Canada will lift its ban on cruising from November following a “steady improvement” in the country’s Covid status. The Canadian government had imposed a one-year ban that was meant to last until 4 February 2022.
Canadian transport minister Omar Alghabra announced: “We will welcome cruise ships—an important part of our tourism sector—back in Canadian waters for the 2022 season.”
The announcement will undoubtedly please major operators who operate Alaskan cruises.
Under a 19th-century U.S. law that was temporarily reversed to deal with the Canadian ban, any foreign-flagged ship must stop in at least one foreign port if sailing between two U.S. ports. For Alaskan cruises sailing between Washington State and Alaska, this meant a stop in Canadian waters.
The cruise ship industry reportedly is worth more than $4 billion annually to the Canadian economy and is responsible for around 30,000 direct and indirect jobs.
However, Canada has not yet reopened its borders to U.S. tourists, but this decision is seen as a step toward the normalising of travel between the two North American neighbours.
