Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line extended its pause of cruise operations and now plans to resume cruising on August 28.
In a media statement, Oneil Khosa, the line's CEO, said, “Upon announcing that we would resume cruising in late July, we were thrilled to see a great deal of demand, demonstrating that there is a strong appetite amongst travelers for our unique short-cruise ‘microcation’ product."
He also pointed out that the line has received a green status from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on its "No Sail Response" plan—meaning that it's met all requirements in providing a safe environment for crew members to work and disembark via non-commercial travel.
"Over the past few weeks, we’ve continued preparations to return to Grand Bahama Island while keeping an eye on the overall landscape, which continues to evolve," Khosa said. "In recent days, amidst a spike in COVID-19 cases in many states across the country, we’ve seen mounting pressures to modify reopening plans and consideration of the return of stay-at-home orders."
In addition, "new restrictions from the Bahamas have been announced, requiring travelers to present a negative swab test prior to entry," said Khosa. "In an effort to provide the safest environment for our passengers and crew, we have no choice but to further postpone our sailing schedule."
So, the line's current plan is to resume cruises from the Port of Palm Beach to the Bahamas on August 28, 2020.
Khosa continued: "This is incredibly disappointing to our entire team, but the decision was made after very careful consideration of all factors, and we believe this is in everyone’s best interest. We look forward to welcoming guests back onboard and appreciate everyone’s patience throughout this process.”
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