A partial government shutdown is looming, and travelers may be wondering what that means for their plans.
Members of Congress remain at an impasse with the deadline nearing. Funding will expire at midnight on Sept. 30, with ripple effects in Washington, D.C. and beyond.
That includes travel: the U.S. Travel Association estimated the country’s travel economy could lose $1 billion per week during a shutdown. Some popular tourist sites like national parks would also close, but at least one type of trip should go largely undisrupted: cruises.
Here’s what passengers setting sail in the coming weeks should know.
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Does a government shutdown impact cruises?
Generally, no.
“As far as the impact on cruises, essential federal personnel – including the U.S. Coast Guard, TSA, and CBP agents – will continue to report to work, so core port and security functions will remain in place,” Cruise Lines International Association, the cruise industry’s leading trade group, told USA TODAY in an email.
“Where we anticipate immediate impact is in the potential closure of national parks, museums, and other federally operated attractions that many cruise passengers visit in U.S. destinations,” the statement continued. Passport services could also be delayed, the organization warned.
The State Department referred a request for comment on potential impacts to passport processing to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not immediately respond. However, previous guidance from the State Department said consular operations would continue as usual during a shutdown as long as “there are sufficient fees” to do so.
“This includes passports, visas, and assisting U.S. citizens abroad,” the guidance said.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How a government shutdown could impact your cruise