When Will Disney Cruise Line Resume Sailings?
“When will Disney Cruise Line return?” and “will my DCL vacation be cancelled?” are common questions. This covers the lawsuit between Florida and the CDC, vaccination & test options, DCL’s cancelled simulation sailing, and when cruising will resume. It also includes an update on the latest cancellations for Summer & Fall 2021 itineraries. (Updated June 29, 2021.)
We’ll break the post down into two parts. The first is a timeline of events that collectively establish what’s necessary for Disney Cruise Line to resume sailings and the earliest possible date that can occur. Nothing speculative about this–it’s all public info released by the CDC, CLIA, and Disney Cruise Line.
The second part will digest all of that and offer predictions as to what it means for the future of Disney Cruise Line sailings in 2021. Obviously, we don’t have a crystal ball, and this is an evolving situation. It’s less unpredictable than it was months ago, but litigation between Florida and the CDC still throws a monkey wrench into when and how Disney Cruise Line will be able to restart sailings. Accordingly, our goal is to offer an informed analysis of when cruising might be possible again…
As noted above, we’ll begin with a timeline of events leading up to the latest updates from the United States federal government and the cruise industry. Late last year, the CDC issued a Framework for Conditional Sailing Order that would allow a phased approach to resuming cruise ship passenger operations in U.S. waters, charting a course for Disney Cruise Line and other companies to begin sailing again.
However, it’s not as simple as that. The Conditional Sailing Order created onerous requirements. To get there, the cruise industry needs to assure the CDC that they are responsible with respect to the needs of crew, passengers, and port communities. You can read the full CDC Order for yourself here. For those whose idea of fun does not include combing 40 pages of arcane legal jargon and footnotes, we’ll break down what it means and offer a summation here…
The initial phase would be crew-centric, consisting of testing and additional safeguards for cruise employees. During that, the CDC would ensure that cruise ship operators have adequate health and safety protections for crew members while the operators build laboratory capacity needed to test future passengers.
Cruise ship operators would run simulated voyages to test the ability to mitigate risk. This phase will have simulated mock voyages of increasing duration, complexity, and numbers in order to test and implement scaling up and the feasibility of how each company implements the CDC plan.
In order to resume passenger sailings, Disney Cruise Line and other companies must earn a “Conditional Sailing Certificate” from the CDC based upon its ability to meet the established health safety protocol and requirements. Once the cruise operator earns its Conditional Sailing Certificate, there will be a phased return to cruise ship passenger sailings in a manner that mitigates risks among passengers, crew members, and communities.
Basically, there is an initial ramp-up of establishing proper protocol and health safety measures, followed by phases of mock or simulated sailings with crew and voluntary participants, followed by another phased process with normal guests. To complicate matters further, the CDC indicates that these phases are subject to change based upon public health considerations and cruise ship operators’ demonstrated ability to reduce risk.
Last month, the CDC issued new guidance that could have rendered moot the Conditional Sailing Order. If cruise lines certify that 98% of their crew and 95% of their passengers are vaccinated, they wouldn’t need to do test cruises before restarting passenger operations. This would essentially allow Disney Cruise Line and other operators to fast forward past the steps of the Conditional Sailing Order that they haven’t yet completed.
However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a vaccine passport bill banning businesses from requiring proof of vaccination. There was the opportunity to create a carve out in that law for cruise lines, but the state declined to make that. Consequently, the Conditional Sailing Order applies to cruise lines operating in Florida, which has delayed the restart from Port Canaveral and Miami.
But wait, there’s more! Florida filed a lawsuit against the CDC, challenging the Conditional Sailing Order and arguing that the agency overstepped its authority. A federal judge agreed with the state, and preliminarily enjoined the CDC from enforcing the Conditional Sailing Order. Pending further action from the CDC, that will become simply a recommendation on July 18, 2021.
