The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced in the Federal Register a framework for a phased resumption of cruise ship passenger operations.
Department of State issues emergency travel advisory
For the convenience of our readers, Maritime Commons is sharing a link to a Department of State travel emergency alert released Feb. 20, 2020, regarding cruise ship travel and the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
11/8/2018: Avoiding tragedy 100 years after Princess Sophia sinking
Many of the safety items that Coast Guard foreign passenger vessel examiners check for are directly related to the lessons learned from the Princess Sophia disaster. For example, the primary cause of the grounding was a loss of awareness of the navigational picture that allowed the vessel to strike a charted and well-known hazard. As part of a cruise ship examination, the exam team checks the functionality of navigational equipment such as electronic charting systems, radars, and depth sounders, as well as the ship crew’s proficiency with using these systems. The team also reviews crewmembers’ licenses and training certificates to ensure that they meet the minimum qualifications to fill these key shipboard positions. In this post, read about how, the past 100 years have allowed for the development of robust regulations to ensure the safety of all passengers booking passage on one of these non-U.S. vessels.
3/19/2018: Consolidated Cruise Ship Security Regulations Final Rule published

The Coast Guard is issuing a final rule to eliminate outdated regulations that imposed unnecessary screening requirements on cruise ships and cruise ship terminals. This final rule replaces these outdated regulations with simpler, consolidated regulations that provide efficient and clear requirements for the screening of baggage, personal items, and persons on a cruise ship. This final rule will enhance the security of cruise ship terminals and allow terminal operators to use effective screening mechanisms with minimal impact to business operations.
12/1/2015: Fall newsletter from the Cruise Ship National Center of Expertise
The CSNCOE published its fall edition of the Cruise Ship Semi-Annual Newsletter.