Is St Thomas Allowing Cruise Ships?

By Anna Duncan

St. Thomas is a popular destination among cruise ship travelers, and many people are wondering whether the island is allowing cruise ships to visit in light of the current pandemic. Let’s take a closer look at the situation and see what we can find out.

Background

St. Thomas is one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, located in the Caribbean Sea. It’s known for its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant culture. The island has long been a popular port of call for cruise ships, with thousands of passengers disembarking each week to explore its many attractions.

The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on travel and tourism around the world, including in St. Thomas. In March 2020, the island closed its borders to visitors in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.

Since then, St. Thomas has gradually reopened its tourism industry with some restrictions and guidelines in place. However, there are still concerns about the safety of allowing large numbers of tourists to visit during a pandemic.

Cruise Ships

As for cruise ships specifically, there have been some changes to their operations in St. Thomas due to COVID-19. In late 2020, Royal Caribbean announced that it would be using St. Thomas as a homeport for some of its ships.

This means that passengers would embark and disembark from St. Thomas rather than just making a stopover as part of their itinerary. However, this plan was later put on hold due to concerns about rising COVID-19 cases on the island.

Current Situation

As of now (August 2021), it appears that St. Thomas is still allowing cruise ships to make stops at its port but with certain restrictions in place:

  • Ships must follow strict health and safety protocols.
  • Passengers may need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result.
  • Capacity may be limited to reduce the number of people in port at any given time.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it seems that St. Thomas is cautiously reopening its tourism industry, including allowing cruise ships to visit with some restrictions. However, the situation is constantly evolving, and it’s important for travelers to stay up-to-date on the latest guidelines and requirements before planning a trip.