“This order finds that Florida is highly likely to prevail on the merits of the claim that CDC’s conditional sailing order and the implementing orders exceed the authority delegated to CDC,” the ruling said. However, it also provides that the CDC has until July 2, 2021 to propose new guidelines for cruises that permits ships to sail timely, while remaining within CDC’s authority.
In other words, the saga between Florida and the CDC isn’t over. The latter is likely to more narrowly tailor its guidance so it doesn’t run afoul of the federal court’s ruling, but they will undoubtedly issue a modified Conditional Sailing Order. Which means the two will either end up in court again or test sailings will still be necessary. Basically, the whole exercise will have been pointless if the goal was an expeditious restart to cruising that minimized economic harm to Florida.
For its part, Disney Cruise Line has completed most steps necessary in obtaining a Conditional Sailing Order, and plans to proceed with the test cruises. In fact, DCL’s first simulation cruise aboard the Disney Dream was scheduled to begin June 29, 2021.
However, the voyage was postponed until July 2021 because a small number of crew members had inconsistent test results, “which is considered positive by the CDC,” Disney Cruise Line said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel. “The rigorous health and safety protocols we have in place helped us identify the situation, though the test results were ultimately negative.”
Other cruise lines have begun resuming passenger operations, with Celebrity Cruises in particular reporting that they’ve exceeded the vaccination threshold set by the CDC to bypass the test sailings. However, Disney does not plan to require vaccines for passengers, with the company instead opting to attempt simulated sailings. This is not a huge surprise–when the vaccination option was first announced by the CDC, we predicted that DCL would still go the test cruise route, as Disney has thus far steered clear of vaccine passport “controversies.”
While cruise lines departing from Florida ports won’t be able to mandate passengers are vaccinated, other cruise lines are sidestepping Florida’s law. They’re doing this by finding ways to either discourage unvaccinated passengers from sailing or making it as burdensome as possible for them to do so.
Royal Caribbean is requiring unvaccinated passengers pay for costly testing and travel insurance for passengers over the age of 11. Additionally, unvaccinated adults will not be allowed in certain areas of the ship, nor will they have access to certain activities. The motivation for deterring unvaccinated guests from sailing is not simply punitive; if there’s an outbreak aboard a cruise ship among crew or passengers, sailings could be cancelled or cut short.
While the CDC resumption framework and test cruise situation gets sorted out, Disney Cruise Line has cancelled numerous sailings. Guests who have paid their reservation in full will receive the choice of a 125% future cruise credit to be used for a sailing prior to September 30, 2022 or a full refund.
To date, Disney Dream departures through August 6, 2021, Disney Fantasy departures through August 28, 2021, Disney Wonder departures through September 19, 2021, and Disney Magic departures in the US through November 4, 2021 are cancelled.
From all of the above, we know with certainty that Disney Cruise Line won’t set sail before August 2021 at the absolute earliest. That’s if DCL gets its cancelled simulation sailing rescheduled for early July, manages to get approval from the CDC shortly thereafter, and there aren’t more problems between Florida and the CDC.
Prior to all of this, Disney CEO Bob Chapek indicated that “with some luck and the increase in the number of vaccinations and encouraging trends that we are seeing that maybe by this fall we might be able to have some limited operations of our cruise ships.” It would now appear that DCL could beat that Fall 2021 goal if the cruise line so desires.
In such a scenario, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that the Disney Dream’s scheduled sailing departing on August 13, 2021 could actually happen. In short, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we’re optimistic about late August 2021 given where things currently stand.
With that said, I’ve seen enough to not want to be a guinea pig on an early return sailing aboard Disney Cruise Line. With so many viable vacation opportunities back in nearly normal form and without restrictions, cruising just is not as attractive to me right now. While I’m not concerned about my own safety as someone who is fully vaccinated, I am also worried about the possibility of a cruise being cancelled or cut short due to an outbreak. All of that, plus the standoff between Florida and the CDC, presents too many question marks for my comfort about how any situation would be handled. To each their own, but I’d rather watch how early cruises go for others, and consider sailing for Christmas 2021 or maybe in early 2022.
