An Update on the Ongoing COVID situation in Puerto Rico
In recent months, the COVID situation continues to influence our daily lives and that does not exclude the cruise industry we serve. Nevertheless, the industry continues to make efforts to try to overcome the obstacles of the pandemic. In early March 2022, Puerto Rico welcomed the arrival of two new cruise ships, the world's largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas, and Silversea's Silver Moon. The tourism industry made sure that the arrival of the cruise passengers was memorable, so they were welcomed to the sound of “bomba” and Puerto Rican “plena” and were able to appreciate and purchase local handicrafts to remember their visit to the island.
At the end of March, U.S. federal health authorities on Wednesday cancelled the warnings they had issued on cruise ship travel since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, in early April 2022 over 8,000 cruise passengers arrived in San Juan Bay aboard Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas, Celebrity Edge and MSC Seashore cruise ships.
By mid-April, we welcomed the Viking Octantis cruise ship for the first time in Puerto Rico.
For traveling to Puerto Rico during COVID-19, there are a few things you need to know. As of Thursday, March 10, domestic travelers are no longer required to present proof of vaccination or submit to covid-19 testing prior to arrival. For international travelers coming to Puerto Rico, the same requirements for entry to the U.S. apply. International visitors over the age of 18 must be fully vaccinated to enter, although there are exceptions to this. The Puerto Rico government ended mask requirements for indoor and outdoor establishments. It also eliminated capacity limits for private and public establishments, such as restaurants, bars, theaters, and event venues.
Here at SHSJ, we recommend COVID-19 vaccination and require the use of facemasks in our facility to protect your health and the health of our staff to continue to provide the quality services everyone deserves.
Company, P. R. T. (2022, March 9). PUERTO RICO CELEBRA LA LLEGADA DE DOS NUEVOS CRUCEROS A LA ISLA. Puerto Rico Tourism Company. https://prtourism.com/2022/03/07/pr-celebra-2-nuevos-cruceros/?lang=es#:%7E:text=PUERTO%20RICO%20CELEBRA%20LA%20LLEGADA%20DE%20DOS%20NUEVOS%20CRUCEROS%20A%20LA%20ISLA,-Impacto%20econ%C3%B3mico%20de&text=7%20de%20marzo%20de%202022,informaron%20el%20gobernador%2C%20Pedro%20R
Hora, P. (2022, April 14). Llega el crucero Viking Octantis a Puerto Rico. Primera Hora. https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/puerto-rico/notas/llega-el-crucero-viking-octantis-a-puerto-rico/
Rivera, J. O. D. (2022, April 6). Sobre 8,000 cruceristas llegaron hoy a la bahía de San Juan. El Nuevo Dia. https://www.elnuevodia.com/negocios/turismo/notas/sobre-12000-cruceristas-llegaron-hoy-a-la-bahia-de-san-juan/
The Associated Press. (2022, March 31). CDC eliminan advertencias de COVID-19 para viajes en crucero. Primera Hora. https://www.primerahora.com/noticias/estados-unidos/notas/cdc-eliminan-advertencias-de-covid-19-para-viajes-en-crucero/
U. (2022, April 13). Viajar a Puerto Rico durante el covid-19: requisitos, vacunas y lo que debes saber. CNN. https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/04/13/puerto-rico-viajar-covid-19-trax/