruising to Alaska, will likely not be one of them.
The Canadian government is not allowing ships to stop in Canada or cruise through its waters. But Verboom says Cruise Lines and others are trying to get permission to make a stop, even if just temporarily:
“So, at this point there are congressional asks going on to see if it can be wave and cruise lines are talking to Canada to see if there’s some sort of workaround even on a temporary basis.
Verboom says the majority of cruise lines have not cancelled their itineraries for this summer as they’re hoping they can salvage at least some of the cruising season.
If nothing works out, Verboom says it will be yet another harsh season for Alaska tourism.
“It’s a devastating blow to tourism factor in Alaska; amount of revenue and number of jobs that will be lost is staggering for that state. Roughly 1.3 M passengers visit Alaska each season and it’s a short season. It was cancelled last year and with this new Canadian rule it may be cancelled this year.”
And it’s not just Alaska cruising that’s impacted. Verboom says as it stands right now there are no cruise ships leaving U.S. ports until possibly late spring or early summer- and when they do, things will certainly look different.
“The CDC has issued a list of requirements that all must abide by. They must first do a test cruise for each ship, after modifications. Like testing on board. Lots of rules and regulations. “
Even with the changes brought on by COVID, Verboom is hoping that perhaps by this summer, they can get people on the ships and back to cruising once again.
Here’s a footnote for other travel. If you do take a trip abroad, you will have to take a COVID test before being allowed on your flight back to the U.S.
The CDC says if you’re 2 years old or older you need to provide a “negative” COVID test before you come in to the United States. That test needs to be taken within 72 hours of boarding a flight returning to the U.S.
