London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Caribbean Island Says No Cruise Ships Until 2021

As cruise lines anxiously eye an eventual return to service, at least one Caribbean port has made it clear that ships will not be welcome back until at least next year.

Why Grand Cayman is Remaining Closed To Cruise Ships

Although cruise ships are currently unable to sail from U.S. ports because of the no-sail order being enforced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, international sailings are slowly resuming.

But a crucial element each line must hammer out is exactly where their ships will sail to and what protocols will be put in place - whether by the lines themselves or the destinations - when they arrive.

As of now, however, the Grand Cayman will not be welcoming ships until next year.

Earlier this month, Joseph Woods, acting port director for the Cayman Islands, issued a letter to cruise industry partners outlining the situation. “I wish to inform you that after careful consideration, the Cayman Islands Government has [made] the decision that [in response to the current health crisis], it cannot allow the resumption of cruise tourism in the Cayman Islands for the immediate future. The Cayman Islands will therefore be closed for cruise tourism until the 31st December 2020. ”

On March 16, the island announced that cruise ships would not be able to call to Grand Cayman until further notice.

Having not had any new cases since July 13, 2020, Grand Cayman is understandably wary of creating a situation where outside sources might change that.

It is exactly this fear which has lead cruise lines to begin having in-depth conversations with officials from the many countries they visit in order to both allay their concerns and create protocols that will allow all involved to feel comfortable with a return to some semblance of normalcy.


How At Least One Line Is Handling Port Visits

As MSC Cruises has resumed sailings in the Mediterranean this week, they’ve implemented a new policy which is raising eyebrows among some guests: In any port upon which their ships call, passengers are only allowed to disembark if they do so as part of a shore excursion arranged through the ship.

In other words, guests are not allowed to simply get off the ship and explore on their own, as many have opted to do during normal times.

In announcing the new policy, MSC Cruises executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said it was being done “to protect the health and safety of all passengers on board our ships as well as ashore and to ensure that local communities feel comfortable welcoming our guests.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×