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TAMPA, Fla. — The pandemic devastated many industries during the past year in a half.
But few have had as rough a go as the cruise line industry, which continues to deal with federal rulings in Florida before a full return to operations can take place.
Stalled ships the last 16 months gave way to legal fights with the Centers for Disease Control and questions regarding masks, vaccines and who dictates what on ships: the state, the country or the cruise lines?
On the latest episode of our To The Point Already podcast, Spectrum Bay News 9's Rick Elmhorst and Roy DeJesus discuss the current cruise industry status with a travel professional and a public health specialist.
“Our (travel) agents are excited. Our members are excited,” said Vicky Evans, AAA's Travel Sales Assistant Vice President. “It really has been a long journey but now there's so many people wanting to cruise. We're not out of the thick of the woods yet but it is an exciting time for the travel business.”
The Disney Dream sails out of Port Canaveral on a simulation cruise on July 17. The cruise included about 300 Disney cruise employees and their guests. This is the first cruise activity out of Port Canaveral since March of 2020. (Malcolm Denemark/Florida Today via AP)
But issues do remain.
Pandemic restrictions on Florida-based cruise ships are no longer in place under a ruling last week by a federal appeals court, while the CDC seek to fight a Florida lawsuit challenging the regulations.
The CDC first flatly halted cruise ships from sailing in March 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which had affected passengers and crew on numerous ships.
Then the CDC on Oct. 30 of last year imposed a four-phase conditional framework it said would allow the industry to gradually resume operations if certain thresholds were met. Those included virus mitigation procedures and a simulated cruise to test them before embarking regular passengers.
Right now, unvaccinated passengers can cruise - though cruise lines are recommending, just not requiring vaccines. Still, anyone unvaccinated on a cruise will be subject to additional restrictions while on board.
And it'll cost cruisers more.
Royal Caribbean and Carnival announced unvaccinated passengers must carry insurance which estimates to an additional $200 a person, while some amenties could also be unavailable to them as well. Paying more for a limited experience.
“Looking at cruises in Florida, the CDC can recommend the measures but requiring those measures, it placed an injunction on that,” said Katherine Drabiak, a Public Health Professor at the University of South Florida. “This goes back to balancing that public health law is supposed to be narrow and precise.
“This (ruling) is kind of a way to balance public health needs with legitimate business needs.”
ABOUT THE SHOW
Spectrum Bay News 9 Anchor Rick Elmhorst sits down with the people that represent you, the people fighting for change and the people with fascinating stories to ask the hard questions.
To The Point Already will cover people, politics and issues from a Tampa Bay perspective every Wednesday.