British Virgin Islands readies for first cruise call since the shutdown

The ship is scheduled at Road Town's Tortola Pier Park as part of its St. Maarten homeporting schedule. Other stops on the weeklong cruise are Barbados and St. Lucia.

Celebrity Millennium is sailing with fully vaccinated crew and vaccinated passengers over the age of 16.

95% vaccination mandate

BVI requirements include all passengers 16 and older and at least 95% of the crew (not in quarantine) be fully vaccinated. In addition, anyone going ashore aged 2 or older must have a negative PCR test taken within three days of boarding the vessel or a negative test taken at embarkation.

Masks and distancing

Additionally, when ashore, masks are required for all passengers and crew in public and communal settings and during shore excursions when distancing (six feet) cannot be maintained. Distancing is also required when leaving and boarding the ship.

BVI recently launched the 'Vaccinate to Participate' program to encourage all tourism stakeholders to get fully vaccinated.

During the pandemic, BVI Ports Authority facilitated cruise ship technical calls and warm layups under carefully controlled conditions.