For the remaining months of this year, the Cayman Islands will remain closed to cruise tourism.
In a short notice sent last week to the partners of cruise industry, including important cruise lines, Port Authority of the Cayman Islands Acting Port Director, Joseph Woods said that the pandemic is responsible for the extended ban.
To quote Woods, “I wish to inform you that after careful consideration, the Cayman Islands Government has taken the decision that in the current global environment with respect to the coronavirus pandemic, it cannot allow the resumption of cruise tourism in the Cayman Islands for the immediate future. The Cayman Islands will, therefore, be closed for cruise tourism until December 31, 2020.”
With an all-inclusive strategic tourism reinvention plan in place, the destination for international travelers was designing to start a phased reopening on September 1st but has kept the date on hold due to the rise in rates in other countries, including the U.S. Nevertheless, now, the cruise passengers will have to wait at least couple of months to visit the British overseas territory.
The cruise industry had just started to recommence its operations in some parts of the world, with MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa setting sail on the first Mediterranean cruise as the pandemic crisis provoked extensive shutdowns in March 2020. In the meantime, in spite of a tremendous amount of pent-up demand of the travelers, U.S. cruises are still waiting to see the green light to restart operations.
Tags: Cayman Islands, cruise tourism, MSC Cruises
