People may not be ready to travel again, but Carnival Cruise Lines is ready to set sail again from three port cities, including Galveston, starting Aug. 1
Earlier this year, the company paused cruises and canceled many because of the pandemic.
When service resumes, Carnival will have eight ships departing from Galveston, Miami and Port Canaveral, Florida. You can book a cruise from Galveston on the Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom or Carnival Vista, Carnival said in a press release.
Except for the above, all other North American and Australian cruises are canceled through August 31st. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have extended their sailless order until July 24th.
“We are taking a measured approach and focusing our return to service in a select number of home ports where we have larger establishments that are easily accessible by car for the majority of our guests,” the company said in a statement. “We will use this additional time to continue sourcing experts, government officials and stakeholders on additional protocols and procedures to protect the health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we serve.”
While sailing to a tropical destination sounds like the perfect escape, being aware of your public health is critically important.
The CDC recommends continuing to be aware of your health, avoiding boarding a ship when you are sick, and discussing cruise lines with your doctor. If you find yourself sick while on a trip, stay in your cabin. And of course wash your hands for 20 seconds. Carnival has a safety video here.
The US House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure challenged Carnival Corp. on handing over documents related to outbreaks on their ships that infected more than 1,500 people and killed dozens of people, CNBC reported on May 1.
“Any resumption of cruise operations – whenever possible – depends entirely on our continued efforts in collaboration with government officials at federal, state, local and international levels. In our continued support for public health efforts, any return to service will include any improved operating protocols and social gathering guidelines in effect at the time of cruise resumption, ”Carnival Corporation said in a statement.
If you have a Carnival reservation but don’t want to travel at this time, you may be eligible for a refund. Check here.
Another major cruise line that departs from Galveston, Royal Caribbean, has canceled all cruises through June 12th.
