Cruise lines finalize agreements to resume operations in Hawaii

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The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Harbors Division recently entered into first port agreements with Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines to resume cruise line operations in the state.

The agreements formalize health and safety protocols.

The agreements were written with the guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Hawaii Department of Health, the Hawaii Department of Defense, the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, and county agencies.

In 2020, the CDC issued protocols for cruise ships. According to the most recent update to the order, cruise lines with the capacity to carry more than 250 persons and that have itineraries including overnight stays are required to have a formal port agreement with local port and health authorities.

Agreements must include a housing agreement addressing quarantine or isolation of passengers or crew, and a medical agreement outlining the evacuation of passengers or crew in need of care and must acknowledge public health response resources of the local jurisdictions and vaccination strategies implemented by the cruise lines to minimize risk of spread of COVID-19.

In addition, the CDC requires ships to have on-board testing and medical staff to ensure proper prevention, mitigation, and response protocols and training.