First port deals signed to resume cruises in Hawaii

Posted on January 4, 2022 in port news, Mainly, Messages

Cruise ships must have onboard testing and medical facilities, and have agreed to comply with additional restrictions if necessary.

HONOLULU – The Ports Division of the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) announces the signing of the first port of call agreements with Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) to formalize health and safety protocols for cruise line operations in the state of Hawaii.

Per the CDC order (copy available at https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-cruiseships.html), which expires on January 15, cruise ships with capacity to carry more than 250 people (passengers and crew combined) and overnight itineraries must have a formal port agreement with local port and health authorities. The Port Agreement must include:

  • Medical arrangement for the evacuation of passengers or crew requiring care
  • Accommodation arrangement if quarantine or isolation of passengers or crew is required
  • Recognizing the public health response resources of local jurisdictions and immunization strategies implemented by the cruise lines to minimize the risk of the spread of COVID-19

CDC regulation requires every ship to have testing and medical personnel on board to ensure adequate prevention, mitigation and response protocols and training. Additionally, Carnival and NCL have committed to full vaccination rates in addition to onboard testing and onboard safety and cleaning protocols.

In addition to the cruise ship and CDC requirements, the state of Hawaii will require participation on the state’s Safe Travels digital platform to upload immunization records or negative test results for cruise ships coming to Hawaii from out of state. Participation in Safe Travels does not apply to cruise ships sailing between the islands.

The signed port agreements are effective until superseded by a new agreement, regardless of the expiration of the CDC order. The agreement also allows the state to suspend, revoke or amend the document at any time in the event of a changing situation. The counties may also introduce additional restrictions at any time.

“Developing these agreements with the goal of reducing potential negative impacts of cruise travel on our local health resources would not be possible without the invaluable guidance of the Governor’s Office, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services of Hawaii (DOH), the Department of Defense of Hawaii (DOD), the Office of Enterprise Technology Services (ETS) and county agencies,” said Jade Butay, director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation. “We appreciate that everyone, including cruise line representatives, came together to complete the necessary arrangements to fulfill the CDC Conditional Sailing Order.”

Notification of signed port agreements will be made via the HDOT website and social media accounts ahead of the first confirmed sailings.

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