Canada’s Cruise Ban Explained.
By Anne Kalosh.
In a dramatic move, Canada announced a year-long ban of all but the smallest cruise ships.
Canada’s cruise ban impacts important cruise regions like Alaska and Canada/New England, but also the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence and the Canadian Arctic (Northwest Passage).
Yet it doesn’t end Alaska or New England cruising. U.S.-flag ships are still able to sail those regions. (Read on.)
Plus, should the COVID-19 pandemic get under control, Canada could rescind its order.
Canada’s cruise ban applies to ships carrying more than 100 people (passengers and crew) through Feb. 28, 2022.
It means a stunning double-season hiatus in key destinations following the cancellation of Alaska and Canada/New England cruising in 2020.
Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra issued the new guidance with a view to keeping Canadians and transportation workers safe and healthy.
“Temporary prohibitions to cruise vessels and pleasure craft are essential to continue to protect the most vulnerable among our communities and avoid overwhelming our health care systems. This is the right and responsible thing to do,” Alghabra said.
Canada also reiterated its advice to citizens and permanent residents to avoid all travel on cruise ships outside Canada until further notice.
Arctic Coastal Waters
In addition, adventure-seeking pleasure craft remain prohibited from entering Arctic waters, and passenger vessels carrying more than 12 people are still forbidden in Arctic coastal waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast.
Cabotage Explained
Here’s why Canada’s ban is such a big deal.
Many countries, including the United States, have cabotage laws to protect domestic shipping from foreign competition.
In the case of the U.S. Passenger Vessel Services Act, this means foreign-flag ships can’t transport people on a voyage embarking at one U.S. port and disembarking another in the U.S. or returning to the port of embarkation without making a foreign call on the way. This is why, for foreign-registered ships sailing Alaska, New England or Great Lakes cruises, a stop in Canada is essential. The vast majority of big cruise ships are not registered in the U.S. but fly the flags of other countries, so they’re out of luck this year.
U.S.-flag ships don’t need to make a foreign port call; they can sail purely domestic voyages.
Nearly all of the U.S.-flag cruise vessels are small, Quirky-sized.
Lines like UnCruise Adventures, Lindblad Expeditions, American Cruise Lines, Alaskan Dream Cruises and The Boat Company have U.S.-flag ships so their Alaska voyages can operate.
What About U.S. CDC Prohibition?
Early last year, when COVID-19 became a public health crisis in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a no-sail order to cruise ships effective March 13, 2020. In November, that was replaced by a conditional sail order, setting a vast array of sequential requirements ships have to meet to be permitted carry passengers from or to the U.S.
Cruise operators are still in the early stages of complying with those requirements, and the CDC hasn’t issued “technical guidance” beyond the earliest requirement (testing of crew) so it could be months before cruises can start.
However, the no-sail order never applied to ships carrying under 250 people (passengers and crew). So those smaller vessels are good to go now, provided states and local port communities give the green light.
RELATED: COVID-19 Protocols for Small Ship Cruising.
Alaska, Here We Come!
All of this is why UnCruise Adventures CEO Capt. Dan Blanchard is able to proclaim: “Alaska, here we come!
“… Large ships will not be sailing in Alaska, but the small U.S.-flag fleet is going to be there.”
Though Blanchard considers Canada’s ban “devastating for Alaska, my home state,” and choked up speaking about the pain to communities and businesses, big-ship lines and travel advisors, he’s glad the small U.S. operations like his will be able to sail.
UnCruise CEO Capt. Dan Blanchard, an Alaskan, called the Canada ban devastating for communities, businesses and travel advisors even though his company will be able to cruise. * Photo: UnCruise Adventures
American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines also plans to chart Alaska (and New England) as scheduled, Charles B. Robertson, president & CEO, affirmed.
“We are proud of our American roots and together with other U.S. cruise operators, we look forward to contributing to the local economies that are impacted so significantly by the Canadian order,” he said.
The U.S.-flag American Constellation is scheduled to cruise from Juneau, Alaska. * Photo: American Cruise Lines
Cruising In A Bubble
UnCruise aims to begin sailing from Juneau, Alaska, May 16 — a bit later than its usual April start — with six ships for the season and one in reserve in case demand comes back strongly.
The line provides a “uniquely good bubble product” in the COVID era, Blanchard explained, because “We are not an on-the-boat company.”
The focus is on unpopulated nature areas and, during the day, most travelers are off in small groups of six to 12, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling or riding skiffs. UnCruise is adding more meals and barbecues ashore, so people don’t have to go back on board to dine.
The UnCruise focus is on unpopulated nature areas and, during the day, most travelers are off in small groups of six to 12, hiking, kayaking or riding skiffs. * Photo: UnCruise Adventures
Triple Testing Protocol
Initially, UnCruise has a triple testing protocol. Alaska requires a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours before arrival (or on the spot if not taken within that window) and UnCruise mandates two antigen tests, one at embarkation and one on day of sailing, plus further testing of crew and passengers during the voyage.