Planning to set sail aboard one of the DCL ships? Read our comprehensive Disney Cruise Line Guide to prepare for your voyage, plus plan entertainment, activities & excursions, and learn what to expect from your Disney cruise! For personalized planning & recommendations, click here to get a cruise quote from a no-fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. They can find you all of the current discounts, and help you plan the details of your cruise!
Your Thoughts
Do you think Disney Cruise Line will resume sailing by Fall 2021, or is the holiday season or even 2022 more reasonable at this point? What’s your predicted timeframe? Are you expecting significantly modified operations once DCL returns? Would you sail with Disney Cruise Line next year, or will you wait longer? Do you agree or disagree with our advice and assessment? Any questions? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
“You have the vaccine. What are you so afraid of?!?”
Being quarantined in a tiny stateroom with an overactive toddler for two weeks because someone decided to be Patient Zero. But, hey, if you are offering to babysit…
To all those saying if you are vaccinated and it works what do you have to be afraid of, I would say I’d be afraid of getting my vacation cancelled/cut short or having to be quarantined on the ship if there is an outbreak. Even if I don’t get COVID, I don’t want to risk something like that happening. Also, given the low vaccination rates in a lot of places the ship stops (especially in the Caribbean) it’s not quite as easy to say people won’t be at risk unless the unvaccinated plan on staying on the ship the whole cruise.
Basically I think it’s just selfish to put other people without access at risk of getting covid or risking ruining other people’s vacation because you can’t do the responsible thing and get vaccinated. You have the freedom to make whatever choice you want, but I should have the freedom to take a cruise without worrying may vacation will get cancelled because of an outbreak amongst the unvaccinated.
I’m vaccinated and ready to cruise! We’ve scheduled a 4 day Cruise out of Galveston for December 17th for our 50th Anniversary. I’m just waiting to find out if it’s going to happen before my final payment due date of September 21st.
My family booked a Disney cruise on the Fantasy with a 3rd party that is scheduled to sail on
August 7, 2021. We as family do not feel it’s safe to travel at this time. We would like a full refund for travel and insurance protection. Thus, lies the problem with Disney’s 60 day final payment policy. If I cancel the trip before or on June 8th, I will receive my deposit only and forfeit money paid for insurance protection. If Disney cancels, I receive a total refund for deposit and insurance. As of now Disney Fantasy has suspended cruising until July 31st, yet the policy requires final payment 60 days before travel. This places me and others customers in peril of loosing thousands of dollars. Having test cruises is fine, but why not take care of your clients who could loose money because of your inflexible policy. The final payment policy should allow customers to make the final payment 30 days prior until such time actual sail dates are established.
My family of 9, are scheduled for a Disney Cruise in Nov/21. If all staff & guests over the age of 12 are not fully vaccinated I will be getting a refund. To spend so much money on a cruise, I want to enjoy it & feel safe.
Don’t you think it is wrong, boardering on thievery that Disney wont admit that it’s July 12 cruise to Alaska will be cancelled? They are requiring customers to pay the remaining balance of that cruise by midnight tonight or they will keep the deposit. Seems very wrong.
I will sail again on a Disney Cruise in May 2022. However, if the opportunity arrives later to sail I will. I have been vaccinated as has my daughter. Her husband has not as he is undergoing Chemo at the moment. However, it doesn’t sound like he will get the vaccine. My daugher and I respect his choice not to but that is not going to stop us from sailing on Disney if they make it a requirement. He just won’t go. It’s his choice.
Can we please move past vaccination issues. Looks like getting the vaccine will get you on a Disney ship and choosing to pass, on the vaccine, will keep you off the ships. This topic is sucking the fun out of what Disney exemplifies.
