CDC warns people to 'avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status'

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning travelers to avoid cruise ships, even if they are fully vaccinated.

The risk of contracting COVID-19 on cruise ships was bumped by the CDC Thursday from "Level 3: High" to "Level 4: Very High." 

Cruise passengers are more likely to contract the virus due to the close quarters on a ship. Although the CDC said everyone should avoid cruise travel, if a person does decide to take a cruise, the agency recommends being fully vaccinated with a booster. 

"Since the identification of the Omicron variant, there has been an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases among cruise passengers and crew reported to CDC," the organization's press release states.

The CDC ranks individual cruise ships by color. As of Dec. 30, no ships are in the red category, where COVID-19 cases are "at or above the threshold for CDC investigation," and additional public health measures have been instituted in response. Most cruises – 91 of the 110 listed – are yellow, indicating that reported COVID cases have met the CDC's threshold for investigation.

People who decide to still take a cruise are recommended to get tested before and after traveling, regardless of COVID symptoms. 

Cruises were forced to temporarily close at the beginning of the pandemic, and some ships were forced to stay at sea due to outbreaks. 

Last week, four dozen people tested positive for the virus on the world's largest cruise ship, despite the fact that 95% of all passengers were fully vaccinated.