BERMUDA SAYS NO TO UN-VACCINATED CRUISES

The Bermuda government is defending its tough stance on compulsory vaccination for cruise ship passengers despite one major cruise line taking the territory off its ports of call as a result.

Royal Caribbean Cruises will not call at Hamilton, Bermuda as the government insists all passengers and crew must be fully vaccinated.

But Bermuda's Transport Minister. Lawrence Scott says the government is sticking to its strict protocols.

“When it comes to health and the safety of the country and the health risk we’re not willing to compromise on that,” he stated in response to the cruise line’s decision.

The US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed that ships could sail out of US ports with some restrictions – and that not all passengers had to be vaccinated.

The issue has been further complicated with the Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis mandating that cruise passengers do not have to be fully vaccinated to board cruise ships sailing out of the state. Florida is the major home port for cruise ships sailing to Bermuda and the Caribbean.

Mr Scott said the Florida decision “contradicts our current health policies of fully vaccinated cruises for Bermuda and that is where – although they’re running within the guidelines of the CDC – they’re outside our health guidelines.”