To “Guest” – If you are vaccinated and protected (because the vaccine works, right?), then why are you concerned about someone who isn’t vaccinated giving you Covid? Please explain that to me?? If the vaccine works, then you are protected. Right???
So should they require influenza vaccines as well, for the Karen’s if these vaccines work why do you care what the other passengers do. Quite imposing your self righteous positions on other people. I had Covid so why do I want to subject myself to a vaccine that now the one manufacturer cant even say you won’t need constant boosters. This shows that this is not science driven or it was rushed to use. Let’s move on save the whales and turtles from all this mask pollution! Sail On!
We’ve booked on the UK ‘staycation ‘
Quite a lot of families excluded as the under 40s not able to get their vaccinations yet – but 100% the right policy and we are excited to go !!
Oh my god, one more time for the back rows…the point of the safety rules is to protect EVERYONE, which also means preventing YOU from spreading it to OTHERS. So you don’t want get a vaccination or wear a mask or social distance, you want to sign a waiver saying that you don’t care if you catch Covid,..well goody for you. Now what’s going to stop YOU from maybe spreading it to the thousands of other people confined to the ship with you? Oh wait, that would mean you have consideration for anyone besides yourself. “That’s on them,” right? Actually no, You’re gonna miss your vacation because you want to foot stomp and be all “You can’t tell me what to do!” like some spoiled kid? That’s on you. Most of America will be vaccinated eventually, and Disney will be packed and just fine with your money.
Does Disney have something like Castaway cay in Europe? We have had our vaccines and would love to cruise again. Have met a lot of Seniors on the Disney Cruises! Thanks for all your info!
Demand for the UK DCL has been high even with the requirement for all adults to be vaccinated with no exceptions. I think once the UK cruises are underway and showing the successful implementation of the control measures Disney will look at US sailings very differently. We are booked for the UK in August as first time cruisers and couldn’t be more excited!
I don’t anticipate demand being an issue in the US, either.
Disney doesn’t need 60%+ of the population to book a sailing–they need a very small fraction of 1%. The percentage of the population that’s vaccine hesitant or resistant isn’t totally irrelevant, but it doesn’t matter nearly as much in the short term as some people might like to think.
I don’t think Disney will have any trouble filling their ships with vaccinated passengers. Regardless of what percentage of the population is vaccinated, demand for cruises is high because cruise lovers haven’t been able to take one for over a year. I hope that the vaccine rule doesn’t apply to those that aren’t eligible since I have kids that are too young for the vaccine. But even if Disney decides to start cruising without small kids, I still think they will fill up no problem.
@Don, that’s an interesting thought. Money talks! Always has, always will. Every business is beholden to whomever & whatever will bring in the revenue. If cruise lines exclude the unvaccinated (but a sizable percentage of the US population doesn’t want the vaccine), they’ll be leaving a lot of money on the table. There are lots of great places to vacation in the US, but the fact that FL is booming right now is quite telling. Why is the sunshine state attracting so many??? One would think the lack of Covid regulations would be too scary for folks to risk, but it seems to be the opposite. People are craving normalcy. They’re ready to spend money on vacations. And from where I stand, the places that have the least obstructions between me and a good time are the places that get my money.
You should strongly consider getting vaccinated. My friends brother and father died of covid this week. As well, His sister and her husband are now in ICU being ventilated. This is serious business
It will be interesting to see if the cruise industry can float with vaccinated only. If 40% of the country refuses to vaccinate, where does that leave cruise bookings, still hurting I’m guessing. FWIW, I do not have plans to vaccinate, yet have not ruled it out, and felt compelled to cancel an OCT 30 cruise on a competitor.
Oh my…. I took the plunge and booked a cruise for September 2022. I hope things are back on track by then or I will cancel. Unfortunately, it leaves a credit with DCL due to the type of cabin I booked. I personally wish everyone would get vaccinated. I had covid and then got vaccinated.
Disney Cruises Wonder in Alaska are only cancelled through the beginning of July as of mid April. Information in article is incorrect.