Addressing the House of Commons on Thursday (8 July), Shapps said the new policy would come into effect from 19 July.
While answers questions from MPs, SNP member for Inverclyde, Ronnie Cowan, called on Shapps to clarify if cruise guests would be included in the measures, as he urged the government to safeguard thousands of UK jobs dependent on the cruise sector’s recovery.
He said: “Can the minister ensure the international cruise ship industry that, as he talks about increase traffic between international airports and he talks about opening up the international economy, that he will not neglect the cruise industry and the 88,000-plus UK jobs that are reliant on it?"
Shapps said he was “pleased” to confirm cruise lines and their passengers would be brought under the same allowances as those travelling by air.
“Indeed, we’ve enabled cruise ships to sail already with up to 50% [capacity] where people have been double vaccinated, so yes there are included,” he added.
The confirmation from Shapps over the alignment of cruise and air travel quarantine rules echoes statements in April’s Global Travel Taskforce report, which said international sailings would return alongside the government’s wider restart for overseas travel and follow the traffic light system.
Cruise association Clia welcomed the latest news, describing how "a number of amber countries are popular cruise destinations".
"It’s a positive development that double-jabbed people won’t have to self-isolate when arriving home from their sailing," said UK and Ireland managing director Andy Harmer.
Harmer said Clia was "continuing to liaise" with the Department for Transport and the Foreign Office "to further open up international travel as and when it is safe to do so".
While discussing the cruise sector in parliament, Shapps used the opportunity to take aim at Scotland’s recent ban on ship calls to Scottish ports.
He told Cowan it was “a frustration” that while cruise vessels had been allowed to operate in English waters “they have been banned from docking at Scottish ports for the last month or two”.
“If he really wants to help those 80,000 people employed by the cruise sector, maybe he can start by talking to the Scottish government about that.”
