The cruise line which is based out of West Palm Beach, Florida has extended its pause on cruises due to the Bahamas travel update.
Cruise Line Extends Suspension of Operations
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line which offers short cruises to the Bahamas out of West Palm Beach has decided to extend its suspension on operations. The cruise line was planning on resuming sailings on August 28 but now sailings won’t resume until October 1, 2020.
Cruise Hive readers can read the full statement released by Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line CEO Oneil Khosa:
“As you know, we recently announced that we would finally return to sea this August – offering travelers the chance to enjoy a much-needed, two-night getaway to paradise. However, given the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) extension of its No Sail Order, we have no choice but to delay our resumption of cruise operations to October 1st, 2020.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have remained one of the few cruise lines that reported no cases of the virus onboard our ships. We have also followed all required guidelines, including adhering to strict requirements for our onboard crew members, and installed the best safety protocols in the industry across our fleet to protect our guests and crew, who are always our top priority. In addition, we remain the only cruise line in the country to receive “green status” from the CDC on our No Sail Response plan, meaning we have met their requirements in providing a safe environment for our crew members to work and disembark via commercial travel. This was also recognized in the CDC’s own statement.
While we are disappointed that we are not able to sail as planned, we will of course continue to work side by side with the CDC and have therefore suspended all future sailings until October 1st. We are also aware of the recent announcement from Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Munnis regarding the travel ban on travelers from the U.S., and we are prepared to make necessary changes to our sailing schedule, as needed. Until then, we will continue our preparations to return to Grand Bahama Island while keeping a close eye on the overall landscape. We look forward to welcoming guests back onboard and appreciate everyone’s patience throughout this process.”
The reason for the extension is to fall in line with the Centers for Disease Control’s extended “No Sail Order” which is now through all of September. The CDC order comes as there is a sharp increase in COID-19 cases across the United States and cruise lines must implement new health measures to keep guests and crew safe before sailings can resume.
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line has is also aware of a new travel ban on U.S. citizens to the Bahamas which Prime Minister, The Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis announced on Sunday. The new travel ban is due to the increasing amount of infections not just in the United States but in the Bahamas too and it goes into effect on Wednesday, July 22.
Also Read: The Bahamas Will Close Border to U.S. Travelers Including on Cruises
The ban would have a heavy impact on the cruise line if it remains into October as Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line only operates to the island nation with short round trip cruises with Grand Celebration and Grand Classica.
Photo Credit: photos with me / Shutterstock.com
