Cruise Ship Companies Operating Out Of American Ports Frustrated With Glacial Reopening Of Industry
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Cruise lines that operate out of American ports, such as PortMiami, where ships been shut down the by Centers for Disease Control mandates for over a year, could set sail to conduct business elsewhere.
"They want to get their ships started," said Stewart Chiron, an industry expert known as The Cruise Guy. "And if they are not able to do it from here from a U.S. Port, they are going to move them to foreign ports."
And that's exactly what many major cruise companies are doing, citing what companies in Europe and the Pacific have been able to accomplish during the pandemic.
Morgan O'Brien is an American travel video blogger living in Germany.
"People are getting temperature checks every day. We have to be tested 72 hours before the cruise leaves and, of course, it has to be a negative PCR test," O'Brien said.
Miami-based Royal Caribbean has tested those systems abroad with encouraging results.
"Over 400,000 people have cruised in the last eight months in Europe and the South Pacific with fewer than 50 COVID cases reported," Chiron said.
But the companies appear to have an ally in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who announced he's filed a lawsuit against the federal government and the CDC demanding that cruise ships be opened immediately.
WATCH: Gov. DeSantis Announces Lawsuit Against Feds, CDC To Reopen Cruise Industry
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian said they will require all passengers and crew to be inoculated. Cruise ships will depart the foreign ports with less than capacity, enhanced CDC protocols and increased medical staffs on board, mirroring the European cruise experience.
The cruise companies will be departing in the very near future from ports such as Nassau, Sint Maarten, Montego Bay, Punta Cana, Bermuda and Athens, Greece.
"For us here in the U.S. to fly to Sint Maarten, Montego Bay, Punta Cana, Nassau or to Athens, people do that all the time," said Chiron.
For those hoping to get away, don't expect any cruise deals. There is a high demand for these cruises, and the ships will not be operating at full capacity.