Cruise Ships Barred from U.S. Ports Until November 2020

On September 30, the CDC announced that it would extend the No Sail Order for cruise ships through the end of October. In other words, cruise ships will not be allowed to operate in U.S. waters or dock in U.S. ports through at least October 31. This move is intended to minimize the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks among would-be cruise guests.

In of itself, the No Sail Order is old news – it has been in place since mid-March of this year. However, if the order actually expires at the end of this month, there may be serious implications for U.S. cruise-goers. So, what is the reasoning behind the No Sail Order, and how long will it last?

The Reasoning Behind the No Sail Order

When the No Sail Order first took effect in March, cruise ships had been making national headlines for having rampant COVID-19 outbreaks. The Princess Diamond was one of the most infamous examples of this phenomenon. By the end of that voyage, more than 700 of the ship’s 3,711 passengers and crew members tested positive for coronavirus.

The No Sail Order is a response to the risk of high infection rates and possible deaths on cruise ships. As the CDC noted in its recent announcement, at least 41 deaths have resulted from cruise-related COVID-19 cases in U.S. waters since March 1. Since the pandemic continues to affect U.S. communities, the order has been extended multiple times to reflect the ongoing danger.

Furthermore, as the CDC points out, cruise ships operating in other parts of the world have not proven that they can successfully mitigate COVID-19 risk. Some of these ships have experienced outbreaks in recent months, despite operating at lower-than-usual capacity. As the announcement states:

“Recent outbreaks on cruise ships overseas provide current evidence that cruise ship travel continues to transmit and amplify the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 – even when ships sail at reduced passenger capacities – and would likely spread the infection into U.S. communities if passenger operations were to resume prematurely in the United States.”

How Long Will the No Sail Order Last?

For the moment, the No Sail Order is set to last until November 1. Of course, the order has been extended multiple times in past months, and it could be extended at the last minute again. (The most recent extension was made official just two hours before the order was due to expire at the end of September.)

However, there is reason to anticipate that the order will actually expire at the end of October. According to reporting from Axios, CDC Director Robert Redfield pushed to extend the No Sail Order until February 15, but was overruled by the current administration. The October 31 date is the result of the administration’s decision, and also matches up with the cruise industry’s own ban on U.S. activity until November.

Contact Vucci Law Group

If you have suffered harm related to COVID-19 exposure on a cruise ship, do not delay in contacting a lawyer at Vucci Law Group. The experienced cruise ship negligence lawyers at Vucci Law Group can help you understand the paths you may be able to take to recovery. To schedule a free consultation, call (866) 404-3415 or fill out our contact form now.

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Types of Claim

There are many things for which a passenger may make a claim, some of which include:

Slip and Fall Accidents

Water Slide / Wave Pool Accidents

Swimming Pool Accidents

Contaminated Food

Norovirus Outbreaks

Fires

Falling Overboard

Physical Assault

Jack

Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to everybody at the Vucci Office! In particular - Karl, Millie and Raul . I was visiting from England and they couldn’t have made me feel more welcome; They worked perfectly as a team to make me feel assured and made a hard time much easier.

Louis Vucci was recommended to me by a friend from my previous career and after using him, I can safely say I have no regrets.Louis was consistently honest with me which I greatly appreciated. He spent an endless amount of time on my case and his passion was so genuine - I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I couldn’t recommend them anymore.
Once again, thank you!

Albert L.

I was injured on a cruise ship – I slipped and fell and injured my shoulder. I was not sure about the process and needed help. I had no idea about the difficulty in dealing with a cruise line. My attorney, Louis Vucci, handled my claim from beginning to end and guided me throughout. He and his staff were courteous and attentive and obtained a great result on my behalf.

Betty A.

I had to have hip repair surgery because of a slip and fall on a cruise ship. Louis was very kind and professional. This was my first experience working with an attorney. He never tired of all my questions and answered truthfully and respectfully. He honestly understood my concerns and addressed every single one. I could not have asked for a better attorney. He and those in his office were wonderful. He settled my case in a timely manner and I was very happy with the outcome.

Andrew Somer

I worked with Louis and The Vucci Law Group from an incident I had aboard a cruise ship. Louis was very candid, honest and sympathetic to my situation. He was thorough and worked on my behalf with the cruise line, insurance and medical companies. He kept me fully updated and informed every step of the way. He made this very challenging time a little easier to handle. Highly recommended.

Denise Grosdanof

My son broke his arm while participating in the onboard child care program. I approached other lawyers who turned down my case. I was about to give up and I decided to try one last time. I found Louis and I could not be happier that I did. Not only did he sympathize with my case he was well versed on legal responsibility the ship has to ensure safety of children while in their care. He responds to inquiries and emails immediately and takes you through the steps to file a claim. We were extremely happy with the outcome! I highly recommend working with Louis, he is knowledgeable friendly and easy to approach. The whole process was painless.

K. K.

I broke my C4 vertebrae after suffering a fall on a Flow Rider excursion sold by Carnival Cruise Line. I was very fortunate to have Louis Vucci represent me in my personal injury lawsuit. Louis was extremely professional, knowledgeable and tenacious. He did an excellent job of asserting my claim against all responsible parties (including the Flow Rider operator in Grand Turk), anticipating and addressing their defenses, and securing a very favorable settlement. Along the way, Louis always kept me informed about the status of my case and minimized any inconvenience to me, which I very much appreciate since I live in New Jersey. Thank you Louis for your good counsel and determination to obtain a fair and just resolution.

Ryan Bockiaro

Louis is down-to-earth and will go out of his way to help you

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