Disney Cruise Line has received approval to start test cruises at the end of this month.
Thomas Mazloum, President, Disney Signature Experiences, shared an update with the news that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has given the line permission to do test cruises.
The announcement of test cruises signals that DCL will not go with the mandate of having at least 95% vaccinated passengers and 98% vaccinated crew members in order to bypass test cruises.
Like Royal Caribbean, the amount of children onboard means too many guests would be unvaccinated, and as a result, test cruises are required.
The test cruises will begin on June 29 from Port Canaveral and include only volunteers acting as passengers. It will run through July 1.
Read more: How to volunteer for a test cruise in 2021
Here is the letter shared by Mr. Mazloum:
“I have some great news to share, team.
We received word that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved our application to conduct a simulation cruise in advance of resuming normal operations.
This is a critically important milestone for Disney Cruise Line – and I want to thank everyone who has been supporting our return-to-service plans with such dedication and hard work.
We now have the green light to conduct our two-night simulation cruise aboard the Disney Dream from June 29 to July 1, sailing from Port Canaveral. The ship will sail with volunteer passengers and test our newly developed health and safety protocols, which have been meticulously tailored to the current public health environment. All of these protocols are essential to cruising responsibly, and Disney Cruise Line couldn’t be more committed to making vacation dreams come true as it prioritizes the wellbeing of all who step aboard our ships.
Today, as we move closer to restarting our U.S. cruises, I want to spotlight the tremendous resilience and positivity of the team. Your collaboration and continued enthusiasm throughout the pandemic have been nothing short of amazing, as we’ve researched, drafted, revised and refined our comprehensive roadmap for cruising again. It has been no small feat – and I’m extremely proud of everyone.
We will continue to evaluate our health and safety protocols, working closely with the CDC, and make adjustments as we work toward a full resumption of cruising. In the meantime, we can all take pride in the approval of our application with the CDC – a milestone that reflects the incredible talents of our entire team.”
The exact ship will be the Disney Dream.
Disney is the second known cruise line to get approval to start test cruises, following Royal Caribbean's announcement last week.
Vaccine requirements are not mandatory for test sailings per the CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order.
In addition, volunteers must be at least 18 years old. If they are not vaccinated, the CDC says they must have written documentation from a health care provider or must self certify that they aren't at a heightened risk for COVID-19.
Matt Hochberg
Matt loves to cruise, and started Cruise.Blog as a place to share different cruise experiences, advice, and what to know before going on a cruise.
He lives in Florida with his wife and two daughters, where he can be found on any given day trying to convince his wife they "need" to book another cruise.
