CDC drops COVID-19 health warning for cruise ship travelers

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Business Writer

Federal officials are dropping a health warning that they have attached to sailing on cruise ships since the start of the pandemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that they will leave it up to vacationers to decide whether they feel safe getting on a ship. The cruise-line industry is happy about the move. A trade group for cruise lines says it shows that the steps they are taking — like requiring crew members and most passengers to be vaccinated — are effective. Cruise-line companies have argued that it’s unfair to impose tougher COVID-19 restrictions on their industry than on land-based businesses.