Port Tampa Bay values the health and wellness of its employees, tenants, industry partners, visitors and our cruise line partners’ passengers.
We strive to create a healthy and safe environment at all times. At this point there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Port Tampa Bay. While we have always enforced healthy habits and good hygiene, we have put more measures in place to keep our Port healthy and prevent the spread of all viruses, including COVID-19.
UPDATED: March 13, 2020
Port Tampa Bay supports the decisions of Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International to suspend sailings. The decision was made in the interest of public safety. As a reminder, Holland American Line, Celebrity Cruises and MSC Cruises were not scheduled to sail from Port Tampa Bay until November of 2020.
We encourage any impacted cruise passengers to contact their travel agent or cruise line directly for more information.
If you have questions about a specific cruise line's sailing schedule, your upcoming trip, or safety protocols, visit the below links for more information:
For options regarding your canceled cruise ship parking, please visit this link: Port Tampa Bay Refund Form
Here is an update from Cruise Lines International Association provided on March, 13, 2020:
CLIA ocean-going cruise lines will be voluntarily and temporarily suspending cruise ship operations from and to U.S. ports of call for 30 days as public health officials and the U.S. Government continue to address COVID-19.
“CLIA cruise line members are voluntarily and temporarily suspending operations from the U.S. as we work to address this public health crisis,” said Kelly Craighead, President and CEO, CLIA. “This is an unprecedented situation. Our industry has taken responsibility for protecting public health for more than 50 years, working under the guidance of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and prides itself on its ability to deliver exceptional vacation experiences for guests, as well as meaningful employment opportunities for crew. This has been a challenging time, but we hope that this decision will enable us to focus on the future and a return to normal as soon as possible.”
The temporary suspension will take effect at 12:00AM EST on 14 March 2020. CLIA ocean-going cruise lines are focused on the safe and smooth return of those currently at sea onboard ships that will be affected by this decision.
“We do not take this decision lightly, and we want the traveling public to know in no uncertain terms the commitment of this industry to putting people first,” said Adam Goldstein, CLIA Global Chairman. “During this time, we will continue to work with the CDC and others to prepare for resumption of sailings when it is appropriate. We know the travel industry is a huge economic engine for the United States and when our ships once again sail, our industry will be a significant contributor to fueling the economic recovery.”
The cruise industry is a vital artery for the U.S. economy, supporting over 421,000 American jobs, with every 30 cruisers supporting one U.S. job, and annually contributes nearly $53 billion to the U.S. economy. Cruise activity supports travel agencies, airlines, hotels and a broad supply chain of industries that stretches across the United States.
Guests who are booked on cruise itineraries which will be impacted by this decision are encouraged to contact their travel advisors or reach out to their cruise lines directly.
We have rigorous cleaning and sanitation practices in place to maintain our cruise terminals, and we are now implementing an additional in-depth and cutting-edge process using an antimicrobial product, called mPact. This new process complements several other cleaning and sanitization efforts, including deep cleaning each terminal following a cruise sailing, regularly cleaning and sanitizing high-touch areas like railings, doorknobs, and countertops, and increasing hand sanitizer available to passengers, while in the terminal.
When the product mPact is applied (and allowed to dry), it leaves a thin bonded film that, at the nano level, resembles millions of sword-shaped road spikes – spikes that kill bacteria. It has been lab-tested and is proven to be 99.99% effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
The antimicrobial is colorless, odorless, and can be applied to wood or steel framing, sheetrock, carpets, upholstery and painted surfaces. Once the product is sprayed on, it bonds to the surface and retains its effectiveness for a minimum of 30 days. In comparison, most household disinfectants have to be on a surface for 10 minutes or more to “disinfect” or kill all the germs on the surface, and once they are dry, germ buildup resumes.
mPact will be used to clean and provide a protective barrier to all surfaces at our cruise terminals moving forward, including each upholstered chair. The high-touch areas will be treated after every cruise, and each terminal will be treated every 30 days.