Canada extends ban on cruises for one year until February 2022

The Canadian measure applies to cruises carrying 100 people or more and prohibits the entry of passenger boats carrying more than 12 people into Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador coast, say Canadian Transport Minister Omar Alghabra. Pleasure-seeking pleasure boats are also banned from entering Arctic waters, he added.

“Temporary bans on cruise ships and pleasure boats are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable in our communities and avoid overwhelming our health systems,” Alghabra said. “That’s right and responsible.”

Cruise crossings from American regions such as New England and Alaska often call at Canada. Canadian ports reported more than a million cruise ship visits in 2019, primarily to Vancouver and ports in Canada’s maritime provinces.

Members of the international Cruise Lines association handled 29.7 million passengers in 2019, more than half of whom were from North America.

The prolonged ban is the latest in a series of measures by the Canadian government to curb round-trip travel to the country to try to mitigate the spread of new coronavirus variants. Although Covid-19 case counts are down from highs in early January, vaccine launches in Canada have been much slower than expected. The Canadian vaccination rate lags behind most advanced economies, including the United States and the United Kingdom

Those who violate the ban on passenger ships could be fined up to one million Canadian dollars, the equivalent of about $ 779,000, imprisoned for up to 18 months, or both, according to the government. Cruises carrying 100 people or less will be subject to the protocols of local health authorities, the government said.

According to the government, vessels of local Arctic residents used for essential transportation, subsistence fishing, gathering and hunting will not be subject to the measures.

Operators Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean Group RCL 2.05%

and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.

NCLH 3.35%

they have scrapped their crossings in the United States until April 30th. Carnival Corp.

CCL 2.98%

Chief executive Arnold Donald had completed the resumption of service for all ships by the end of the year, he said in January.

The schedule of trips to the United States ultimately depends on receiving permission from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which requires operators to perform navigation simulations and apply for a certificate at least 60 days before offering cruises. of passengers. Like the Canadian government, the CDC discourages cruise travel.

—Jacquie McNish contributed to this article.

Write to Dave Sebastian at [email protected]