Update: Disney has clarified that the simulation cruises will be done by Disney employees as volunteer participants. We have also added a statement from Public Affairs Director Cynthia Martinez.
Disney Cruise Line has announced that simulation test cruises with Disney employees as volunteers will begin on June 29 out of Port Canaveral.
What’s Happening:
- Disney Cruise Line has announced two-night simulation test cruises starting June 29 through July 1, sailing out of Port Canaveral with a limited number of Disney employees as volunteer participants.
- The news comes from Thomas Mazloum, President of Disney Signature Experiences, who stated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved their application to conduct the simulation cruises which will test Disney Cruise Line’s newly developed health and safety protocols aboard the Disney Dream.
What They’re Saying:
- Cynthia Martinez, Public Affairs Director: “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. 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.”
CDC Cruise Crew Member Updates:
- The CDC made a few updates on May 28 regarding cruise travel status, allowing crew members to disembark from cruise ships in U.S. waters with certain precautions.
- Cruise lines with response plans will be able to use commercial travel to disembark crew members from certain ships if they meet criteria set by the CDC, including no confirmed cases of COVID-19 or COVID-19-like illness onboard within the last 14 days.
- Those ships will also be able to lessen physical distancing restrictions onboard.
Message from Thomas Mazloum, President, Disney Signature Experiences
“I have some great news to share, team.
We received word that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has approved our application to conduct a simulation cruise in advance of resuming normal operations.
This is a critically important milestone for Disney Cruise Line – and I want to thank everyone who has been supporting our return-to-service plans with such dedication and hard work.
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.
Today, as we move closer to restarting our U.S. cruises, I want to spotlight the tremendous resilience and positivity of the team. Your collaboration and continued enthusiasm throughout the pandemic have been nothing short of amazing, as we’ve researched, drafted, revised and refined our comprehensive roadmap for cruising again. It has been no small feat – and I’m extremely proud of everyone.
We will continue to evaluate our health and safety protocols, working closely with the CDC, and make adjustments as we work toward a full resumption of cruising. In the meantime, we can all take pride in the approval of our application with the CDC – a milestone that reflects the incredible talents of our entire team.”