Cruise Ship Ground Transport

April 22, 2020

Information for Ground Transportation Operators Transporting Crew from Cruise
Ships Affected by COVID-19
On April 15, 2020, CDC published an extension to the CDC Director’s No Sail Order for cruise ships in the Federal
Register. Under this order:
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Cruise lines require approval from CDC before allowing their crew members to disembark and travel by
air.
Cruise lines are prohibited from repatriating their crew members using commercial transport.
Repatriation of crew members should occur by foreign government- or industry-chartered private
transport and flights, with measures in place to ensure those involved in transport are not exposed.

CDC has provided interim guidance to cruise lines that includes requirements for disembarking asymptomatic
crew members for repatriation.
Ground transport operators contracting with cruise lines to transport passengers and crew from cruise ships
affected by COVID-19 should ensure plans are in place to protect the health and safety of their staff, including:
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Review What Bus Transit Operators Need to Know About COVID-19

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Fully inform drivers and cleaning staff of the risk of COVID-19 associated with transporting cruise ship
crew members, including that some of these individuals may have been exposed to COVID-19.

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Educate transportation workers to recognize the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and provide
instructions on what to do if they get sick.
o Workers should observe their health status daily beginning with the first time and continuing
until 14 days after the last time they transported disembarking cruise ship travelers.
o Each worker should be instructed that they should stay home and notify their supervisor, team
lead, or safety officer if they develop a measured fever of 100.4◦F or higher, feel feverish, have
cough, or have difficulty breathing.
Educate and train drivers and cleaning staff on ways to protect themselves from exposure, including
hand hygiene.
Ensure drivers have a supply of alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 alcohol for
personal use on the bus since hand washing facilities may not be accessible.
Provide disposable disinfectant wipes so that surfaces commonly touched by the bus operator can be
wiped down. Use EPA-approved cleaning and disinfection products appropriate for the surface.
Ensure cruise ship medical staff have screened all individuals boarding the vehicle for symptoms of
COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing).
Ensure cruise ship staff have notified the transport operator of any groups that need to be transported
separately because of different COVID-19 exposure status.

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Ask individuals boarding the vehicle to wear face coverings at all times, to the extent possible.
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Cruise lines should provide cloth face coverings to individuals disembarking or ensure that
disembarking individuals have their own face coverings.

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Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has
trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask
without assistance.

Driver may also consider wearing a cloth face covering per CDC guidance.