The swirling questions about the possible resumption of cruises from U.S. ports just got even more complex with statements in Washington and Tallahassee that put initiatives by the cruise companies into new troubled waters.
The cruise lines themselves have been pushing CDC and public opinion to allow sailings with new safety protocols, and in some cases with all-vaccinated crews and passengers. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has weighed in with support for resumption “as soon as we responsibly can but we want to be safe.” That followed by a day a threat by Florida Gov. Ron de Santis to sue CDC over the hold, and was followed by a Senate bill offered by Florida and Alaska Senators that would order CDC to issue regulations for July 4 sailing.
Then comes the big complication: the possibly fastest-moving resumption could be Norwegian Cruise Line’s request for permission to sail July 4th with everyone vaccinated is on a collision course with Gov. de Santis’s pledge to allow no cruise to sail with passengers required to show proof of vaccination.
Long run: If de Santis, who is apparently positioning himself as a Trump heir, persists in his stand, cruises may resume this summer, but without Florida. Especially since in some cases, vaccination will be the basis of other countries allow the ships into port.
