Jamaica Set to Reopen to International Travel

After a long period of being completely shut down to international travel, Jamaica is looking to reopen their borders on June 15th, 2020. This is a pretty big deal both for the cruise industry and the rest of the world. But, first, there’s some work that needs to be taken care of!

Repatriation of Jamaicans

Before travelers are allowed onto the island, the first focus of Jamaica is to get back the 8000 or so Jamaicans that have been stranded overseas since the travel ban first went into effect. Any Jamaicans that return any time between now and July 14th will be screened for any potential health problems before being sent into a mandatory two week quarantine period that will be carried out at their homes. These quarantines will be enforced by tracking measures using either their phone or a wristband.

Open doors

Once all of this is taken care of, the doors will be open for travelers to come visit. However, it won’t be perfectly simple; coronavirus is still out there, after all, even if travel restrictions are being changed. All travelers will have their temperatures checked and will also undergo a health screening. If anyone shows that they have a fever or any other symptoms that might indicate sickness, they will be asked further questions, likely be tested, and may be subject to a quarantine period.

Will they close their borders again?

It’s hard to say what will happen in almost any situation when it comes to coronavirus. In Jamaica’s case, they plan to keep an eye on how their reopening goes and revisit their restriction levels every two weeks. This means that if cases spike in the country, they may very well close their borders again, or implement stricter medical vetting measures. Again, it’s pretty much impossible to predict.

What does this mean for the cruise industry?

Undoubtedly, this is a huge boon to both the cruise industry and the travel industry in general. For cruises specifically, this means that there is one more place close to the United States that will potentially be allowing travelers this summer. With so many Canadian and Alaskan cruises being cancelled, this could really help out cruise lines that are struggling to get bookings. Even if cruises are being limited or cannot sail as easily as they normally would, this really can only help cruise lines.

Jamaica is definitely a popular cruise destination, so we imagine lots of travelers out there are super excited to get a tropical vacation this summer. Remember: any decision you make right now, make sure to be as safe as possible! Listen to health officials and follow the rules on any ship you’re on or any port you stop at.