Spain is opening up to international travelers looking for some sun post-lockdown, but the same cannot be said for cruisers.
The popular Mediterranean hotspot announced that it had extended the ban on cruise ships with no end date given.
Spain approached the end of its State of Emergency and British holidaymakers are allowed to travel to the country from Sunday, June 21, as long as there is no risk of COVID spreading and they will no longer have to undergo quarantine.
However, those hoping to sail into Spain's shores were disappointed as the government said that it will be maintaining the ban on cruise ships sailing into any port.
This is applicable to both the islands and the mainland.
Cruise ships were banned from entering Spain 3 months ago due to the risk of coronavirus. A Spanish executive stressed that “all the necessary measures of sanitary control would be adopted to avoid any risk for the population of the country”.
The Spanish Ministry of Health might lift the restrictions for exceptional circumstances, which could include a coronavirus outbreak or a medical emergency, for instance.
Last year, Spain saw over 10 million cruise passengers visit, a number that is expected to shrink drastically this year due to the cruise ship ban.
Other countries that have extended their ban on cruise ships include Seychelles which announced last month that it would ban all cruise ships from entering Port Victoria until 2022.
The Minister for Health of Australia also extended the restrictions enforced following the pandemic's outbreak, which prohibit international cruise ships having sailed from a foreign port from entering a port in Australia until September 17, 2020.