Disney Cruise Line Approved for Test Sailings

Another day, another cruise line approved to begin operating test cruises by the CDC! Disney Cruise Line announced they are good to begin operating test cruises from Port Canaveral with volunteer passengers on board. The first test cruise will leave Port Canaveral on June 29th and return on July 1st on board Disney Dream. The announcement was made in an email from Thomas Mazloum, the President of Disney Signature Experiences. 

An excerpt from that email is below: 

“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.”

On Board Restrictions 

While it’s awesome to see cruise ships finally set sail, these aren’t normal cruises. The goal is to establish that the ship is ready to accomodate cruising during a pandemic and have all the necessary contingency plans in place should an outbreak happen on board. Protocols include face masks, social distancing and plenty of testing, both before and after the trip for most of the passengers. The ship must sail with at least 10% capacity and all volunteers must be 18 years of age or older and either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or free of any kind of medical issues that would exacerbate the symptoms of COVID-19. 

“We have reached an important next step toward our gradual and responsible resumption of service, and are grateful for the productive dialogue with state, local and federal officials, the CDC and others in our industry that has made this possible,” said Disney Cruise Line spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez. “We look forward to our amazing crew once again creating magic for our guests and to helping the many workers who support our industry get back to work.”

Are you hoping to get on board a test cruise? Let us know in the comments below!