This year the line will have PCR test kits on board — unlike last summer when it had to abruptly end its first voyage, and the season, after a traveler’s airport arrival test came back positive a few days into the cruise. Everyone was quarantined. A subsequent test was negative. No passengers or crew fell ill.
RELATED: UnCruise Update After False Positive. by Anne Kalosh.
Vaccination
According to Blanchard, Alaska is one of the safest places for travelers to visit because, besides the nature focus, it has already vaccinated 20 percent of its population. This makes Alaska among the leading states for vaccine dissemination.
UnCruise isn’t initially mandating the shots — unlike fellow U.S.-flag operator American Queen Steamboat Co. — though Blanchard expects a high percentage of his customers to be vaccinated.
He’s currently more worried about his crew getting vaccinated, and UnCruise supports a Juneau-led campaign to get Alaska tourism workers designated as essential workers so they can have priority.
Masks and distancing will still be required inside UnCruise ships when passengers are in public spaces, though not on deck as long as people keep a six-foot distance. They won’t be required when kayaking within each travel party’s bubble or when hiking, as long as distance is maintained.
RELATED: Two Small-Ship Lines Mandate Vaccinations to Cruise Starting July 1. by Anne Kalosh.
Savings For Those Displaced From Big Ships
For any passenger whose big-ship Alaska cruise is canceled, UnCruise is offering a $500 per cabin bonus savings along with the company’s current $600 discount. Proof of a canceled big-ship booking is required.
A Blow To Victory Cruise Lines
At the sister brands American Queen Steamboat Co. and Victory Cruise Lines, AQSC is gearing up to resume domestic river cruises in March while Victory, whose ships are registered in the Bahamas, is impacted by Canada’s ban and the cabotage issue.
The two lines recently became the first in the world to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for both passengers and crew, a decision CEO John Waggoner said has been well-received.
Ruth Turpin, owner, Cruises Etc. in Fort Worth, Texas, agreed. “With the demographics of the American Queen Steamboat Company guest, 99 percent of my clients booking a sailing with them will be vaccinated by the July 1 date. I don’t know a soul that is eligible and not fighting to get it,” she said.
Turpin thinks the policy is a “great thing to do and provides guests so much assurance knowing everyone on board has the vaccine. And the idea of not taking a long flight to Europe and instead exploring destinations close to home like St. Francisville and Baton Rouge is so appealing to all of us right now.”
Travel advisor Ruth Turpin thinks the AQSC-Victory vaccination mandate is a great thing to do and provides guests so much assurance knowing everyone on board has the vaccine.
The vaccination requirement starts with July 1 departures, though two AQSC riverboats are currently scheduled to begin sailing before that: American Duchess on March 15 and the new American Countess, following its christening in New Orleans, on March 28. Both are weeklong Lower Mississippi cruises.
According to Waggoner, all port approvals are in place.
As for when the other vessels may start, that’s unclear. American Duchess and American Countess are not subject to the CDC’s purview because they carry fewer than 250 people each. That’s also the case for American Empress in the Pacific Northwest, however it awaits approvals from Washington and Oregon state. Mississippi grande dame American Queen, though, carries 400 passengers and 180 crew, so it’s under the CDC process.
American Duchess is scheduled to start sailing March 15 on the Lower Mississippi. * Photo: American Queen Steamboat Co
Victory Uncertainties & Options
Following Canada’s cruise ban, the company is trying to sort out what’s going to happen with coastal vessels Victory I and Victory II, which were scheduled to sail the Great Lakes, and Ocean Victory, the company’s new expedition vessel, which was to debut on Alaska adventure cruises this year.
“We continue to see high demand for the Great Lakes but with this recent turn of events, we’re disappointed Transport Canada won’t let us sail,” Waggoner said. “We’re still looking at a path forward.”
Options may include “technical” stops in Canada (where a ship calls at a Canadian port to satisfy U.S. cabotage but nobody is allowed to go ashore), a Passenger Vessel Services Act waiver and itinerary changes. A PVSA waiver would require an act of Congress, a high hurdle.
And Transport Canada has already indicated “technical” calls with passengers on board are not permitted, but Waggoner thinks Victory may have a case: “What if we are 100 percent vaccinated, does that make a difference? Is 100 [Canada’s ship capacity limit] the magic number or are you willing to follow CDC and say 250? There are a lot of options out there.”
Another challenge for Victory is that its first expedition cruises, specially crafted 10- and 11-night “Discovery Beyond” adventure itineraries in Alaska, don’t comply with the CDC’s seven-day limit. Waggoner said weeklong routes are being developed.
“The good news is bookings are strong for 2022 and people are looking forward to 2022, but we’d like to see if we can still cruise in 2021,” Waggoner said.
John Waggoner, far left, at the keel-laying for expedition ship Ocean Victory. Its inaugural Alaska season is in limbo due to Canada’s cruise ban. * Photo: Victory Cruise Lines
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