CDC: Cruise guidelines become voluntary starting Saturday

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 guidance will become optional for many cruise ships starting Saturday.

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 guidance will become optional for many cruise ships starting Saturday.

That means companies will be able to set their own safety protocols.

Some say they've already been exceeding the CDC guidance and will continue to do so.

"It isn't going to change anything," said Stewart Chiron, President of TheCruiseGuy.com. "Cruise lines are going to continue utilizing the most up-to-date science and technology in order to minimize, mitigate, and continue to make cruising as safe as possible."

MORE NEWS: Royal Caribbean 'pausing operations' on some sailings amid omicron outbreak

Their efforts appear to be working. In a letter to investors, Royal Caribbean says it carried 1.1 million passengers so far during the pandemic.

According to executives, less than 0.2-percent of those passengers became infected with COVID-19.

Watch FOX 35 News for the latest Central Florida updates. Click here for the latest Central Florida news, Florida stories and local headlines.