Maritime Guidance

If you’re a cruise passenger looking for information, visit CDC’s Cruise Ship Travel webpage.

The maritime guidance is for vessels operating in US waters and includes recommendations on preventing and managing illnesses to help provide a safer and healthier environment for passengers and crew, as well as requirements for reporting illnesses and deaths to CDC.

Disease-specific guidance is provided for cruise ships and non-passenger carrying vessels (e.g., cargo/container ships, bulk carriers, tanker ships, offshore ships, special purpose ships). Other passenger-carrying vessels (e.g., ferries) may also find this guidance useful as they develop their operational procedures.

Disease-specific Maritime Guidance
ship wake on open sea
To Report Death or Illness
Patient Information Form

All vessels sailing from a non-US port destined to a US port are required to report certain illnesses and all deaths that occur among travelers on board.

Learn More