It's Full Steam Ahead As South Florida Cruise Industry Stages Comeback

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - After weathering two years of the pandemic, the cruise industry in South Florida is staging a comeback.  

Recently, the major cruise companies lifted most mask requirements onboard.  

After losing billions of dollars and thousands of workers, the major cruise companies say bookings are returning and the workforce is rebuilding at the two busiest ports of PortMiami and Port Everglades.

On Friday afternoon, Royal Caribbean launched the biggest cruise ship in the world out of Port Everglades, Wonder of the Seas.  

The ship has 18 decks, 8 neighborhoods and its very own Central Park with 20,000 living plants.  

It has a capacity of nearly 7,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members and passengers have the opportunity to play mini-golf, go rock climbing, glide through water slides, or simply relax at a spa.

"We are excited to be here and excited not to have to wear masks," said Austin Rupp, who was taking the cruise with 11 other members of his family from Utah.  

He says the youngest members of the family will still have to wear masks on board and adds that getting last-minute Covid tests was expensive.

Cruise ships are requiring negative Covid tests to board and passengers must be vaccinated.

"When I talk to the crew, they are happy to be here and the reaction when they see the guests is moving," said Mark Tamis, who is Royal Caribbean's senior vice president of hotel operations.

"We are back and it's the greatest vacation and safest there is," added Tamis.

A total comeback of the cruise industry isn't expected until late summer, but barring any more major Covid variants, it's full steam ahead.