The Canadian government has announced a further ban on cruise ships due to the evolution of the pandemic on the travel sector.
Cruise Ships Banned from Canada Until October 31, 2020
Cruises out of Canada have now received a major hit on when sailing can resume due to an extended ban announced today. The Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau, announced that cruise ships will now be banned until October 31, 2020.
The ban on large passenger cruise ships was previously until the beginning of July, but due to uncertainty across the travel sector and to keep workers safe during the pandemic that has now been extended.
Minister of Transport, The Honourable Marc Garneau, said:
“Our Government is committed to protecting Canadians, particularly during these challenging times. It is for that reason I am announcing updated measures for cruise ships and other passenger vessels in Canada, which includes prohibiting larger cruise ships from operating in Canadian waters until October 31, 2020.
Our Government continues to work with other levels of government, transportation industry stakeholders, and Indigenous peoples to re-examine measures and to ensure Canada’s transportation system remains safe and secure during this time. We are all in this together.”
The extended ban on cruise ships also inludes new measures and the ban is mainly towards passengers cruise ships rather than ferries and water taxis. Here are the measures:
- Cruise ships with overnight accommodations allowed to carry more than 100 persons are prohibited from operating in Canadian waters until October 31, 2020.
- As of July 1, 2020, all other passenger vessels must follow provincial, territorial, local, and regional health authority requirements for timelines and processes to resume operations.
- Passenger vessels with the capacity to carry more than 12 persons continue to be prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters (including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, and the Labrador Coast) until October 31, 2020.
- Beginning July 1, 2020, passenger vessels will be allowed to operate in inland rivers and lakes in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon.
If any cruise line decides to break the ban they will be subject to a penalty of $25,000 per day. Individuals who break the ban will be subject to fines of $5,000 per day.
Also Read: When Will Each Cruise Line Resume Sailings Again?
Most cruise lines have already put their sailings out of Canada on hold including cruises to Alaska from Vancouver. The ban will mainly be of interest to Princess Cruises and Holland America Line which usually have more ships than other lines in the region, but all major cruise lines operating in Canadian waters are affected.
Photo Credit: EB Adventure Photography / Shutterstock.com
