The cruise ship industry is getting hot under the collar over the refusal of the Centers for Disease Control to show them a clear path to sailing again from U.S. ports, and are starting to take their ships elsewhere to start making money again.
Industry leaders, especially Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Holdings, say they are being treated unfairly as airlines ramp up leisure flying, resorts and hotels are allowed to operate and passengers are knocking on their doors in large numbers waiting to book cruises. Cruise ships have not been allowed to operate from U.S. ports for more than a year.
Some lines, including Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, which have worked on new health and safety procedures have asked CDC to take that into consideration and allow them to resume sailing; Norwegian has specified that it would like to start cruises by July with all passengers and crew vaccinated but CDC has not moved.
While that has been going on, companies have lobbied Congress and two states, Florida and Alaska have sued CDC. While waiting, the companies have begun taking steps to operate elsewhere. Several lines have summer plans to operate cruises around the UK, and others are working in the eastern Mediterranean ‘bubble’ formed by Israel, Greece and Cyprus.
For the fifty percent of the cruise business that normally operates from U.S. ports, there are increasing numbers of ships moving to, or threatening to move to, Caribbean ports that U.S. passengers could fly to. If that happens, it could lead to permanent shifts in the industry.
