Cayman Islands Won’t Accept Cruise Calls 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, Cruise Radio reports.

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. 

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 led 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.