The Centers for Disease Control removed its COVID-19 Cruise Ship Travel Health Notice (THN) on Wednesday.
The CDC says while the risk of contracting COVID-19 on a cruise ship is not gone, the agency believes travelers can make their own risk assessment.
"Cruise ship travelers should make sure they are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before cruise ship travel and follow their cruise ship’s requirements and recommendations," the CDC said in a statement.
The CDC said it will also continue to provide guidance to the cruise ship industry to make sure the environment is safe for travelers and crew members.
"CDC also recommends that travelers check their cruise ship’s color code and vaccination status classification before traveling on a cruise ship for information about COVID-19 cases reported for each ship in the program, whether an investigation is needed, additional public health measures a ship is taking, and whether a ship has opted out of the program," the CDC stated.
The Cruise Lines International Association praised the CDC's move, according to CNN. The agency reportedly said the move "recognizes the effective public health measures in place on cruise ships and begins to level the playing field, between cruise and similarly situated venues on land."
